Sin of the Saint

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE SEND-OFF PARTY

Coach Luther had arranged for her to come in for private lessons before and after classes starting the next week and lasting for the remainder of the school year. That told Liv that she could be caught up in this mess until graduation—more than half a year away. That was a lot longer than she initially thought this war would last.

As she drove home on that Friday afternoon, she had a growing pit in her stomach—she wished this would just get over with quickly, so that she could give it her all and it would be all over...then she would be free of this anxiety and fear...and more than anything else, this dreaded pressure that's been building in her mind and gut since Charity's funeral.

Felicity had told her that the sendoff party for Charity would begin at six o'clock that evening. So, she'd have to hurry home to shower and get ready...she wanted to put on a good face for Charity's other friends, though she knew she may have already embarrassed herself in front of them in her first couple of days at St. John's.

"The party is casual dress, of course—did you find a date to homecoming yet?" Liv remembered Felicity asking her that question and her stomach flipped—she didn't. Not yet.

But she had an idea...though she didn't know if she could go through with it. Not after Charity died.

She reached home and took a hot shower. While still wrapped in a towel, she laid on her bed with her phone in her hand, staring at the blackened screen. Something deep within her prohibited her from calling him, much less texting him...he was, after all, the reason she and Charity were at the train tracks that morning of August 30th.

He was Liv's crush—Simon Hunter.

Would it be an insult to Charity's memory...to ask him to homecoming? Simon Hunter...the reason Liv felt so compelled to cross under the barrier and run across the tracks that day. Liv had been worried that she wouldn't make it to her old school before his club practice ended and she wouldn't be able to deliver his birthday gift before he left.

Liv looked over to her open closet door, where the carefully wrapped birthday gift still sat—she'd put it there weeks ago with no intention of picking it up again. It was her own selfish choice that led to her friend's death—so what real right did she have to pursue a relationship with him anyway? When she tried to before, she got impatient, and as a result of that, got her friend killed.

She sighed and put her phone down. She couldn't ask Simon to the dance—how could she do that? It'd be an insult to Charity's memory...not to mention a terrible reminder of what Liv had done.

She guessed she would have to let Felicity find her a date after all. And the only thing worse than going to the homecoming dance, Liv thought, would be having to go to the homecoming dance with a complete stranger.

"You made it! I am so happy you're here!" Felicity chirped as Liv got out of her car. The party had already begun, it seemed. Some teachers Liv recognized had grills and picnic tables set out in the parking lot. Dozens of students already had heaping plates of burgers, hotdogs, and potato salads, along with another large number of teachers and staff members.

"Charity really knew a lot of people, didn't she?" Liv said, observing the scene of the party.

"Oh, hundreds at least. She was a perfect student, perfect friend—sang the national anthem at all the home football games, especially homecoming. There wasn't a person at school who didn't know who she was. So, of course, there'll be loads and loads of people here once the party actually gets going."

"Ah," Liv nodded. Great...a big party of people—a lot of which may already know who Liv is, and may want to talk to her about Charity.