Courier would like to do an interview, Indigo. You’ve gone through so much, but you’re still here, bettering yourself and your future. There is no better representation for Fairbanks, and it will show prospective students that this is a safe environment to continue their studies.”
My heart hits the pit of my stomach, and I shrug her hand off my shoulder. “No. I can’t do that…I’m sorry.”
I can tell the Dean is a woman who does not get told no often, because she looks at me in complete confusion. “What do you mean, you can’t? Is now not a good time? We’d be happy to reschedule-“
“No,” I say a bit more loudly. “I won’t do it. I don’t want to be in the paper.”
I should have known this was some sort of setup. It always is with me. Backing toward the door, I pray silently that she won’t keep pressing, and that she’ll be able to take my refusal as her final answer. But when I see the small glint of ice in her eyes, I can tell that she won’t be deterred that easily.
“Indigo, honey…”
“Don’t call me that,” I snap. “I’m not doing any interviews. I never have and I won’t start now.”
Her expression falls, and the small bit of sincerity is back, but I’m too riled up to care. “Indigo are you worried about the photo? The picture doesn’t have to show your scar. We’ll take a very nice one, a profile shot. There’s no need to be embarrassed.”
I glance over at Jolene, and her expression reveals more than a little bit of shock, as if she also can’t believe what the Dean just said. Once my eyes start watering, I know I have to leave, and without another word, I run out the door and straight back to my dorm, desperate to be alone.
KENNEDY
Grunting and groaning wakes me up the next morning, and I open to eyes to see Shawn doing pushups on the floor. I pick my head up, watching him for a few more seconds before glancing at the clock. “What time is it?”
“About nine,” he answers, without stopping. “I’m about to go for a run before the game, you in?”
“Na, not today.”
He stops, wipes the sweat from his brow and grabs his water from the table. His eyebrows are pulled together when he takes a sip. I usually never refuse a morning workout. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I got a few things I need to take care of before we leave. I’ll be ready at 1.”
“Okay, I’ll catch you later.” He turns to leave, but then stops. “I had fun last night.”
I wait for further explanation, and when there isn’t one, I prompt him with my hands. “But?”
“No, not buts,” he said, but I can tell he’s thinking something over in his head. Without warning, he suddenly grabs his phone and starts typing out a text.
“Who are you texting so early?”
“Sabrina.”
And with that one word, I know my cousin’s got it bad. He never texts a girl first. To him, it’s akin to the golden rule. “You like her don’t you?”
He locks his phone and puts it back on the desk. “It’s not really what I had in mind you know, first week back at college. I’m kind of mad at myself to be honest. But I woke up this morning, and all I can think about is the next time I’m going to see her.”
I know the feeling. And it’s more than a little peculiar that it’s happening to us at the same time. “Well, just see where it goes. She seemed to like you too.” The words feel weird in my mouth, as Shawn and I never discuss girls in this manner. I’ve never officially dated anyone, never wanted to. I’ve had a few girls that I thought I might like more than others in the past, but something always turned me off in the end. Usually because they were just using me because I was good looking or because my mom has money. They never really wanted to be with me.
“What about you?” He takes another sip from his water bottle, his stare probing. “And wait, what the fuck was up with you buying her that sweatshirt, man.” He laughs and shakes his head. “That was
My heart hits the pit of my stomach, and I shrug her hand off my shoulder. “No. I can’t do that…I’m sorry.”
I can tell the Dean is a woman who does not get told no often, because she looks at me in complete confusion. “What do you mean, you can’t? Is now not a good time? We’d be happy to reschedule-“
“No,” I say a bit more loudly. “I won’t do it. I don’t want to be in the paper.”
I should have known this was some sort of setup. It always is with me. Backing toward the door, I pray silently that she won’t keep pressing, and that she’ll be able to take my refusal as her final answer. But when I see the small glint of ice in her eyes, I can tell that she won’t be deterred that easily.
“Indigo, honey…”
“Don’t call me that,” I snap. “I’m not doing any interviews. I never have and I won’t start now.”
Her expression falls, and the small bit of sincerity is back, but I’m too riled up to care. “Indigo are you worried about the photo? The picture doesn’t have to show your scar. We’ll take a very nice one, a profile shot. There’s no need to be embarrassed.”
I glance over at Jolene, and her expression reveals more than a little bit of shock, as if she also can’t believe what the Dean just said. Once my eyes start watering, I know I have to leave, and without another word, I run out the door and straight back to my dorm, desperate to be alone.
KENNEDY
Grunting and groaning wakes me up the next morning, and I open to eyes to see Shawn doing pushups on the floor. I pick my head up, watching him for a few more seconds before glancing at the clock. “What time is it?”
“About nine,” he answers, without stopping. “I’m about to go for a run before the game, you in?”
“Na, not today.”
He stops, wipes the sweat from his brow and grabs his water from the table. His eyebrows are pulled together when he takes a sip. I usually never refuse a morning workout. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I got a few things I need to take care of before we leave. I’ll be ready at 1.”
“Okay, I’ll catch you later.” He turns to leave, but then stops. “I had fun last night.”
I wait for further explanation, and when there isn’t one, I prompt him with my hands. “But?”
“No, not buts,” he said, but I can tell he’s thinking something over in his head. Without warning, he suddenly grabs his phone and starts typing out a text.
“Who are you texting so early?”
“Sabrina.”
And with that one word, I know my cousin’s got it bad. He never texts a girl first. To him, it’s akin to the golden rule. “You like her don’t you?”
He locks his phone and puts it back on the desk. “It’s not really what I had in mind you know, first week back at college. I’m kind of mad at myself to be honest. But I woke up this morning, and all I can think about is the next time I’m going to see her.”
I know the feeling. And it’s more than a little peculiar that it’s happening to us at the same time. “Well, just see where it goes. She seemed to like you too.” The words feel weird in my mouth, as Shawn and I never discuss girls in this manner. I’ve never officially dated anyone, never wanted to. I’ve had a few girls that I thought I might like more than others in the past, but something always turned me off in the end. Usually because they were just using me because I was good looking or because my mom has money. They never really wanted to be with me.
“What about you?” He takes another sip from his water bottle, his stare probing. “And wait, what the fuck was up with you buying her that sweatshirt, man.” He laughs and shakes his head. “That was
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