Read Online Miracle by Elizabeth Scott - Free Book Online

said. “I bet he might still have the card Beth—”
    “I haven’t forgotten,” he said, and I heard his window close. I slid inside mine, shaking my arms out and wondering what Joe had seen in my face to make him say what he had.
    I pushed the thought away and went back to bed, hoping that now I could sleep.
    I didn’t.

Eleven
    I got to school late the next morning and was greeted by the sight of Coach Henson standing in the parking lot, arms folded across his chest as he paced back and forth like it was game day. Maybe it was. I didn’t know the team schedule anymore.
    He waved me down as soon as I got out of the car like he’d been waiting for me.
    “Talked to a few of your teachers the other day,” he said. “Seems you’ve had trouble keeping up with your schoolwork. Also, your guidance counselor says you’re behind on your independent study. You were supposed to turn in your outline and a general thesis statement last week, remember?”
    I shrugged.
    “Look, normally I wouldn’t say anything but—” He broke off, sighed, and then cleared his throat like he always didbefore he said something he thought was important. “I know classes can be boring sometimes, but that’s how classes are, right? And everyone—and I mean everyone—is impressed by how courageous you are. But you need to keep applying yourself, because if you don’t—well, if you don’t, you’re going to be letting yourself down. And I know you don’t want that.”
    I stared at him. He smiled at me. I didn’t smile back.
    “Well,” he said, “I know you’ll power through. And look, I’ll take care of your late slip, so you just get over to the auditorium with everyone else.”
    “Auditorium?”
    He nodded. “Senior portraits, remember? Now go on, and think about what I said.”
    Things only got worse from there.
    The auditorium was so crowded, people packed together everywhere. In the aisles, by the doors, and it was hot too, everyone crowded together, so close and I—I dug my nails into my palms trying to steady myself. It didn’t work.
    I had to get out of there, but when I turned around there were already people behind me, leaning against the doors I’d just come through. Behind their heads I could see the tiny windows at the tops of the doors, high enough to offer only a view of the hallway ceiling, of empty space.
    Airplane windows were about that size, and people pressed up against them too, looking out into nothing.
    I headed toward the exit at the far side of the auditorium, my legs shaking so badly I thought I was going to fall down. I tried not to look at anyone but I saw Jess and Lissa sitting together. Jess said something and Lissa laughed, doubling over the way she did when she got caught up in a giggling fit. Jess laughed too and then hugged Lissa. Her eyes caught mine as she did, and her smile slipped.
    I looked away and kept walking. It was hard to get past the seemingly endless rows of seats, so close together they could have been on a plane. I looked at the floor, trying not to think about that, but when I looked up everyone had vanished and there was nothing to see but row after row of empty chairs. It was only for a second but my heart started beating so hard I could actually feel it fluttering in my chest. I ran the last few steps to the door and pushed it open.
    Outside, I sat down, curled up tight with my arms around my legs and my head pressed into my knees until I could breathe again.
    There was no way I could drive home. Just walking by the lot and seeing my car made me feel sick. So I walked, but between the road and the trees and myself, I felt worse and worse with every step I took, shaky and light-headed, hollowedout. I started to be afraid that if I took another step I’d die or vanish or, worse, realize I was somewhere else, like on a plane . . .
    I dug my nails into my palms again to force myself to keep walking and, after a while, realized I was by the church. Reverend Williams’s car