Page 15 of Courting Clemson

He seemed to know who he was as a man, and what his place in the world looked like. He had legitimate goals and aspirations, not just the one-size-fits-all type of responses you’d get with one of my peers. At this age, we knew what we were supposed to say way more than what we truly wanted in life.

And those things weren’t red flag types of ideas, we were still just trying to figure things out. But talking with him today for a few hours really highlighted the difference. It was clear which I preferred and who I related better to.

After turning over on my side, I stared at my team-emblazoned duffle bag where I carelessly dropped it on the floor. There were wet practice suits in there and at least two wet towels. If I didn’t drag myself off this bed and put my suits in the sink to soak, at the very least, I’d regret the musty smell tomorrow. And once that nasty odor was trapped in the fabric, especially in the towels, it was nearly impossible to get rid of.

With a heavy sigh, I heaved my exhausted body off the mattress and trudged across the room. I slung the towels over the shower stall to airdry until I did laundry. I ran the tap until the water was lukewarm and filled the sink. A few splashes of white vinegar would give my suits some TLC until it was my turn with the house laundry machines.

While I was out of bed, I grabbed my phone and plopped down in the prerequisite round chair every college girl’s room had. It was comfortable, I’d give it that. But the thing was ugly as shit and took up way too much space in my cramped room. Everyone else sat in it way more often than I did, and if it weren’t so popular with all the guests and other roommates, I would’ve gotten rid of it long ago.

The big life problem I was dealing with made me really homesick. It was a rare occurrence, but I noticed when I had important issues going on like this that I wanted to talk to my sisters more than anyone else.

I scrolled through my contacts and pulled up Hannah’s number. She was my oldest sister and one of the best human beings on the planet. Her sweet little girl, Elissa, was about to turn one, and they were busier than most kids my age. Hannah had her involved in tons of activities and lessons, so my chances of catching her available were slim.

But I really needed to talk to someone who understood the dynamics of our family. Our parents, in particular, and what it would mean if I lost my scholarship. I pressed the button to connect the call and listened to it ring three times. Assuming the voicemail feature would activate, I inhaled deeply to leave a message. But she surprised me when she actually picked up the call, and I could hear the little one screaming in the background.

“Little sister,” she greeted, and warmth filled my heart just hearing her voice.

“Are you busy, Han? I hear my angel baby in the background, if now’s not a good time…” I started, already offering her a reason to end the call.

“No, it’s fine. She’s teething and a bit temperamental. She barely slept last night, so we’re all a little sluggish today. Let me find Elijah so he can deal with her while we talk. Give me one second…”

About a minute passed, and she was back on the line. The baby’s crying faded, and I assumed she either left the room to take my call or her husband took the baby into a different part of the house to give her a break.

My sister hit the jackpot with that man. He was simply the most beautiful male specimen ever created, and he treated her like a queen. And of all my sisters, Hannah deserved to live a life exactly like that. When she was six years old, she was the victim of an attempted child abduction when our mom had the four girls at the time at Target. I hadn’t arrived yet.

Thanks to Adam’s Law, they locked the store doors and caught the jackasses that tried to take her on their way out. The couple was prosecuted and sent to prison. About twenty years later, they were both released early, causing my sister to have a total breakdown.

But Elijah Banks was right there to pick up the pieces and support her through the drama. They set the bar pretty high for what marriage could look like, and if I found a man like that, I would definitely be game.

“So how are you darling?” Hannah asked. Her weary voice betrayed how little sleep one gets with a baby around.

“I’m good,” I said as brightly as I could feign.

“Try again,” she said bluntly.

“What? What do you mean?” I tried the innocent bit for a minute but knew she wouldn’t buy that either.

“I know you better than that,” she sighed. “Tell me what’s going on.”

After a few quiet moments passed and I gathered some courage, I said, “You’re right, of course. I’ve gotten myself into a real shitstorm this time. I’m just trying to figure how to explain it.”

“Just tell me what’s going on.”

So I blurted out, “I think I’m about to lose my scholarship.” The words hung in the air like a lead balloon.

“Oh, Clemmie,” she said, and she sounded just like our mother when saying it.

My stomach turned over on itself, and I snuck a quick look around my room for my trashcan. “I’m trying to get with my professors, but seriously, Han, I’m freaking out. I don’t know what I’ll do. There’s no way in hell I can go back to that house. No way.”

“Okay, okay. Calm down. I’m sure we can figure something out. When is your meeting with the professor?”

And this is exactly why I called her. Despite the fact that she sounded like a clone of our parent at first, she always jumped into action to save the day. And that was exactly what I needed right now. A savior.

“Professors,” I said blandly.

“Huh?”

“It’s three classes. I’m failing three separate classes, and I’m so fucked right now, it’s not even funny.”

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