Page 22 of Courting Clemson

“Her room is empty,” Grace croaked. “All her stuff is gone.” She looked like she was about to burst into tears.

“What?” I said much louder than intended.

“She didn’t say anything to you about going home for the summer, did she?”

“No, but honestly, I haven’t been around that much,” I said while cutting my meat into bite-size pieces. “You know I have a shitload of my own stuff I’ve been dealing with. You guys hang out way more often. You’d be more likely to know than me.”

Grace flopped down into the kitchen chair. Did the girl ever sit down like a normal person? It seemed like she was always heaving her body on an off of chairs.

“Why wouldn’t she tell us?” Grace asked, staring at me like I had the answers.

Since my mouth was full of food, I just shrugged. After chewing and swallowing, I said, “Maybe something changed at the last minute, and she’s going to call to explain what’s going on.” Seemed like a reasonable possibility.

Grace dug into her food and moaned when she tasted the chicken. “Jesus, this is good. I’m so sick of fast food or that crap they serve in the food court. I know they think they are giving us healthy options, but…” She wrinkled her nose.

We ate in silence for a while, and I almost choked when she nearly leaped out of her chair.

“Oh my God!” she shouted. “I’m the worst friend!”

I stared at her like she’d lost her damn mind, and we both giggled.

“How did it go today? You said you had an important meeting?”

I sighed, trying to decide how to word this. “Not bad and not good, I guess.”

“What does that mean?”

After briefly explaining my predicament, I returned to answer her actual question. “So, they are letting me stay at the school. And on the team.” Then I added the part I still hadn’t come to terms with. “But my scholarship has been suspended for the next semester. So if I stay, I have to pay for everything myself. Classes, housing, everything.”

“Can you get student loans? I mean, for the rest of us who aren’t part fish, that’s how we’re doing it. I know the process sucks, but you should qualify.”

“I’m going to have to try. I don’t have money saved to just pay out of pocket, I know that much. And, if I want to graduate on time, I have to take the same number of units again next year—both semesters.”

“Wasn’t that what caused the problem this go around? Too many units on top of the demands of the team?”

I nodded.

“So maybe you have to make peace with extending just one extra semester and cut back your class load. I mean, I don’t suppose the team schedule is going to lighten up any.”

“No, I doubt it will. I’m not really sure. I haven’t figured it all out yet. I mean, it just happened this afternoon. I’m just thankful I don’t have to go home,” I said. “That was what I was most worried about.”

I’d figure out a way to make it all work. My parents would never know that my scholarship was suspended, and everything would work out. I had to believe that.

As we cleaned up the kitchen, Grace said, “I can’t believe none of your professors were willing to let you do extra credit or retake the final. I mean, not even an ounce of compassion. That sucks.”

“What’s worse, all three of them were there today, and they didn’t say a freaking word. If it hadn’t been for Coach O’Malley, I think my goose would’ve been cooked. He was the only one who spoke up on my behalf. Luckily, the school cares enough about their athletic standing that they took a chance.”

Grace listened while I told her about the process, and when we exhausted the subject, she said, “We better call Avery. I’m worried about her. This isn’t like her to not say anything.”

I really couldn’t take any more today, so I did the chickenshit thing and said, “Let me know what she says when you call her. I hope we don’t have to find a new roommate.”

Suddenly all I could think about was the financial burden it would be if we were splitting the rent two ways for the summer instead of three. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make rent in the first place. If my share suddenly increased, it would be even more stress.

“I’ll keep you posted,” she called over her shoulder and disappeared into her room.

I put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and headed to my room as well. I’d figure out my money woes in the morning after a nice long shower and a good night’s sleep.

I needed a solid cashflow plan and quick. If worse came to worst, I could ask one of my sisters to float me a loan, but I really didn’t want to drag them into my problems. That would be a surefire way of my parents finding out, and that was the last thing I wanted.

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