Page 25 of Please, Sir

I sink back into the seat and take another whopping bite of Snickers. “I lived my entire life thinking I had the greatest parents in the world. Kind, supportive, patient. But when it’s put to the test, they’ve shown me that… They're strangers. Because I do not know these two people who refuse to support me.”

The first bell rings, and Leah reaches across the desk for me. I place my hand in hers and she squeezes. “I’m sorry Riley. I wish they were handling this differently. I wish that they were there for you the way you deserve.”

“Thanks,” I whisper, trying my hardest to stop crying.

Leah sinks back, a smile slowly curving her lips. “You want me to bust Cadence for the yogurt?”

Denae slips back into the office, my clothes now in a clear plastic bag. She passes them to me. “I’m so sorry again, this was totally my fault.” She looks at Leah. “I was trying to eat a cherry tomato with a plastic fork and pop,” she says, simulating a tiny explosion with her hands. “It bolted through the air, and landed in Cadence’s yogurt. It was… kind of perfect,” she says with a smile.

“She just dumped hers on you to retaliate?” Leah prods.

Denae takes over, and it gives me a chance to finish thisSnickers before I have to high-tail it across campus and teach the fifth period freshman class about night erections.

Goody.

“Cadence asked Riley how many years she coached at her old school, and then implied that Cadence had the job of JV cheer coach stolen from her, and also implied she was more qualified because she had ten years of experience.”

“To which I simply pointed out that if she wanted to shadow me, she could, because ten years without a promotion is a long time and maybe she could learn something from me,” I say around a mouthful of caramel and peanuts.

Leah reaches out and I clap my hand against hers. “That’s how you do it. You stand up to bullies,” she commends, and it’s only right then that I realize Cadence is a bully.

I wave my hand between us. “Yeah well, she basically said I’d run here and tell you, and she wasn’t wrong about that," I admit.

“But you didn’t come tattle,” Denae says, holding up the clothes bag. “You came to change and talk to your friend.”

I nod. “I know.” And even though I know it’s true, still, the weight of Cadence’s words feels heavy on my shoulders today.

Leah gets to her feet and Denae follows. I know the second bell is coming so I reluctantly get to my feet, too. Denae hands me the manila folder she rescued earlier.

Leah taps it. “This is for you anyway so it’s great you came by. It’s research for the article. Maybe getting started on that tonight will give your mind somewhere to go.”

I look down at the folder, and remember our plans. I nod. “Yeah, this is good. I could use this as a distraction.” I flip through the papers inside, and look up between Leah and Denae. “If I get it done tonight, I’ll send it to you.”

Leah nods. “I can’t wait.”

I’m on my way out, ready to sprint across campus, when Leah stops me. “Hey, remember, she’s wrong about why I hired you.”

“Thanks, Leah.”

I manageto get through my last three classes with only a few laughs as to why I’m wearing loaner PE clothes, but by the time cheer practice rolls around, I’m emotionally exhausted.

Jo Jo is still giving me the cold shoulder, and as much as I’d like to pretend I’m unaffected, I can’t. I hate that Jo Jo is struggling, even if she’s taking it out on me, I still hate it for her and want it to change.

That night, after a six mile run and a bowl of pasta bigger than my skull, I flip open the manila folder and get to work writing the best article I can possibly write. And when I’m done, I send it to Leah to proofread. I’m sure things will need to be changed, and I have no doubt she’ll check my tone, but all in all, I love the first draft and can’t wait to see where it ends up when it’s ready to hit the newspaper.

And she was right. It did make me feel better, or at the very least, distracted me from my bummer mood for a couple of hours.

CHAPTER

TEN

My alarm goes off,and when it does, I’m already awake, showered, and pouring a hot cup of coffee. I slept like shit last night, and truth be told, I kind of always do. The same way that I’ve accepted that Janie is gone and I will never love again, I’ve also accepted that I will never have a thoroughly decent night of sleep again, either.

I’m not good at sleeping solo. I reach, and when I reach into cold sheets and emptiness, my mind startsrunning, and my lower half starts humming at just the thought of having someone again.

This morning, instead of trying to make it happen, I decided to just get up and start the day already. With eggs fried and bacon going, I pour myself a cup of coffee and swipe at the rubber band keeping today’s paper closed.

Pulling the bacon off the stove, I grab a few pieces and settle in, spreading the newspaper wide as I load my tines with the first bite.

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