On the Sidelines

Chapter 12 Evie

As I thought, Alyssa was willing to give it a shot. What's the worst that can happen? Nothing comes from it? No one gets prosecuted? Well, that's what already happened so it's worth a shot.

Tanner had morning skate today and left my room at six-thirty to head home and grab his things. We made plans for him to come pick me up so we can head to his place later around five this evening. He still needs help with his creative writing assignment and apparently, I'm still the only person he knows that's good at writing.

I sent him a text an hour ago giving him permission to talk to his roommate Collins about my father. His response was a thumbs up.

"Do you really think this guy can really do anything?" Sasha types away on her laptop, briefly glancing at me.

"I don't know." I shrug. "Maybe."

"Well, Tanner seems to think he can help so I'm willing to try." I've been cuddled up next to Alyssa for the last few hours as we discussed our options.

"I guess. But aren't you worried there could be some retaliation? What happens if your father pushes back, or any of the other guys push back? Are you ready for the possibility of having to see them again, deal with them in person?"

"Sasha, I know you're trying to help but I've thought about this already. The worst possibility is they all walk free just like they have been for years now." We've been going back and forth like this a while now. I'm starting to lose my patience with her.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just worried for you both. I care for you deeply and really don't want to see anything bad happen to you guys." She sets her laptop aside before sliding off her bed.

I scootch over to give her space to climb next to me. Her arms wrap around me while she squeezes my shoulders. "I know. Thank you."

"I'm hungry. Let's get food." Sasha and I laugh at Alyssa topic changer.

"Yeah, let's get food." I slide off the bed and pull them both with me.

We end up at the diner across campus. Each of us have a milkshake and fries. I have a strawberry, Alyssa has vanilla, and Sasha has her chocolate.

It's surprisingly empty for a Sunday. I feel bad for our waitress, we're her only table and no one has walked in since us. I can tell she's desperately trying to find something else to do but it seems everything that needs to be done is already done.

I've never worked as a server but Sasha has a friend who is one and she tells me this is normal. There tends to be a lot of fluctuations between guest counts and it's expected. It doesn't ease my thoughts unfortunately. I'm well aware of the amount of people who depend on guest count and the amount of tables they get to survive.

"Maybe we should order something else. I just got paid yesterday." Sasha sighs for what must be the millionth time, completely fed up with me.

"It's not your responsibility to single-handedly keep a server afloat. I'm sure she's had plenty of tables before us and will have more after. It's still fairly early."

"Yeah you're right." My phone buzzes on the table in front of me.

"I think your man is trying to get your attention."

"I told you already Alyssa, he's not my man. We're not official yet." I wish we were but I dumped a lot of information on him this morning. I need time to process and so does he.

I'm still a little in shock at how well he took the information. I could tell when I was recounting my past trauma that he was mad. He was white fisting my bedspread. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect him to try to come up with a solution to a problem I had given up on.