Discipline

A Cold Shoulder

I look at Max pleadingly. “Please, don’t make me go. I can’t face them!”

Max puts his hands on my shoulders. “You won’t have to face them. Just focus on me. I’ll be there to protect you.”

My mouth folds into a thin line and I eye him carefully. “Fine!” I say, smacking my lips. “I’ll go. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to enjoy it. I’m doing this for you.”

Max’s mouth spreads into a wide smile. “Great!” The expression in his eyes changes. “I have to go; you can come with me if you want.”

I inhale deeply through my nose. “No, thank you! I don’t want to spend one minute more than I have to at Comerica Park. I’ll enter through the gates just like everyone else.”

“Who are you going to sit with?”

“My sister, Renee, is coming over from Grand Rapids.” My smile is unintentionally sinister. “She’ll be staying with me for a few days. I’ve got to get her all caught up on everything.”

“What? You’re going to tell her?” Max looks panicked.

My turn to put my hands on his shoulders. “Relax. She won’t tell anyone.” I lean up to kiss him, my stomach lurching the tiniest bit.

Max smirks. “So does that mean I can’t come over for some fun? Unless your sister is willing—“

“—Max! Stop it and leave!” I laugh, smacking his arm. He acts like I injured him. “Oh, please. Go before you’re late and then they hate you even more…”

Max leaves, grinning. I exhale loudly and turn on my heel to walk over to my couch. I plop down, my arms hanging over the edge of the cushions. I really don’t want to go, but at least I have Renee. I wait patiently for her to arrive. I hear commotion at the door and I jump up to answer it.
“Well, what do we have here?” Renee says slyly when I swing the door open.

“’What?” I ask, clueless.

Renee steps past me, rolling her suitcase into my apartment. “There’s something different about you…” She twirls her finger toward my face. “What’s happened since I last saw you?”

“Nothing…” My cast my gaze downward.

My sister sits down on the couch, crossing her right leg over her left. “You know it’s not good to keep secrets, Baby Sister.” She pats the spot next to her. “Come… tell me what is ailing your heart.”

I sigh and roll my eyes. I sit down in the same position that I was in before I got up to let her in. I start off slow, mumbling the words and then it flows; it is pure word vomit. The sentences twist and turn out of my mouth. I tell her about that night at the hotel—the night that I lost a countless amount of friends; it was the night that left Max and I on our own. I finish almost panting, relieved to let it all out. I wait patiently as Renee remains quiet.

“Well? Aren’t you going to say something?” My voice is squeaky and hoarse; my eyebrows are arched in an awkward pose.

“Hmm, you’ve gotten yourself into some serious drama,” she finally says.

“I know…”

“I’m serious, Elizabeth. This is some soap opera shit—baseball edition. How could you let this happen?”

“I don’t know…”

“You were extremely careless and reckless. How could you do that to Alex? I thought you really liked him?” She tilts her head to the side.

Tears form in my eyes. “I know!” I snap. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I know—I was stupid and selfish. I get that. Can we please just move on?”