Chapter 1
Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
Chapter One: King of the Comeback The sun shone down on the pair of men standing on the tightly cut grass. A small breeze whistled past them. They looked up at the trees and then down towards the flag. It was blowing slightly away from them and to the right. “You’ve got 240 yards to the pin, 223 to the front and 215 to cover the bunker protecting the front of the green. Wind with you and slightly off the left.” Colton, the man’s caddy and best friend, handed his player a 4 iron. “Give me the five. I’m going to hit a high draw and the 4 might cover too much distance,” replied Daniel. “Sound good? We have to make up two strokes with five holes left. This needs to be a birdie at worst. Then, we will see what we can do on the last four.” Daniel was attempting to qualify for the United States Championship, one of the few tournaments where qualifying is completely open to the public. He could realize his dream of playing on the Tour if he could just qualify for the US Championship and play fairly well out there. But he couldn’t get ahead of himself; he had to win this tournament first. “Step up and be confident. Full value. Let’s go!” called out Colton. Daniel tightened his glove, took a practice swing to rehearse the move he was going to make on the ball. He stood over his ball, took a deep breath, and swung down and through his golf ball. He stared intently as the ball began to move left, away from the right corner of the green and back towards the pin. “Sit. Sit. Sittttt. Get down ball!” The ball hit the ground with an audible thud and took a big hop then rolled some twenty feet past the pin before coming to rest. He handed his club to Colton and gave him a quick fist bump before grabbing his putter and walking down the fairway... They were at the car now. Daniel and Colton held a casual conversation as another man walked up to them. “Congrats man. That was a hell of a way to finish out a round. Two eagles and a birdie on your last five holes, that’s professional caliber play. Best of luck in Buffalo!” “Thank you sir,” answered Daniel, smiling. “I hope I can turn that finish into some momentum and play well on that tough golf course. Have a good day Sir.” “You as well, and congrats again” He walked off to his car. Daniel finished switching into his running shoes and put his golf bag and golf shoes in the trunk of the car. Daniel loved this car; his parents had bought it for him for his eighteenth birthday. Its vibrant, electric blue color stood out against most of the other cars in the lot.
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
And it was fast...very fast. He joined Colton in the car and they drove off. It was then that he noticed his phone was off. He powered on his phone and sat it down in his lap. “Well Colton, you ready for a road trip in a couple of months? We need to be in Upstate New York in June. Time to find out just how good of a team we are.” “Dude, it’s all you. I’m just there to lighten the mood and hand you a club every three shots when you let me! I think the better question is: are you ready to show the world just how much a US Championship golf course can kick the butt of an amateur? Happens every year.” “Not for me this year. Can you imagine living the life of a Tour player?” “Honestly? No. But that’s because I am only decent at golf. You are the one who is actually a player. But I can imagine traveling around with you and hanging out in cool places and earning lots of money for walking with a golf bag!” He grinned then burst out laughing. Daniel couldn’t help but laugh along with his friend. His laughter was abruptly silenced as he looked down at his phone and the 37 messages that were left in his inbox to accompany the 4 missed calls and 2 voicemails. Daniel knew he wasn’t that popular, so something must be up. He clicked the message button on his phone screen and read the first message: “Good luck today babe. You are the best. Txt me later!” A feeling of relief washed over him. He scrolled to the most recent. That was when his heart stopped. Blake, his best friend, had texted him 14 times. The first ten were random texts that they always sent back and forth of borderline inappropriate memes and funny pictures. But then he got to the last four. “Dude, where are you? Need 2 talk ASAP!”; “Seriously, call me quick!” ; The next one, “Dude, meet me at the hospital”, and finally, “You need to stay with someone tonight. Explain in person...” He tossed his phone into Colton’s lap. “Call him for me please. He is panicking.” Colton looked at him, then looked at the phone message he had just received and read from Blake: “Colton, I forgot you were at a tournament. Daniel’s parents and sister are dead. They got in an accident outside of the airport. Tell him and then call me.” Colton’s eyes were red when he looked away from his phone and back at Daniel. “Dan, you need to pull over into this Burger Stop right now. Please!” Daniel pulled the car into the parking space and turned off the engine. Colton was fidgeting and Daniel could sense something horrible had happened. “What’s going on Colton? What happened that Blake needed me to call him so badly and that made you want me to pull over?” Daniel looked at Colton with urgency in his eyes. Colton started to answer, but the words couldn’t form in his mouth. He couldn’t believe that the parents that treated him like their own were dead. He loved going to Daniel’s house and talking with his mother. How could a sweet family like that be dead? Just then, his phone vibrated twice. He looked down. “Greaaatttttt...” He thought to himself. A message from his girlfriend Jenna had shown up, as well as a message from Kenzi, Daniel’s girlfriend. Without having to open Kenzi’s, Colton knew what was going to be said.
