“I don’t know. Everything?”
“Does this concern Devlin?”
“Yes and no. I don’t like people living their lives as if Devlin was never a part of it. I don’t like how they tiptoe around his name as if he was never there, or how they’re even starting rumors about his weird tendencies. I was his only friend, I knew him best, I could defend him best, but the moment I want to talk, my tongue gets tied up and I start hyperventilating. I hate it,this,them, the fact that they erased him as if he never existed.” A tear cascades down my cheek. “He said it would happen, that he and I would be forgotten, and I think…maybe…maybe that’s true.”
“We agreed not to go there, Glyndon. Devlin was loved by you and he’s remembered by you.”
“But that’s not enough.”
“I’m sure it is for him.”
A long breath whooshes out of me, letting his words sink in. Right. The world never understood Dev, so why should he be remembered by them?
I’m enough.
“Can you tell me the reason behind the trigger of your emotions?”
I rub my palm against my shorts and stare at the crowd where that psycho disappeared. He’s not even in sight anymore, and yet, he’s, without doubt, the reason every stone I carefully laid inside me is tumbling down.
Or at least, he’s the drop that made the cup overflow.
But I can’t tell Dr. Ferrell about that, because he’ll read into everything prior to tonight, and I’m just not ready to let it all out.
Maybe he’ll judge me for keeping it a secret.
Maybe he’ll know the actual reason why I’m keeping it a secret.
So I change direction. “I got a weird text.”
“Of what nature?”
“Someone who keeps telling me that I should’ve had the same fate as Dev and to watch my back.”
“Did their tone sound threatening?”
“It’s weird, but no. I guess my feelings are all over the place if I don’t see what they said as threatening.”
“You have every right to be that way. Don’t beat yourself up for it. And if those texts change in nature, promise you’ll let me know and report it.”
“I promise.”
The crowd buzzes with energy, some people jumping up and down to get a view of the ring.
“I gotta go, Dr. Ferrell. And thanks for listening to me.”
“Anytime.”
I hang up absentmindedly as I focus on the uproar of the crowd.
The students from REU go crazy as Creigh jumps into the ring. He’s wearing white shorts, no shirt, and his hands are wrapped in bandages.
“Go get ’em, spawn!” Remi shouts from the sidelines. “Show them what my lordship raised.”
Landon gives our cousin an ‘I’m watching you’ look from the booth above, most likely telling him that he bet on him. He’s surrounded by a few guys and girls, probably from his stupid club, Elites.
Eli is nowhere to be found, though.
My eyes automatically slip to the other side. On the sidelines stands a huge, heavily intimidating tattooed guy who I think is rumored to run in the same circles as Jeremy. He’s wearing a flashy black satin robe and jumping in place as he punches the air.