Then she turned and stomped toward the school.
I tore out of the parking lot. When I got home, I watched TV, getting up only to microwave some chicken. Natalie didn’t call my cell all evening and I didn’t try her either. I figured we were headed toward another breakup and, to be perfectly honest, I was fine with it.
By the time I went to bed, I was actually thinking that maybe this time it’d be for good. Maybe I’d find a younger girl, someone who looked up to me. Natalie was always treating me like an idiot, yelling at me and expecting me to take it.
The next thing I knew my dad was sitting on my bed, telling me she was dead. That she’d died with some other guy. Jake Kulowski , my dad said. Did you know him?
That whole night, after my dad told me about the accident, I kept thinking that if I’d gone to the Penfield game, Natalie wouldn’t have run off with Jake. She would have taken the bus. Or maybe I would have driven her home. The girls’ cheerleading coach liked me, so she probably would have let me do it. I never would have attempted to pass on that stretch of Penfield Road. I definitely never would have crashed into a cement truck.
four
As I crossed the lawn into school, I loosened my tie around my neck. It was a warm spring morning, too hot for a suit. Too hot for school, actually, for being cramped up at a desk, acting like I’m paying attention. I reminded myself that there’s only five weeks left until graduation. Hopefully summer will fly. By the end of August, I’m off to Fredonia and away from all this.
“Dakota!”
I turned around. Gina Robinson was waving and calling my name.
“Nice suit,” she said as she caught up with me.
“Thanks.”
Gina was a cheerleader friend of Natalie’s and one of the girls who was going to speak at the ceremony today. I always had the feeling Gina wanted to hookup with me, even back when Natalie was alive. She wasn’t my type, though. She had bulging eyes, almost like someone was strangling her. Also, Gina was a notorious gossip. Get together with her and the next day the whole school will be blabbing about the size of your dick.
“How’re you feeling about today?” Gina asked as she fell into stride next to me.
I shrugged.
“Have you heard about the poem?” Gina asked.
“What poem?”
“Supposedly Natalie used to write poetry,” Gina said. “I didn’t know that about her, did you?”
I shook my head.
Gina continued. “I guess Jake’s mom found this poem in his stuff that Natalie wrote for him. It was from the week before they died. She gave it to Natalie’s family. Supposedly it’s really deep. Natalie’s brother is going to read it today.”
I stared at Gina.
“I know,” Gina said, leveling her bug eyes at me. “I thought you’d want to know about that.”
I skipped homeroom. I shoved my bag into my locker, grabbed my iPod and the folder with the hall pass,and headed to the locker room. No one was around, so I sat on a long bench and lowered my face in my hands. I could hear the principal reciting the Pledge. I reached for my sports bottle and took a quick taste. Next came the girls’ and boys’ baseball scores from yesterday’s game. We creamed Rush-Henrietta six to nothing. My buddies and I were riding high at Burger King last night, everyone slapping my back because I batted in two runs.
The principal downshifted to his soberest tone. “The ceremony for Natalie Birch will commence in the auditorium at nine o’clock,” he said. “Attendance is mandatory. Students, come directly to the auditorium after first period. Anyone participating in the program should report to the auditorium at eight forty-five.”
I clutched my gut. I could feel the pain ripping into my stomach. I took another sip of Jack and Coke, changed into shorts, and headed downstairs.
When I stepped into the weight room, I spotted Coach Ritter at his desk. He’s been my wrestling coach for the past four years. Even though it’s
I tore out of the parking lot. When I got home, I watched TV, getting up only to microwave some chicken. Natalie didn’t call my cell all evening and I didn’t try her either. I figured we were headed toward another breakup and, to be perfectly honest, I was fine with it.
By the time I went to bed, I was actually thinking that maybe this time it’d be for good. Maybe I’d find a younger girl, someone who looked up to me. Natalie was always treating me like an idiot, yelling at me and expecting me to take it.
The next thing I knew my dad was sitting on my bed, telling me she was dead. That she’d died with some other guy. Jake Kulowski , my dad said. Did you know him?
That whole night, after my dad told me about the accident, I kept thinking that if I’d gone to the Penfield game, Natalie wouldn’t have run off with Jake. She would have taken the bus. Or maybe I would have driven her home. The girls’ cheerleading coach liked me, so she probably would have let me do it. I never would have attempted to pass on that stretch of Penfield Road. I definitely never would have crashed into a cement truck.
four
As I crossed the lawn into school, I loosened my tie around my neck. It was a warm spring morning, too hot for a suit. Too hot for school, actually, for being cramped up at a desk, acting like I’m paying attention. I reminded myself that there’s only five weeks left until graduation. Hopefully summer will fly. By the end of August, I’m off to Fredonia and away from all this.
“Dakota!”
I turned around. Gina Robinson was waving and calling my name.
“Nice suit,” she said as she caught up with me.
“Thanks.”
Gina was a cheerleader friend of Natalie’s and one of the girls who was going to speak at the ceremony today. I always had the feeling Gina wanted to hookup with me, even back when Natalie was alive. She wasn’t my type, though. She had bulging eyes, almost like someone was strangling her. Also, Gina was a notorious gossip. Get together with her and the next day the whole school will be blabbing about the size of your dick.
“How’re you feeling about today?” Gina asked as she fell into stride next to me.
I shrugged.
“Have you heard about the poem?” Gina asked.
“What poem?”
“Supposedly Natalie used to write poetry,” Gina said. “I didn’t know that about her, did you?”
I shook my head.
Gina continued. “I guess Jake’s mom found this poem in his stuff that Natalie wrote for him. It was from the week before they died. She gave it to Natalie’s family. Supposedly it’s really deep. Natalie’s brother is going to read it today.”
I stared at Gina.
“I know,” Gina said, leveling her bug eyes at me. “I thought you’d want to know about that.”
I skipped homeroom. I shoved my bag into my locker, grabbed my iPod and the folder with the hall pass,and headed to the locker room. No one was around, so I sat on a long bench and lowered my face in my hands. I could hear the principal reciting the Pledge. I reached for my sports bottle and took a quick taste. Next came the girls’ and boys’ baseball scores from yesterday’s game. We creamed Rush-Henrietta six to nothing. My buddies and I were riding high at Burger King last night, everyone slapping my back because I batted in two runs.
The principal downshifted to his soberest tone. “The ceremony for Natalie Birch will commence in the auditorium at nine o’clock,” he said. “Attendance is mandatory. Students, come directly to the auditorium after first period. Anyone participating in the program should report to the auditorium at eight forty-five.”
I clutched my gut. I could feel the pain ripping into my stomach. I took another sip of Jack and Coke, changed into shorts, and headed downstairs.
When I stepped into the weight room, I spotted Coach Ritter at his desk. He’s been my wrestling coach for the past four years. Even though it’s
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