Page 186 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

Cole was still living with my family. He’d talked to his mom, but it had ended in another argument, so he’d decided not to go home. Aaron and Ezra had gone with him to collect a bunch of his things last week. Part of me was relieved. He needed to be around people who could support him, and he wouldn’t get that at home. Besides, my parents and brothers already viewed him as part of our family.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Why don’t you give Sofia her surprise?” he suggested to Cole.

“Surprise?” I asked, intrigued.

He reached over to grab my tablet and handed it to me.

“What are—”

It started ringing and Poppy’s avatar appeared. I glanced at Cole and smiled. “Answer it.”

I did and my best friend’s face filled the screen.

“Hi, babe,” she said.

“Hey, this is a surprise. Shouldn’t you be in class?”

“Principal Kiln made a special exception since it’s your big day.”

“Hi, Sofe.” Ashleigh appeared over her shoulder. And then Ezra and Coach Ford and his wife Felicity, and Ashleigh’s mom and dad all filled the screen.

“You guys, what is this?” Emotion surged inside my chest.

“We wanted to wish you good luck,” Poppy said, holding up a sign.

“Oh my God, did you make that?” Laughter rumbled in my chest.

“We may have had an arts and craft session, yes.”

“You guys…”

“We just wanted to say we love you, Sofia,” Coach Ford said. “You’re family and we’re all rooting for you, sweetheart.”

“You’ve got this, babe,” Poppy beamed, tears glistening in her eyes.

“Love you, Sis,” Ezra added. “I’ll be there as soon as it’s safe. But if you need anything… I’m only a phone call away.”

“Thank you.” The words got stuck over the lump in my throat.

“Whatever happens, Sofe. We love you and we’re here for you, okay?” Ashleigh leaned her head on my brother’s shoulder.

“And there’s one final surprise,” Poppy said.

“What—” The camera switched to pan around, and my breath left my lungs.

I hadn’t even noticed where they had been calling from, so many of them crammed in front of the camera. But the second I spotted the football field, I knew.

“What is—”

The football team in their familiar Raiders blue and white jogged onto the field, lining up shoulder to shoulder, each of them holding a piece of card filled with a single letter.

“Good luck, Sofia, you’ve got this,” I murmured. “Gosh, I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Everyone is rooting for you, babe. Everyone.”

I couldn’t even talk, drowning in a sea of tears and emotion.

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