Page 12 of Neo

As stadium staff continue to inspect the damaged glass, a man dressed in VCU colors and a reflective orange vest approaches us just like Shane said they would to offer us seats in a different section of the stadium.

“Ladies, we’re so sorry about the accident. Here are some new tickets courtesy of the Suns. Enjoy the rest of the game.”

When Kennedy reads the tickets, she snickers.

“What?” I ask her.

“Let’s go.” She stands up. “He’s trying way too hard.”

“Where are we going?”

“To our new seats.”

We arrive at the club section of the stadium. I haven’t been to many sports events or concerts in my lifetime but it’s pretty clear that this is where the people with big money sit. The seats are larger and covered in black leather with polished wood armrests instead of the hard plastic ones in the other sections.

In this area, we have access to our own dedicated bar and refreshment station, and everything is complimentary. Well, at least sodas and popcorn are.

“Welcome back, Valencia City,” the announcer says jubilantly over the sound system and the audience applauds. “Fortunately, there were no injuries and we’ll continue the game in a few moments.”

“Look how they lie, Violet. Of course, there were injuries. Look at your beautiful chin.”

“Kennedy.” I give her an accusatory glare.

“What?”

“Now that we’re settled into our new seats, you know I have questions.”

“What questions?”

“You have some sort of weird eye fuck battle with the Shane guy, then you yell at the big one, and then those two girls did a complete about face and started tripping all over themselves to apologize?”

Christmas in Hollis plays loudly through the arena’s speaker system as intermission continues and I try not to cry. Run DMC was one of my mom’s favorite artists and she used to play this song every Christmas Eve when we decorated the Christmas tree.

I can see her so clearly right now, testing last year’s Christmas lights while performing some of her old school dances in our living room. The two of us laughing. And then me screaming in horror.

“Hey, are you all right?” Kennedy asks, sensing the sudden shift in my mood.

“I’m fine,” I lie. “Are you going to answer my question, because you’ve just agreed to attend some sort of party for the both of us if they win?”

“It’s a kickback, not a party.”

“Whatever, a kickback.”

“Okay.” She lets out a heavy sigh as if she’s about to reveal some sort of deep, dark secret. “I do know the hockey guys.”

“That’s obvious.”

“And they’re the most popular human beings on this campus, which is why those two idiot girls are staring at us from ten rows across right now.”

I look over near our previous seats and she’s right. They are staring.

“I still don’t get it.”

“Look around,” Kennedy leans in and lowers her voice. “What do you see?”

For the first time tonight, I actually pay attention to my surroundings, carefully glancing around us, and that’s when I see it. Ever since those two skated away, spectators seem to be giving us a lot of subtle (and not-so-subtle) glances.

“People are staring at us,” I whisper in confusion. I can feel the entire row of students to my left watching us.

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