premonition [s.m]

2

The next day wasn't any better.

An assembly was held during second hour and all of the students and staff were in the auditorium for it. Sabrina was on stage right with the theatre crew that were talking on headsets and helping to run the assembly. They all wore black and Sabrina leaned by a wall filled with little memoirs from graduated students with little messages.

"Do I have to breathe into it or is it on?" Principal Peterson asked a student as he handed him the microphone.

"No, it's already set up to be on when you walk on the stage." The student replied.

Sabrina watch as Troy and some other players were gathered by a stairwell that led to the alley. Sabrina got off the wall and walked over to them and they all smiled at her.

"Hey guys." She said to them.

"Hey,"
"Hi Sabrina."
"Hey Bree."

She looked at Troy and he gave her a genuine smile, which she returned. "Have Shawn's parents contacted you?"

"No, why?" A player, Brandon Finn, had replied. He was QB2 and with Shawn no longer the quarterback, the rest of the season was now left to him.

"The funeral service is tomorrow at 11. Do you guys have any photos or things you want Shawn to be buried with?" She asked them as she played with her hands.

"Yeah." Troy said. "We're all gonna be there."

Sabrina opened her mouth to speak and offer them a ride in Shawn's Jeep, but she opted not to. As selfish as it sounded, she didn't want anyone in his car. Anyone but her.

"Does anyone know why they're doing an assembly?" Sabrina asked them.

Brandon nods his head. "Peterson came up to Coach and decided to do an in memorial since the funeral is soon and not that many students are gonna go."

"Oh." She nodded.

"You don't have to speak if you don't want to." Troy told her. "They just want us there to say a few things. But you don't have to say something."

"I don't think anyone is expecting you to speak though." Roger Barker, another player, said. He sat down on the staircase next to Troy while Brandon leaned against the wall. Both Troy and Roger were defense, and Sabrina knew that it would take them both some adjusting to covering Brandon. "No offense."

"Don't worry, I understand completely what you mean." Sabrina told the athlete.

"Students, good morning." Principal Peterson's voice echoed through the auditorium.

"That's our cue." Brandon said. He and Roger went to stage right and waited for their cue to go onstage while Troy stood up and remained in the stairway with Sabrina.

"I dreamt about him last night." Troy said. "It was a nightmare, but I dreamt about him."

"How was it?" Sabrina asked.

"Terrible. I was in the showers and he popped up out of the steam and he was in the hospital gown and he was bloody and scratched and he asked me why I didn't see him in the hospital." Troy said. "I would have, Bree. I would have seen him but I wasn't informed by police. I had to hear from Coach that he died."

"Hey," Sabrina placed her hand on Troy's arm, "it'll be alright. He knows you wanted to come. It's just your guilt. It's not your fault. You said so yourself, you weren't informed by police." He nodded at the words of his friend. "Come on. We have to make an appearance."

"We have a few close friends of Shawn coming up to day a few words. Please, listen to them." Peterson said before he motioned for the four students to come on stage.