Page 50 of Tell Me When It's Over

“To the game?” I clarify.

A nod.

“Uh…”

He chuckles. “Didn’t think so.”

All I manage to do is shrug. Just as I’m about to ask to use his cell again, Coach Roberts yells out, “We don’t have all day, Sullivan. Get a move on it or sit out the game.”

He winces. “That’s my cue. My dad will kill me if I get benched. Don’t want that.”

“Nope.” He turns on his heels and shoots me a wave before Beckham Reeves pops up beside him donning the same outfit. He notices me after Striker-slash-Blake says something to him as they walk down the hall toward the back doors leading to the soccer field. Beckham doesn’t say anything or wave, just stares, making me shift on my feet. My face gets all warm as the boy with dark hair, nearly black, studies me with slightly narrowed eyes while his friend talks his ear off.

I could have said hi. Smiled. Something. Instead, I sigh and decide that the office will have a phone I can use and choose to make my way there instead of watching the boys disappear.

Unfortunately, nobody picks up when I call. The automated voicemail on Mom’s phone begins its spiel, so I hang up because I know she never listens to them. After dialing Mia with the same luck, I debate on waiting it out or maybe using the money Harry gives me as an allowance, which is way more than a normal teenager would get, to call a cab.

The secretary is a sweet old lady named Betty, who shares an eerily similar resemblance to Betty White. She asks if I need help finding a ride. I’m sure she would offer me one herself, but it seems as if she’s supposed to be here for a while longer, and I’m pretty sure that’s against school policy anyway, so I shake my head and dial the only other number I know.

Kyler is in the studio today after a grueling week of meetings with his label to finalize the song selections for his newest album. He told me he’s thinking about taking some time off after he’s done recording, but when his agent found out, it caused a lot of problems.

He picks up on the second ring. “Lele?” Worry is thick in his tone and I instantly feel bad for bothering him.

“I’m sorry,” I blurt out. “I know you’re busy, but Mom didn’t show up to get me.”

He curses. “You’re still at school?”

“Yeah.”

There’s muffled talking in the background. I think I hear his best friend Gordon tell him something. Somebody with a thick accent also starts speaking. It’s hard to hear.

Then Ky’s voice cuts back into the noise. “I’m coming to get you.”

“No! No, you don’t have to. Um, I was wondering if you could ask Harry if—”

“Absolutely not.”

I sigh. “Kyler, you’re working.”

“Harry is too.”

“You could just ask him if he knows where my mom is. I’m not expecting him to actually come to Saint Michael’s.” Though, we both know he’d send a car versus coming in person. I’ve learned what kind of person he is in the time I’ve spent here. He’s not the worst human being on the planet, but he won’t win any father of the year awards either. In fact, most of our conversations are civil, even interesting, whenever we’re talking. He tells me how he started producing music, and I tell him all the different songs I love that is attached to his name because, in a way, we’re both prideful and I can respect him for it. There’s a lot of awkward tension between us still, but it’s far better than last year.

There’s no room for argument when Kyler speaks again. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Knowing that’s it, I hang up the phone and offer Betty a small smile. “Can I stay in here until my ride gets here?”

“Of course, sweetie.”

Thankfully, twenty minutes pass quickly. I hear the shoes before I see the person they belong to stop in the doorway. Betty doesn’t seem all that surprised when he walks in and comes straight toward me.

All he says is, “Your mom?”

I shake my head. “Never showed.”

A dark look passes over his face, but I don’t feed it. I’m sure Mom has a good excuse. Maybe it’s traffic. Or her job? She started working as a secretary for some music company, mostly answering phones and fetching things, so she might not be able to cut out without getting into trouble. It’s the best I can come up with.

Then something else crosses my mind. The man with the camera. And I led Kyler right to him.

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