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
Daniel interrupted his thoughts. “Man, if you don’t just tell me what is going on, I’m going to go crazy. Let’s hear it.” “Dan, your family is... your family... they died Daniel. They were on their way back with your sister and they got blindsided by a tanker and when they hit, the car exploded. According to the reports, they—“ “I put that together, please don’t say it.” His voice wavered and screeched. He had been so eager to share his victory with his sister, to see her at the US Championship celebrating with him. They had been close forever, ever since they got over being children anyway. His mind drifted back to the days when he and his sister ran around the house causing havoc for their parents. Their genuine smiles and the sound of their joyous laughter filled the entire house. Tears fell from his face as he thought about those days, as he though about his sister’s graduation form high school and acceptance to the country’s most prestigious robotics program. The late nights that summer in the backyard, cherishing every moment they had left before she was half way across the country. California was a long way from Michigan. Daniel couldn’t hold it together anymore. His head crashed against the steering wheel and he began to sob uncontrollably. Colton was at a loss; despite being an amazing friend, he had no idea what to do in this situation. Honestly, what is there to do? He looked at his phone and texted Kenzi: “He needs you. Bad. We are ten minutes from home, meet at my house.” Chapter Two: World Turned Upside Down Kenzi and Jenna arrived at Colton’s house soon after receiving the text. They feverishly began thinking of what they could do to help the situation. Who could they call to help? For the time being, they decided to keep it small. Just the four of them for now until others got off work. Jenna had bought all kinds of ice cream and toppings, hoping that it would help in some small way. Kenzi was making a list of things she could get to help Daniel cope over time. They barely heard the car pull into the driveway, the doors closing a bit harder than normal. Kenzi ran out to her boyfriend and wrapped him in a tight hug, kissing his chest and refusing to let go. If Daniel had been broken before in the car, he was even more broken now. His tears were streaming down his face, sobs becoming more and more audible as he let himself go. His three companions helped him into the house and Kenzi led him to the couch where they collapsed onto the plush fabric cushions. Daniel finally managed to croak out, “I’m not ready for this! How am I supposed to be ready for this? What do I do?” It was all Kenzi could do not to cry. She had to be strong for him, had to be there to help him get through this. She squeezed him tighter and then said, “First, you are going to do exactly what you are doing right now. You are going to panic and feel broken. Then, you are going to ask for help. You know all of our parents, and our community, are going to help you. We all love you and will do anything for you. And in the meantime, we are all going to sit here, eat ice cream, and figure out a way to deal with all of this. Deal?”
