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.
“What’s wrong?” Teddy asked.
“That was a damn romantic letter,” Brian added.
“I know, but…I’m just not sure about him or anything anymore. He wrote that letter, sure, but what if he’s just confused and doesn’t really love me? I’m afraid to find out.”
“Uh oh,” Teddy said. “You need a drink, a little liquid courage to call him.”
“I don’t know…”
A waitress walked up.
“Two pitchers of beer and a vegetarian pizza, large.” Teddy said to the waitress then turned to me. “That okay with you?”
I nodded. The waitress left. Glancing outside at all the people walking by the front of the restaurant, I longed to be with Austin. Teddy and Brian were okay, but I wanted the man who loved me, the amazing man I loved back.
The waitress returned with two pitchers of beer, which I thought was way too much for three people until I saw Teddy and Brian both down a glass quickly.
Before the food arrived, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at the screen. Austin! I tapped the screen and put it to my ear.
“Austin?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for you to call me.”
“I’m sorry. I saw your letter, and I don’t know what to say. Did you get kicked off the team?”
“Coach isn’t happy, but I don’t think he can throw me off the team. Whether or not he helps me get into the pros is another matter entirely.”
“We’re going to be okay,” I said confidently. “I know it.”
“Me too. Where you at? Home?”
“No, I’m at Marticello's with Teddy and Brian. They’re giving me moral support and advice.”
“Ah, like they did for me last night. Tell them I said hey.”
“Austin says hey.”
“Hey, Austin,” they said in unison.
“You want to come join us?”
“No. I’m not really in the mood to be in public right now.”
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah. Can you come over after you guys are down there?”
“Yeah. I’d like to see you. We should talk.”
“I’ll see you soon,” he said.
“Bye, Austin.”
I ended the call, wishing the pizza would hurry the hell up.
“He loves you,” Teddy said.
“Oh yeah? How do you know this?”
“Just the way he looks at you when you’re together. He hasn’t said anything, but I can tell. I mean he wrote the damn letter.”
I smiled.
“He said come over after we’re done. Are you two going back home?”
“We were going to go out, but we can walk with you. It’s getting late.”
“Perfect,” I said. “You two are the best.”
Derek the frat-fuck walked up as a finished my sentence.
“They’re the two biggest fuck ups on campus. That’s what I’ve heard.”
He cackled with laughter, obviously drunk.
“Get out of here,” I snapped. “You’re an asshole.”
“Watch it,” he said. “I still owe you one.”
Teddy stood up, puffing out his chest.
“She asked you to leave, asshole.”
Our waitress returned with our pizza.
“No fighting in here,” she said. “Take it outside.”
“Let’s go,” Derek said, thumping his chest with his fist. “I’ll fuck you both up then take her home with me and fuck her up in another way.”
“You’re not even making any sense right now,” I said.
“Fuck you too,” he said, slurring the single syllable words.
“I’m calling the cops,” the waitress said.
“I don’t want to be here when they show up, let’s go,” I told Teddy and Brian.
“I’m not done with you guys,” Derek yelled from the door.
Two of his frat brothers dragged him outside.
“I’m sorry,” I said to the woman behind the cash register.
“You didn’t do anything from what I saw,” she said. “Have a good night.”
“Let’s go,” Teddy said. “He better not jump us.”
“If he does, Austin will end up going to jail for demolishing his face.”
“Yeah.” Teddy chuckled. “Let’s go.”
I followed him and Brian outside. We peered down the street, one direction then the other. Not seeing any sign of Derek, we headed toward the house they shared with Austin. I had read the letter he wrote so many times, I almost had it memorized.
“Let’s go this way,” Teddy said, nodding toward the path around campus. “It’s quicker.”
“Are you sure? It’s getting late.”
“You’ll be safe. Don’t worry.”
I clutched the strap of my backpack tightly as we walked down the dimly lit path with trees on both sides. What had been meant as a means to beautify the path had turned it into a dangerous area for anyone after dark.
Halfway to their house, I began to relax until Teddy shouted, “Watch out!”
Electricity coursed through my body. I saw a look of surprise on Teddy’s face as I blacked out.