Page 75 of Fortunate Misfortune
“Because you were the spark that changed it all, Eddie. I met you and knew everything would change.”
Her breath hitches at my confession. I watch as fear and doubt dance across her face, but I spot a tiny glimmer of hope sitting in those golden pools. It’s small, but it’s all I need.
I will wait as long as she needs.
I’m not ready for our night to end, so when the perfect idea pops into my head, I push away from the table and stand.
“Hey, Ed. Want to do something crazy?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Excuse me?” I scream.“You want me to do The Dip with you?”
The Dip is a Clear Lake University tradition. The lake that runs through campus has been used by athletes to celebrate championship wins for years. When the soccer team won the National Championship last year, I barely did my own dip. I submerged myself for half a second before running for the shower.
Most people invite their significant other or best friend to do it with them. Someone special the champion believes helped them get there.
That’s why I’m baffled Kenneth wantsmeto do his dip with him.
If Mama was here, she’d tell me to live a little. Before coming to Kenneth’s tonight, we had some time to chat. Since our boundaries conversation, we’ve been talking more often. Our code word “lollipop” lets her know when I’m feeling uncomfortable, and we move to a safe topic.
Annoyingly, her favorite safe topic is Kenneth.
When she asked about my day, I told her that Shay, Jo, and Adri spent the afternoon with me grocery shopping, making pizza dough, and destroying the kitchen. I explained the golden ticket I made for the project and how I was going to Kenneth’s for our final hole punch.
“You know,” she started, her face glitching on the screen as she made her way from her bedroom into the kitchen, “I don’t think I’ve seen you have this much fun during the school year.”
My eyes rolled, preparing for the ‘you’re too young to be so worried about life’ conversation.
“What are you talking about? I may not do a lot, but I’m almost always with the girls or Cade. Probably too much if I think about it.”
“Exactly!” she laughed. “And you know I love hearing about the girls and silly Cade, but they won’t be there tonight, right?”
I shook my head. “It’s for our class, Ma. Just us.”
“So, you’re throwing a homemade pizza party? For a class meeting?” A humorous snort slipped out. “You’re doing something special for Kenneth. You do see that, right?”
I saw it, even though I was trying very hard not to. If tonight’s meeting was normal, there would’ve been no need to spend the whole day planning and preparing for it.
I wanted tonight to be special. I wanted to celebrate his big win.
Groaning, I put the phone down and tied my silk top. “Okay, fine. I see it. What about it?”
“Nothing at all. It’s just new. And I must say, it’s nice to see you like this.”
I shifted my glare from the mirror to the camera. “Like what, Mama?”
Her coils, so similar to mine, bounced as she laughed. “Like you’re alive, baby girl.”
Kenneth clears his throat, pulling me back to the present. His eyes are black right now, dilated with excitement.
I should say no, but the word dies on my tongue. I’ve done everything in my power for the last two and a half years to keep Kenneth out. Walls so high that it should have taken decades to climb over.
Did I leave a gap? A place for him to sneak through?
This wasn’t part of my plan. The game has always been something I could control, and now I feel it slipping as my heart moves into the driver’s seat. Even when I lost, I knew the game would go on. It was a constant in the midst of fighting with my mom, stressing through classes, and feeling like a failure in my own body. And if I really think about it, the Brain Bowl hasn’t been my constant.
Kenneth has.
