I stopped.
“What? You’re kidding, right?”
“No. He said it was the only way to prove your innocence.”
“I haven’t heard from him since the other night. Did he get kicked off the team?”
“No, not yet. He loves you, but his coach is all over him about this, and he told me he has to cool it off with you for a while, at least until the end of the semester.”
“It’s okay. Tell Austin I understand.”
“I will,” he said. “Can we talk later? Over a beer maybe?”
“Sure, call me or something,” I said as I dashed away, not wanting to be even more late.
“I don’t have your phone number,” he called out.
“I’ll meet you at Marticello's at six!”
I rushed to the lecture hall, but I still ended up being ten minutes late. The rest of the class all turned to look at me as the squeaky door opened.
A few of them pointed and talked to each other as I sat down in the back row and slunk down in my seat. The professor, Dr. Jones, gave me a dirty look, but she didn’t call me out.
While she lectured, I tried to pay attention, but I wasn’t able to get Austin out of my mind. Halfway through the class, I spotted a newspaper someone had left behind.
Using my foot, I scooted it over then reached down to pick it up. As I read his letter on the sly, tears formed in my eyes. He did love me more than football.
I hoped he wouldn’t get in trouble for writing the letter. Why hadn’t he called me or sent an email or something?
That scared me as much as the thought of not having him in my life anymore. Had he been kicked off the team?
Maybe Teddy would know more. I wasn’t sure how I would get through the rest of my classes that day, but I had to try.
THIRTY-SIX
Brooke
After my last class, I headed to Marticello's to meet with Teddy. When I walked in the busy restaurant alone, it felt a lot different than when I had come in with Austin at my side. No one looked up at all as I stopped and glanced around for Teddy.
He raised his hand from a booth in the corner near the plate glass windows facing the street. I shuffled over, forcing myself to smile. When I got closer, I noticed he had company.
“Oh, hey Brian,” I said, sitting across from them facing the window.
“Hi, Brooke.”
“I hope you don’t mind,” Teddy said. “He’s always complaining I don’t take him out in public.”
“I do not,” Brian said.
“Have you talked to Austin yet?”
“No. Have you?”
He shook his head.
“Did you try to call him?”
“No,” I said then sighed.