really hire me. I’d be a great ratings representative.”
“I don’t think Neilson ratings work like that,” she says, stopping to crunch through a snack.
“You on a break?” I ask.
“Yeah. Slow night. Not that I’m complaining,” she says.
Our conversation goes quiet for a second. It feels nice, like I’m sitting there next to her, watching people so we can make up stories about them later. Holly and I are comfortable with our quiet. Introverted soul mates.
“So…” she says finally. She doesn’t finish. She doesn’t have to. I know everything the so implies. Holly knows my sad story, and she was with me when my dad called to tell me about Will coming to train. Holly was the only person I could truly rant to and not sound like a heartless bitch. I told her that I didn’t want to see his face because it reminded me of Evan’s, and that I hoped he washed out right away or changed his mind. She never once judged.
“He’s still here,” I say.
She crunches something again. It sounds like celery.
“Oh,” she says, through a full mouth.
More silence.
“I’m actually at the pool right now waiting for him. He never showed today, and…”
“And you’re afraid something bad happened to him,” my friend fills in.
I breathe in deeply and let the air escape through my nose.
“I think maybe I am,” I say.
“He isn’t Evan,” she says. They’re words I need to hear.
“I know. That’s what worries me. Evan would never have missed a practice. Not for anything in the world. And Will has a history of…”
“Missing life? Yeah, you said that before. But don’t let his shit stick to you,” Holly says.
I chuckle, because she has a way with words.
“I miss you,” I say.
“Awe, hon…I miss you more. There’s a new doc. He’s…well, frankly, Maddy, he’s fucking delicious. Like, he has me eating celery and shit because he’s all about nutrition, and I want him to notice me eating celery,” she says, punctuating with one more crunch.
I knew it was celery.
“He’s probably married, Holly.”
“Nope. Checked. Double checked. Asked,” she says. I can hear her moving, and the sounds in the background start to fade, which means she’s probably heading to the break room to throw away her trash and get back to work.
“I can’t believe you asked,” I say.
“Someone had to, and I’ve sorta become the outspoken one. It’s my thing here now. I have a thing,” she says.
“You, the outspoken one. Shocker,” I laugh.
“Bite me,” she says, and I hear her locker slam shut in the background. “Call you tomorrow.”
I chuckle to myself after she hangs up, but it only takes a minute or two for me to feel lonely again. It’s strange how I can crave the quiet but miss the noise all at once.
Before tucking my phone back in my pocket, I check the time. It’s almost nine, and if I want to get my ass up at four to show up here again, I should give up on this rescue mission I seem to feel obligated to carry out. I straddle the chair as I stand and tuck my phone into my back pocket just as the sound of tires on gravel hits my ears.
By the time I slide the back door open, Will and his uncle are unlocking the front. I stand, half inside, half out, while Will’s uncle takes a heavy-looking messenger bag from Will’s shoulder. I step inside and meet them at the bottom of the steps.
“Maddy, I’m not sure how well you remember me, but I used to come to some of your meets…when you all were kids,” Will’s uncle says. “I’d come down from Michigan for the summers?”
I reach forward and grasp his hand, smiling.
“Duncan, of course I remember you. I’m glad you’re here with him. This one…he needs eyes on him at all times,” I lean in close, smirking. “Can’t be trusted.”
Duncan laughs at my joke, but it fades quickly. Will watches my eyes the entire time, only allowing a slight smile.
“I’m gonna head up to the room. Long day for me, but Maddy…I do hope we
“I don’t think Neilson ratings work like that,” she says, stopping to crunch through a snack.
“You on a break?” I ask.
“Yeah. Slow night. Not that I’m complaining,” she says.
Our conversation goes quiet for a second. It feels nice, like I’m sitting there next to her, watching people so we can make up stories about them later. Holly and I are comfortable with our quiet. Introverted soul mates.
“So…” she says finally. She doesn’t finish. She doesn’t have to. I know everything the so implies. Holly knows my sad story, and she was with me when my dad called to tell me about Will coming to train. Holly was the only person I could truly rant to and not sound like a heartless bitch. I told her that I didn’t want to see his face because it reminded me of Evan’s, and that I hoped he washed out right away or changed his mind. She never once judged.
“He’s still here,” I say.
She crunches something again. It sounds like celery.
“Oh,” she says, through a full mouth.
More silence.
“I’m actually at the pool right now waiting for him. He never showed today, and…”
“And you’re afraid something bad happened to him,” my friend fills in.
I breathe in deeply and let the air escape through my nose.
“I think maybe I am,” I say.
“He isn’t Evan,” she says. They’re words I need to hear.
“I know. That’s what worries me. Evan would never have missed a practice. Not for anything in the world. And Will has a history of…”
“Missing life? Yeah, you said that before. But don’t let his shit stick to you,” Holly says.
I chuckle, because she has a way with words.
“I miss you,” I say.
“Awe, hon…I miss you more. There’s a new doc. He’s…well, frankly, Maddy, he’s fucking delicious. Like, he has me eating celery and shit because he’s all about nutrition, and I want him to notice me eating celery,” she says, punctuating with one more crunch.
I knew it was celery.
“He’s probably married, Holly.”
“Nope. Checked. Double checked. Asked,” she says. I can hear her moving, and the sounds in the background start to fade, which means she’s probably heading to the break room to throw away her trash and get back to work.
“I can’t believe you asked,” I say.
“Someone had to, and I’ve sorta become the outspoken one. It’s my thing here now. I have a thing,” she says.
“You, the outspoken one. Shocker,” I laugh.
“Bite me,” she says, and I hear her locker slam shut in the background. “Call you tomorrow.”
I chuckle to myself after she hangs up, but it only takes a minute or two for me to feel lonely again. It’s strange how I can crave the quiet but miss the noise all at once.
Before tucking my phone back in my pocket, I check the time. It’s almost nine, and if I want to get my ass up at four to show up here again, I should give up on this rescue mission I seem to feel obligated to carry out. I straddle the chair as I stand and tuck my phone into my back pocket just as the sound of tires on gravel hits my ears.
By the time I slide the back door open, Will and his uncle are unlocking the front. I stand, half inside, half out, while Will’s uncle takes a heavy-looking messenger bag from Will’s shoulder. I step inside and meet them at the bottom of the steps.
“Maddy, I’m not sure how well you remember me, but I used to come to some of your meets…when you all were kids,” Will’s uncle says. “I’d come down from Michigan for the summers?”
I reach forward and grasp his hand, smiling.
“Duncan, of course I remember you. I’m glad you’re here with him. This one…he needs eyes on him at all times,” I lean in close, smirking. “Can’t be trusted.”
Duncan laughs at my joke, but it fades quickly. Will watches my eyes the entire time, only allowing a slight smile.
“I’m gonna head up to the room. Long day for me, but Maddy…I do hope we
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