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
Colton chimed in, “And no matter what you think Big Man, you are not ever going to be a burden on any of us. You have done amazing things for all of us in the past, now it is our turn to be amazing for you.” Daniel looked up and a smile barely cracked his face. He could only manage a soft “Thank You” for fear of starting the waterworks again. It was then that Jenna spoke up, “Daniel, what do you need from your house or anywhere else? Colton and I are your errand runners, ready to get anything you could possibly need.” Dan looked down at his sweaty, smelly golf clothes. “I think Kenzi will love me more if I don’t smell like a wet dog anymore!” he joked. Colton ran out to Dan’s car and grabbed his duffel bag. Dan took it from him and went into the bathroom. Kenzi thanked her friends for being amazing and they said that they would do anything for Daniel because he would do anything for them. In the bathroom, Daniel peeled off his dark purple golf shirt. The moisture wicking material was soaked in his sweat due to the humidity accompanied with Michigan summers. His abs convulsed as he tried to suppress tears and keep himself together. He reached into the shower tub behind him and turned on the water, pulling the stopper to have the water rain down out of the waterfall showerhead. He slipped his toned legs out of the pants he had been wearing and climbed into the shower tub before sitting down. Daniel let the water fall down upon his muscular body, Compared to other athletes, Daniel looked fairly average; his muscles didn’t make him look muscle bound like football players, his arms had some tone but were not defined like basketball players. Nonetheless, his athleticism came from his mastery of yoga and body weight training, keeping the flexibility he needed to pound the golf ball. His mind drifted again as the water pounded down onto him, this time to the first time that his mother had met Kenzi; an unintentional meeting to say the least. Kenzi and Daniel had been walking home that night after their first official date. Kenzi’s brunette hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, her hazel eyes accented with a hint of makeup. Kenzi had never used much makeup, which she claimed was more out of saving time than anything else. Every time Daniel heard her say this, all he would ever say is that it didn’t matter, she looked beautiful however she chose to dress and accessorize. She loved that about him, and she soon realized that it was always said genuinely. That night, Kenzi had selected a strapless white sundress with blue and orange floral patterns and a blue sash belt across the waist. At 5’10” she stood taller than most girls and had chosen, wisely, not to wear heels that night. Instead, she had gone for a cute sandal. Kenzi was a volleyball player so she was incredibly fit and her body looked like a slender hourglass. She and Daniel held hands and laughed as the conversed down the sidewalk to his backyard. They went out to the gazebo his dad had built and sat on the comfortable wicker couch that faced out at the lake. They sat and talked for a while, enjoying the sounds of nature and the light show being put on by the fireflies. After and hour, Kenzi had looked at her phone to find a distraught message from her mom, “Where are you? It is getting late and we are worried!” Kenzi knew that was code for “get your butt home or else”, so she stood and grabbed Daniel’s hand to pull him up. “I have to go. My mom is worried. Drive me home?” Daniel laughed, “Of course I will, what kind of person would I be if I didn’t?” Kenzi blushed as she
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
smiled, “My last two dates, actually. I was beginning to think chivalry was dead.” Dan smiled back at her as they crossed the lawn, “It is. I’m just an old soul.” He had barely gotten through that statement before they both started laughing. That was when fate intervened on the date and the sprinkler system kicked on to water the grass. Kenzi screamed in surprise and Daniel apologized as they ran to get out of the water. Once out of range, they both laughed and Daniel pulled Kenzi in tight to him. He gave her a hug and then lifter her chin up to kiss her. Kenzi was overwhelmed by her emotions and electricity coursed through her. