Page 78 of Shane
“Any particular plans?”
“Well, she’s a bit of a study freak. Worse than I was freshman year. So to loosen her up, I took her to a Christmas festival in town…and a hockey game.”
“A hockey game?” Dr. Torres offers up one of those judgemental therapist smiles of hers.
“It’s part of the festival,” I explain. “There’s no escaping it.”
“And Shane was there?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay,” Dr. Torres closes her notebook. “Well, I’m pleased things are going so well for you, Kennedy.” Dr. Torres checks her desk clock. “But on that note, I’m afraid our time is up for today.”
I stand to shake her hand since it’s probably the last time I’ll ever see her. “Merry Christmas, Dr. Torres. Thank you for everything.”
She looks at me with what feels like sincere affection and not the kind she’s paid to give.
“Merry Christmas, Kennedy. It’s been my pleasure. And don’t forget, you can call me anytime if you need to talk.”
kennedy
A WEEK AGO
Membersof the opposing hockey team hustle across the ice, as we all chant the VCU rally cry. My roommate Violet reminds me so much of myself when I was a freshman, I thought I owed it to her to drag her out and have some fun. Maybe she’ll have an easier time getting acclimated to the school than I did.
“Are you actually reading while the Suns are playing?” I ask, my eyes wide with disbelief.
“Absolutely,” she says, not an ounce of regret in her voice. “You know the deal. I’ve got a scholarship and I can’t fuck it up.”
“It’s Christmas break, girl,” I tell her. “We haven’t even started the spring semester yet.”
“But I already know what classes I’m taking this semester. I literally have taken two of them before.”
“So, you’re reading ahead?”
“Yep.”
“In classes you’ve already taken?”
“That’s right.”
“When you’re supposed to be, you know, getting acclimated to your new environment?” I ask in a gentle voice knowing a little bit of what she’s been through back home.
“Yes, Kennedy,” she hisses.
“Why?” I ask.
“So I can focus on the classes that are actually going to be challenging for me. The ones that matter.”
“Uh-huh,” I say. “You do realize they have textbooks online, don’t you? You didn’t have to bring a whole ass hardback book to the game. You could have just used your phone or something if you were even going to do it all.”
“Am I embarrassing you or something?” she asks in an uncomfortable voice, but her question is cut short when two bitches sitting behind us suddenly bump into her head as they rise to their feet to cheer.
“Woohoo!”
When they do, her head jerks forward, momentarily hyper-extending her neck.
Oh, no, the hell they didn’t.