The Misfortunes of Lolita

20 | when lolita stayed

THIS IS AN UNEDITED AND SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE MISFORTUNES OF LOLITA. I AM PUBLISHING IT IN FALL 2021—PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON IG @/ls.akhter and GOODREADS (L AKHTER) TO STAY UPDATED. I am so excited to share TMoL with you again.

CHAPTER 20

"What good can happen when a tornado meets a volcano?"

- Lolita's writing journal

Frank hadn't been expecting it.

His team had just won the semi-final game, and the crowd was still cheering outside, their chants rolling across the field and leaking through the gaps under the closed door of the hallway. He'd still been trying to grasp onto the fact that he'd done it - he'd scored the touchdown. He'd won the game.

He didn't know when he'd started to doubt himself, but there was this small part of him throughout the past couple of weeks that wondered whether they would win, whether he was the right choice for a team captain at all. Everyone said that he was good, and he knew that at some point he might have been, but recently he'd started to forget why.

Most of all, he was relieved that they'd won.

He remembered what Coach had said before the game.

They say, boys, that certain things shape the entirety of your life. That there might be that one step in one direction that could change how the rest of your life goes, and for each of you, this game could be that one thing, if you make it.

Frank knew that it was supposed to be a motivational speech, and he knew that there were football scouts from all around the state here to recruit players, but he hardly thought of this game, or any game at that time.

Months before, if anyone had asked him, he would've said nothing. He didn't believe in fate. Or miracles or things that changed the purpose behind the rest of your breaths.

But now.

Now, when he thought of what Coach had said, he thought of something entirely different.

The feeling was weird and like warm honey mixed with orange tea and he hardly ever thought that he would feel this way, but it was true.

If there was one thing that could change the purpose behind the rest of his breaths, it wasn't a game or a trophy or a thing. It was... a person.

The adrenaline was still pumping through his veins and his hair was damp with sweat and his eyes were still blazing from the excitement in the field, his cheeks were still flushed from the rush and his first instinct after scoring that touchdown had been to run to her.

To Lolita Abri.

He didn't exactly know why. Or maybe he did. Maybe he would understand why, one day, but for now, he didn't know what made him swim to her like she was an island in the middle of a sea of storms. He just knew that he'd run to her, and she had to him, and then he'd kissed her on the lips, and grinned.

This was it. She was it.

She'd been saying something, and he couldn't hear.

Frank hardly noticed what felt like the rest of the world shouting his name. He could only see Lolita, with her lips parted and her eyes nervous in a happy way and he could only take her hand.

So he'd taken her hand, and opened the door to the hallway that led back into the school, and when he'd looked back at her, she'd taken in a huge breath, and for a second, he thought she had bad news. For a second, he was afraid.

I have to leave early, Frank.

I don't think I want to be with you anymore, Frank.