What Happened to Cormac Li? ✔

/ 7 /

  Evan Watts was my last remaining hope. He was the only person left that could potentially hold some answers. I had a feeling he knew a lot more than I did. After all, according to Brady, he was the one using the steroids. Maybe he could tell me why Cormac took the fall for him. I knew they were friends but that couldn't have been the only reason Cormac sacrificed his role as team captain.

  The only problem was I couldn't find him. He didn't come to school for the entire week (much to my frustration because he was literally the only reason I went).

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Tina asked, pointing at the untouched plastic tray, loaded with the school-provided lunch. Soggy tater-tots, a dry hamburger and a bruised apple  to balance it all out. It was nauseating to even look at.

  I didn't want to sit with Tina for that exact reason. I knew she would make a big deal out of me not eating. But I didn't really have a choice. There were no empty tables and I couldn't sit at my old table.

I considered it. I even walked past the crowded table, naïvely thinking maybe I could do it. Maybe I could sit with them and engage in boisterous banter with the popular kids, just like Cormac used to. Tease our friends about whatever there was to laugh about, make plans for prom, discuss the next party to be thrown. I really thought I could do it. Brady made eye contact with me and his lips curled up slightly in an inviting smile. They left Cormac's spot empty, probably out of unspoken honour. My mind flashed back to Cormac's laugh and the conversations we used to have at that table and I had to do a U-turn to Tina's table.

  Tina was quite popular herself which further frustrated me because her table was filled with freshman that I didn't care about. Even though there was only a three year difference between us I felt ancient surrounded by the fifteen-year olds and their mysterious references.

  She also kept pointing out that I wasn't eating and I was certain that her friends were confused as to why she cared so much. I wanted to leave but I couldn't have lunch in the bathroom again. That was just sad.

  "Please leave me alone," I said to her, under my breath so that her friends didn't hear.

  She sighed and returned her focus to her boyfriend, Joey. He was actually on the football team as well, a great feat for a sophomore.

  "I heard he was hospitalised or something," Tina sighed, engaged in a rumour-fuelled conversation with Joey.

Joey sadly nodded. "I don't know what's going on with him. Ever since..." He looked up at me and I knew he was referring to Cormac's death.

  Tina copped on and nodded awkwardly. "I hope he's okay."

  I had promised myself I would stay out of their superficial discussions but I had to ask. "Who are you talking about?"

  Tina perked up as if she had been waiting for me to ask. "Evan Watts. He didn't come into school at all this week. And Kathy said she saw his mom clearing out his locker."

"He hasn't talked to any of us since...." His voice annoyingly drifted off as he referred to Cormac's suicide for the second time in the conversation. "Some of us tried going to see him but he doesn't want any visitors. He's basically just locked in his room."

I recognised the symptoms of heartbreak and for a few seconds empathised with him. He had lost his best friend. And unlike the rest of the team, Evan was the most introverted. But then I remembered he was the reason Cormac wasn't captain of the football team and I became incensed once more.

"Where does he live?"

"I don't know his exact address but I can drive you to his house if you want," Joey offered.