With Me | Sequel to Be There ✔️

Two Months

"Now, guys, I know that our newest players are leaving to go home tomorrow. And I know you're all gonna be sad to see them go. But I have some good news," Coach tells us.

We glance back and forth between each other, and I lift my head from my boyfriend's shoulder. "What kind of good news?" I question. The last time I heard the phrase 'good news' was when my dad was using it sarcastically, telling us that my mom was pregnant again.

"Before we left for California, the dean at Eden Hall spoke to me," Coach answers, earning gasps from all the original Ducks. "He said if Team USA did well in the games, then he might appoint scholarships."

Whispering is heard throughout, the fire lighting up the faces of the teens across from me, who all have goofy smiles plastered on their faces. "What's Eden Hall?" Julie asks, making the heads of the Ducks spin towards her.

"Only one of the most prestigious schools in Minnesota," Goldberg replies, as if she should know all about it. "It's real hard to get into, not to add, expensive."

"I'm surprised you know what 'prestigious' means, Goldberg," I joke, laughter bursting out from my fellow hockey players, as well as a smile from Coach.

"Okay, okay," Coach says, the giggling dying down. "Well, I stopped by Jan's shop on the way here, only to see a letter from Eden Hall."

"What did it say?" Connie inquires, leaning forward, away from Guy's arm, which had been lazily thrown over her shoulder.

Coach grins, pulling out a small white envelope from his jacket pocket. "I, Dean Buckley of Eden Hall, award all members of Team USA with full athletic scholarships to play as our Junior Varsity Hockey Team." Coach reads, squinting his eyes in the dark night.

Squeals and cheers ring out from around the fire, but the loudest thing I hear is Dwayne's voice whispering in my ear, his hot breath tickling me. "I knew somethin' was gonna happen to make it work," he says, making me smile.

I turn to look at him, my grin wide across my face, not bothering to care who saw. I rest my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes. Nothing could make this any better.

********************************************************************

I smile at the memory that happened almost two months ago, two months! Two months since I've seen the Ducks. Two months since I've seen Julie and Connie. Two months, since I've seen Dwayne.

I shove the fancily-bounded scholarship into my new black backpack, zipping it closed after. The sun hasn't risen yet, seeing that it's literally four in the morning.

We were supposed to receive our awards before we left to go home, but mine and Dean's flight was earlier than everyone else's, so Coach sent them to us.

I fold the rest of my new wardrobe into my suitcases. Yes, an entire, new wardrobe. It wasn't my idea, don't judge me. Before I left to go home, the last thing Dwayne said to me was, "Talk to your mom, Meg. Tell 'er what ya told me."

So, when I got home, I did it. I told my mom, using less destructive terms than "replaced" and "hate". I don't know if it was full blown sorrow, or pregnant hormones, but she burst into tears when I did. She apologized over and over again, saying that wasn't what she meant to do at all.

Here's what actually happened, which shocked the shit out of me. My mom did invite us to the wedding, but my dad didn't want us to go. (I don't want to talk about my father right now, so we're dropping it.) Since we were always so busy with school all week and hockey on weekends, we were never able to coordinate times to see Dennis. Mom said the real reason she named her son Dennis, and her soon-to-be-born daughter Maggie, was because she wanted them to grow up to be like me and Dean.