Page 73 of For Three Seconds

“We need your head in the game for homecoming.” Quincy pointed his finger at me.

I didn’t mind them much. They had been there for me. Ollie got me a box of Pringles, while Quincy told me to write Scarlett notes. And I quote, “Bitches go crazy for that shit.”

“It’s fine, guys.”

“No, we’re going to get her to the game, you just watch. Then after, we’re going to party up our victory.” Ollie “raised the roof,” and I laughed. “Rhett texted and said he was coming; so are a few others. It’s going to be lit.”

“We going to get my boy laid,” Jeff shouted.

All of us shook our heads at him. With my teammates, hope didn’t seem that far out of reach.

Twenty-Six

“That was sucha long time ago, Scarlett. I thought we talked about letting the past define your future,” my therapist said.

Fuck. I was angry. I needed her to tell me it was wrong. That I was a bad person. I needed her to look at me like I was guilty.

“This all comes back to your guilt, Scarlett. You keep punishing yourself for what? For not dying in the accident that killed your parents. You stop yourself from living out of some sort of punishment.”

“Stop!” I screeched, pissed off.

I wasn’t even thinking about my parents. The only good thing about Gavin’s betrayal was that it took precedence over my nightmares.

“I’m not here to tell you what you want to hear, Scarlett. I’m here to help you.” She closed her notes. “Go home and think about why you are really holding back. And if it comes down to guilt or blame, think about it again until you have a concrete answer.”

I grabbed my things and left without a goodbye.

When I walked outside, I groaned when I saw Isaac parked next to me.

“Seriously!”

“I’m sorry. Please don’t put a restraining order on me. I’m just following orders.”

“Tell him to leave me alone!” I shouted at Isaac because I was frustrated. Then I thought better of it. “Sorry.”

He gave me a small smile. He then took some things out of his car.

“These are for you,” he said as he handed me a small box.

He seemed to hold his breath to see if I would take it or not. Curiosity got the best of me.

I took the box and drove home. When I parked in the driveway, I threw my head back, annoyed that the girls were all home. I could see their heads in the living room.

Making my way inside, I hoped for a quick getaway to my room, but the girls were sitting on the living room floor with bottles of wine.

“And she’s home,” Delia shouted.

“Hey,” I said, starting to make my way to my room.

“Not so fast.” Kenny sat up and made her way to me, guiding me to the living room and making me sit. “Join us.”

“I have shit to do,” I told them.

“Like what? Mope?” Audrey questioned.

I stayed quiet.

“Look, whatever happened with you and Gav, it’s not enough for you to act like the world ended. No dick is that big,” Delia told me.

---