What We Take Away

Chapter 34 | Zac

April 20th, 2006

Damn Kyle and his damned snoring.

I blink the sleep from my eyes for what feels like the fiftieth time, willing the bitter hotel lobby coffee to resurrect me from the living dead. But between Kyle sounding like the sasquatch last night and the incredibly uncomfortable sofa I slept on, I don't have much hope.

The Northeast Athletic Conference is a full weekend affair, and this year, it's one of our last championships together as the Crows.

Outside the hotel, the Vermont air remains crisp and cool despite it being the end of April. My legs still aren't recovered from being cramped up on a bus for more than six hours, and a night of no sleep certainly doesn't help.

Sighing, I stretch and take another swig of the pitch-black coffee.

This past month has been a surprising blur of developments. I aced my calculus midterm, and I'm doing surprisingly well in the rest of my classes. I've even begun researching summer lab positions within the exercise science department, which would give me a leg up if I ever wanted to go into research or work at the university level.

Turns out Dad was right -- all I had to do was try.

Cass is doing much better now that she's no longer with that jerk. She seems happier and lighter, and on the rare occasion our floor eats breakfast together in Pelican, we are able to sit and talk to each other without being awkward.

Neither of us have mentioned what happened in her dorm room last month. I don't know if she will ever bring it up -- not that I'd blame her if she didn't, of course. I can't imagine her wanting to relive the trauma of that night, especially with me.

I've thought about her a lot recently.

For a wild, reckless minute, I did wonder whether she and I would get a second chance after Aram left the picture. I thought maybe we just missed our moment, and met at the wrong time. But now, it's harder and harder to ignore the fact that what existed between us last semester is slowly becoming part of a distant past.

She is different, and so am I.

I glance around the lobby and push my empty paper cup away. Nostalgia isn't a good head space for me pre-competition. I rub my eyes again and stand.

The elevator closest to the lobby dings as Jesse steps out. He catches my eye and saunters my way, dropping into the vacant seat across the tiny table.

"Mornin'," Jesse grunts. "You look like hell. I take it you didn't sleep?"

"Nope."

"Me neither," he yawns.

He unsuccessfully tries to flatten his hair, which springs enthusiastically back up.

"Your family's coming today, right?" he asks.

"Yeah, though I don't know why... it's a hell of a drive."

"Hey, I'd be ecstatic if my family came to watch me jump," he grins. "You've got it good."

"I know," I chuckle, meaning it.

Mom and Dad insisted on coming to watch me jump this weekend. Having their support at the NEACs means the world to me.

We are interrupted by a mob of black and green bodies as Sampson, Zeke, Bradley, and Eric pounce on us from behind.

"Guess who?!" they howl, cackling and slapping us on the backs.

It's a good thing my coffee cup is empty, because my head careens into the table, sending the cup flying across the hotel floor.