The End Zone

Prettiest.

Most talented.

And, therefore, not the nicest.

“I don’t wanna rat her out, so you need to promise not to tell anyone. Not even Dad.” He flings a warning finger toward me, and I take a second to think about it before offering him a silent nod. My heart beats faster. Vaughn is not a snitch. If he is coming to me with this, it means that he is worried, and Vaughn is never worried. He screams nonchalance. Well, actually, he utters it quietly, with a patronizing smirk.

“Words, Mom.”

“I promise.”

“Daria’s having an affair.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded, and blink a few times before a small smile expands on my face. “You mean, she has a boyfriend?”

My son stares at me like I’m a complete idiot. “No, Mom. Affair.”

“Define affair.”

“With Principal Prichard. That defined enough for you?”

My heart is lodged in my throat, and I am blinking away what must be tears. Daria just turned eighteen. Principal Prichard is not old, but he is almost my age. He is old for her. Thirty-six, to be exact.

She is a child.

I bathed her and cut her food into miniscule pieces, for Lord’s sake.

I stay silent for the longest time, not entirely sure what to tell Vaughn.

“Thanks for the input. Anyway.” He pokes me with his socked toes, groaning. “I’m covering for her scrawny ass as much as I can, but honestly, it’s getting a little out of control and I don’t need this bullshit, you know? We’re about to start the second semester and I’m tired of watching for her shit and making up lies.”

“Wait, how does it have anything to do with Knight? You said he was the one you are mad at this afternoon.”

“Oh.” He scratches his chin, shrugging. “We flipped a coin. Knight lost. He was supposed to say something to his parents before shit hit the fan, but of course he bailed, because he is messing around with Cadence, Daria’s best friend.”

It’s not what Knight is doing; it’s who he is doing.

That makes sense now.

“How many people know about Daria and her affair?” I want to throw up at how twisted and ironic this whole thing is. Daria’s parents had a forbidden teacher and student affair. She is well aware of that, and I wonder if it’s her way to try to rile them up.

Vaughn shrugs. “Not many. Enough to get Daria all freaked out, but not enough to make her stop. He…” My son looks sideways, shaking his head on a sigh, like this is ridiculous, even to him. “Mom, he buys her crazy shit. I don’t know how he affords that kind of crap on his salary.”

“Language.”

“Honestly, after everything I told you about how other kids are behaving, you should award me with a medal, not worry about my profanity.”

“I can do both.” I let loose a tired smile, but then I remember how complicated the situation is. I love Daria. I love her like a family member, and she is getting drawn into something very dangerous.

I look down at my hands. They’re shaking.

I look up to my son. His eyes are searching mine.

Then I hear the words I shouldn’t be hearing, from a person who shouldn’t be in this room.

It’s my husband, and he is standing at the door to Vaughn’s room, one arm propped over the doorframe. “Drama in Todos Santos, who would have thought?”

I put my hand over Vaughn’s, and he shoots a knowing glance at his dad.

“Guess you can call us All Saints’ Sinners.”