“Will’s been suspended from the team, Mel,” Booker says. “It’s temporary, but I have a feeling it’ll become permanent tomorrow morning. It’s bad. Really bad.”
I look down at my hands and notice I’m shredding a little brown napkin to bits. “Suspended? Why? Oh. My. God. Chaz. That fucking weasel,” I say, perhaps a little too loudly. “He promised he wouldn’t say anything. We agreed to just let it all go and put the past behind us.”
“Apparently, he lied,” Ian supplies.
“I’m going to kill him. That lying bastard. I should have kicked him in the balls before Will showed up.”
“You were there?” Booker asks.
“Of course, I was. Didn’t Will tell you what happened?”
“No, he’s not saying anything. He’s refusing to give more than basic details, and Coach is ready to strangle him.”
“But that’s insane. Why wouldn’t he explain what happened? I—listen, long story short, Chaz lured me to his place under false pretenses. When I arrived and figured it out, I got a little loud and we fought. Will happened to be walking to his car and he heard us. Just as I was trying to leave, Chaz put his hands on me, leaving a mark. That’s when Will punched him. That’s when I kind of went on a rant about impulsivity and yeah… then I said we needed a break.”
“You’re about to get a break. A permanent break.”
Booker’s words sink in, and I quickly realize there’s no way I can let that happen.
51
Mel
I’m wearing my interview suit and sitting in a boardroom. But I’m not at a job interview.I’m here to explain to the Campus Advisory Council what caused the altercation between Will and Dr. Ashman. I’ve got text records and phone records, and I’m ready to tell everyone here what really happened that day.
After my conversationwith Booker and Ian last night, it was clear that Will was staying quiet to protect me. I love that he’s looking out for me, but destroying his future isn’t the way to do that. I knew exactly what I had to do, and we formulated a plan. The only other person who knows what’s going on today is Will’s coach, and that's only because Booker said the guy was on the verge of losing it.
I’m early,like always, but that allows for some great people-watching as the other attendants walk in. I get to see the look on Chaz’s face when he sees me. I get to see a relieved-looking Coach Baylor give me a thumbs-up. I get to see Will’s mom and dad, and it kills me not to rush over to them, but I know the hearing is about to start and I need to stay put.
And finally,I watch Will walk in, take a seat next to Coach and keep his eyes trained straight ahead. Someone says something and he turns his head and catches my eye. His jaw goes slack. He shakes his head, but I shake mine back. I’m doing this, no matter what. And I’m not just doing it for Will. I’m doing it for me. And I’m doing it because it’s the right thing.
The dean entersand so does a mediator. The hearing begins and I’m up first for questioning.
It’s an uncomfortable ten minutes, but it’s not awful. I essentially explain the nature of my previous relationship with Chaz and include my observations from all my run-ins with him. I share everything I brought with me, all the evidence of stalking, because Will was right—it was stalking. I share my phone records and every detail of the afternoon in question. I show the pictures of my bruises.
I’m notthe only one to give a statement. As it turns out Chaz’s neighbor, the old guy in the bathrobe, is here, too. And he heard everything. What’s more, he recorded it on his flip phone. That little gem is shown to the room at large, after which the dean dismisses all of us—except Chaz.
We file out,as we’re told to do, but once we’re in the hall, there’s a full-out celebration. Coach looks ten years younger than he did half an hour ago, and Wendi can’t stop hugging her son. There’s a general air of relief and contentment. I’m so caughtup in being glad it’s all over that Will takes me by surprise when he approaches me.
He reaches his arms out,then immediately pulls them back, and I am reminded of the unsure guy he was all those weeks ago. “Mel, I can’t believe you came. What you said in there—thank you. I never would have asked you to do that, to air your business for anyone to scrutinize. I just hope you know that.”
“It wasthe right thing to do,” I say, as we stand awkwardly in the hallway.
“You didn’t have to,though. I hate that you felt—”
“Doyou remember the first rule from all those weeks ago?” I ask. “We thought we should have rules to go by for when you found someone you wanted to date for real.”
“I remember,”he says, and I’m wondering if I’m imagining the weight of his words.
“Rule number#1 was to put your partner first, always. And that’s all I did. You needed the truth to be told, so I told it. And you kept my secret for the same reason, didn’t you?”
He shrugs.“It wouldn’t have been right to bring you into this. I did what I did out of my own volition, and I didn't want half of campus finding out your business and spreading rumors about you. I’ve fucked up a lot, Mel, but I’d never knowingly hurt you. I hope you know that.”
This guy. He’s so earnest, so genuine. “I do,” I tell him. “But Will,I…I fucked up, too. I shut you out when I shouldn’t have. You needed me and I was too busy guarding myself. I’m sorry. I thought space was what we both needed and…” I let my words trail off because I’m not sure what to say next. What if he really doesn’t want to be with me. I know Booker said Will was broken-hearted, but maybe that had more to do with the possibility of losing hockey than of losing me.
An awkward silence descends.I should probably keep my mouth shut for fear of making a total fool of myself, but this moment is too important to me. Will is too important to me and I’m willing to risk it all if it means having another chance with him. “I miss you,” I say plainly. “So much. That break was possibly the worst week of my life. And if there’s any way you still feel for me even half of what you did before—”
I’m silencedby his kiss. Will’s lips on mine are a memory come to life, everything I’ve missed, everything I’ve needed.
