Watching Her- Part 18

When Kevin parked the car across Sarah’s street, there was silence. Sarah stared straight ahead out the window and down into the darkness of the street only lit by a single streetlamp. She looked ashamed and hurt. Kevin turned towards her as she continued to gaze. He watched her unmoving and shy eyes. He leaned forward and grabbed her hand and rubbed it.1

“Sarah, don-”2

“No, Kevin. I’m sorry, I just-”3

“Stop it, Sarah.” He was forward, and Sarah looked to him, hurt. “It’s not your fault. Don’t think about it, okay? I won’t do it again unless you ask me to, okay? I promise.”4

There was a moment of silence as Sarah thought. Kevin leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Tomorrow at six. I’ll help you up the ladder.”5

Sarah and Kevin saw eachother frequently over the next two weeks, as August rolled in. However, Kevin insisted that they refrain from parties and drinking altogether, and Sarah agreed. 6

As school was about to start, Kevin started football conditioning, and Sarah started volleyball training. Due to the school’s practice schedule, they rode together home, but weren’t as affectionate due to their uncleanliness. Sarah dropped weight, due to running a mile every day in volleyball and constant drills. Kevin, however, gained muscle from running two miles every practice and all his drills. 7

On some days, Kevin’s practices would extend past the time they were supposed to end, and Sarah would sit in the stands, watching him drill. 8

One day, Sarah sat in the stands in her spandex sports tee, her black shorts, and flip flops. She sat, jingling her keys and her head and pony-tailed hair hanging, waiting for Kevin. He walked to her, holding his football gear in one hand, and his sports bag in the other. He set down his stuff next to her and smiled to her hidden face. 9

He changed his shirt in front of her without a word. “What’s up?” As soon as Sarah heard his voice, she looked up to him, and sprang onto him, clinging around his neck and squeezing tight. Kevin was surprised. 10

“Whatever happened to the no hugging after practice rule?” He said laughingly. Sarah just sighed a shaky breath into his neck. Immediately, Kevin sensed something was wrong. “Woah! Woah! What’s wrong?”11

Sarah leaned away from him and took his hand, leading him to her car. Kevin quickly snatched up his stuff and followed her lead. Sarah led him out to the parking lot as numerous football players sped out of the lot, whooting at Kevin and others. Sarah unlocked the car from her keyring and leaned against the hood of the black Stratus she drove. Kevin went and leaned next to the hood beside her and looked at her eyes as they stared ahead.12

The lot was empty besides them, and Kevin took the silence to his advantage. “Is something wrong?”13

Sarah’s eyes welled up with tears as she looked at him and bit her lip. She looked back straight ahead and wiped her eyes and winced a smile. It took her a while to gain her composure. She looked down at her flip flops and wobbled.14

“I’m moving.”15

Kevin gaped and it took a few seconds for the information to sink in. “What? Why? No!”16

“I know.”17

“But, why?”18

“Well, remember when I said that my parents constantly fought and got back together because my dad constantly had affairs? Well, my mom’s moving back in with him, and dragging me along with her- all the way down to Mississippi, at the bottom, nearer to the gulf… a whole state away.”19

“When?”20

“A week. My mom’s crazy- she wants to get with him before he changes his mind.”21

Kevin didn’t know what to say. What could he say?22

“I found out this morning, and I couldn’t tell you because we drove in separate cars today, ya know?” It was true. Sarah had needed to run some errands after practice, so she insisted that they drove separately to practice, and she’d see him quickly afterwards. 23

Tears started to run down her face as she explained more. Kevin went to hold her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders as her hands rested on his shoulder blades, crying on his strong shoulder. She didn’t care about his uncleanliness or confusion- she wanted comfort, and Kevin happily consoled her as best as he could.24

“I had to tell the volleyball coach, Coach Iverson, that I couldn’t play anymore cause I was moving. I’m leaving my friends, my house, my room, my whole life. And I’ll leave you. I can’t do it, Kevin!...”25

He didn’t know if her leaving him or him not being with her would be harder. His arms enfolded her as he thought about all the things he would miss. Kevin’s mind went from sad to angry in a matter of a couple seconds.26

And Sarah continued to sob into his arms…27