Page 125 of Call the Shots
“Banned for…” She paused. “Erratic and disruptive behavior? For disturbing the peace? Junie, were youarrested?”
“No—I?—”
“Whatisthis?”
Xavier emailed mymom?We weren’t in high school anymore, we were in college, what thehell?I squeezed my eyes shut while she continued, hurrying through questions until the big one.
“How serious is this?”
“The hockey team helped me get my stuff from the housing department, desks and couches and?—”
“Do you need money? Do you need furniture?”
“No—”
“Then why would you take them?”
“Because Xavier didn’t?—”
“Why would you lower yourself to him? This is just what we need—you’re ripping couches from people’s homes?—”
“It was the housing office?—”
“An office withcameras?”
“I’m sorry—I’m really sorry?—”
“Is there anything else I need to know? Anything you want to prepare me for?”
The truth rushed out of me. “I failed my spring classes.”
“What?!”
“I’m redoing them, I promise, I have above a ninety-five in all of them but?—”
“How could you fail yourclasses?!” She breathed in deeply. “I asked you kids in December what we needed to clean up before we started the race again, I knew I could count on you! You know what your dad’s going to think—I’m not angry. I love you. I’m…so disappointed.”
“This—this is private information, Xavier can’t email this?—”
“I’m not entertaining that—no.That’s what he wants, attention, and I won’t have your name on a petty lawsuit—” She sighed. “Tell me everything’s fine.”
I struggled to swallow. “I—I don’t think so.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. I’m trying, but?—”
“You’re retaking your classes, you won’t go to whatever department anymore, so you should be fine.”
“Mama—”
“Are you drinking?”
“I—um—had one or two…”
“And…you’re in Austin.” There was a tense silence that made my stomach lurch. “We’ll talk when you’re home andsober. Because this is unacceptable. You’re not letting something as small as amankeep you down. That’s not who we are. That’s not how I raised you.”
“Mama…”
