Beyond us (all of us #3) 18+

T W E L V E

D I E S E L

Past

Dear April,

Two years down, two more until I can walk out of here for the last time and never look back.

And not just high school, but this fucking city.

I don't know how I'm going to get out of here, but I am. Me, Trent, and Gio have always talked about getting a spot together somewhere far from here and--hopefully they mean that, but who really knows.

Especially when it comes to Trent. That guy's on something different every day.

"Oh, now he wants to show up? Come on, kid." Coach Colbrunn glances at his big silver wristwatch, spewing out a wet breath like he just got done running back and forth around the gymnasium. The sweaty temples are a dead giveaway if nothing else. "We're thirty fucking minutes into practice and you wanna waltz in here like you're the king of England or something."

"I got held up in class."

Coach Colbrunn vigorously rubs at the stress lines in his forehead, then motions for me to follow him with two fingers.

I lag behind him, glancing over at my team. All of them apparently too distracted by the situation to continue drill.

We walk through the empty locker room and sharply turn into his office. He snatches the blinds shut over the window that over looks the lockers as I drop into a seat in front of his desk.

My eyes run over all the papers stacked messily over every inch of desk space. Ungraded papers, mint wrappers and empty bottles of energy drink.

Colbrunn plops in his seat with a grunt and rolls himself under his desk, staring me dead in the eye like he wants to intimidate me. Like he's expecting me to be shaking in my Nike's or something.

His brow goes hard and I blow out a breath, letting my head fall back as I sink in my chair. "What's the deal with you, guy? You come in here late more times than not, high as a kite and expect me to just be okay with it?"

"I'm not even high."

I'm definitely high. I learned from you that the eyes are a dead giveaway.

"And to top it off you're a bad liar."

I turn my attention to the bulletin board, just so I don't have to stare at the dirty look on his face any longer. Briefly looking over the ancient fliers from over a decade ago, and even older team photos pinned to the cork with red push pins.

People that probably haven't walked these halls in  years. Colbrunn even has hair on his head in most of those shots.

"That's the thing about you, Cooper. You walk these halls like you can do whatever you want, like the rules don't apply to you for some reason, but they do. And one day you're gonna be in for a rude awakening. Life's gonna hit you...reality's gonna hit you, and this nonchalant little act you put on isn't gonna fly anymore."

I can't help but groan as my body slides deeper into my hoodie.

I'm tired of the lectures. I'm tired of being parented by every fucking adult in my life.

Maybe it's not an act? Maybe I really don't give a fuck. And that's my choice, what's it to anyone else? He's lucky I showed up at all.

"You know what? I'm actually glad you walked in late again, because I think today's a good day to finally show you that some actions do have consequences." Clicking his pen, a hint of glee touches the crowfeet around his eyes as he pulls open the drawer in front of his big beer belly. I roll my eyes as he sifts through, finally setting another paper on top of the stack.