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him back passionately. Daniel wrapped his arms around her waist and took in the moment as they kissed. “Oh there you are! I should have turned those off when I saw you walk to the gazebo.” His mother had walked out and around the house to find them. Daniel and Kenzi broke off their kiss and turned to face her. “I’m sorry Daniel. I see it didn’t put a dampener on the mood though.” “Yes, very punny Mother. Where do you come up with this stuff?” Daniel asked in a sarcastic tone, smiling at his mother. Kenzi let out a faint laugh before sticking her hand out towards Daniel’s mother. “I think what your son was trying to say was Hi Mom, we are wet but fine. This is my gorgeous date Kenzi.” His mother laughed and said, “Nice to meet you Kenzi, I’m Phoebe. Most people call me Momma Wallace once they get to know me. Do you need something to change in to? Your dress is a bit wet.” “I was just on my way home. But thank you though, and it was nice to meet you!” “Nice to meet you Kenzi, I hope to see you again soon.” Daniel grabbed Kenzi’s hand and pulled her towards the front of the house. They got in his car before kissing again as he started it up. When they arrived at Kenzi’s he got out and opened her door for her before walking her to her front door. “No more awkward parent meetings tonight” Kenzi quipped, “I had a really nice time tonight.” She kissed him softly. “I don’t think I could ever have a bad time around you, Kenzi.” He kissed her. “Sweet dreams.” He turned to walk away but Kenzi grabbed his hand. “Please don’t follow the stupid guy rule...” Daniel replied, “What are you talking about?” Kenzi smiled and said, “Look, the whole three days thing is a sham. It makes me crazy when guys wait.” He paused, thinking to himself, and then answered, “Kenz, will you be my girlfriend?” His eyes shut as the steam filled the room and he passed out. He hadn’t eaten anything all day and he had just completed a 36-‐hole marathon of a golf tournament. Twenty minute had passed when Kenzi came into the bathroom to check on him. She screamed, causing Colton and Jenna to come running in to her. They pulled Daniel out of the tub and turned off the water. Slowly, they pulled his body out of the steamy bathroom and into a colder, airier room in the house. Kenzi covered him in a towel before grabbing the clothes he had to change in to and placed a cool cloth over his forehead and eyes. She started to cry, fearing
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
that her boyfriend was going to continue in this downward spiral, despite anything she could do. Jenna wrapped her arms around Kenzi and the girls went into a room to talk, leaving Colton to sit there all by himself. He passed the time by grabbing his tablet and researching everything he could find on the US Championship course, The Club at Hawk’s Landing. He even went as far as to schedule a practice round in May before the dead period at the golf course, hoping to get his friend down there and on the course. Kenzi asked Colton to leave the room for a minute and she quickly dressed her boyfriend before kissing his forehead. As if on cue, his eyes opened and he shook the cloth off his face. Chapter Three: Leave it to the Experts Colton’s parents came home to find Daniel lying on their couch with his head in Kenzi’s lap, while Colton and Jenna sat on the other portion of the sectional, her head against his shoulder. Kenzi was slowly moving her fingers through Daniel’s short hair and when she saw Colton’s parents she said, “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Connors. Thank you for letting us hangout at your house.” They smiled back at her and Mrs. Connors replied, “Of course dear. We love you guys; you are welcome here anytime. Colton, can we borrow you for just a sec?” Colton lifted himself from the couch, struggling after a long day of work and emotional activity. He walked into his parents’ bedroom and they shut the door. “How is he?” “Well, he survived until you all got here. He’ll be ok but he is struggling right now. I think the loss of his sister may be overshadowing the loss of his parents. They were super close; she had big plans for him.” “What can we do to help you all? Has he eaten anything?” “No, he passed out in the shower an hour ago. That was scary. Jenna did an amazing job keeping Kenzi calm and strong. We need you to talk to him. Or help us talk to him. None of us know where to start.” “Alright. Come here,” his mother said, “Daniel is lucky to have you all. You would have been fine saying anything to get him talking.” She hugged her son tight. “I love you, Colton. Don’t you ever forget it! By the way, how did the tournament go?” “He won. Went crazy to finish out the back nine. And I love you guys too!” “Hey babe. Want to go for a walk?” Kenzi was hoping to get him alone and talk to him. “Sure sweetie.” Daniel got up and helped Kenzi up. They put on their shoes and went outside. Colton came back to find Jenna sitting alone in the living room. “Where did they go? I was only gone for like a second!” Jenna laughed, “Relax C, they just went for a walk. I think Kenzi wanted to talk to him alone. Come here.” She held her hands out for Colton and when he grabbed them, she pulled him quickly onto the couch. “You, C, have been amazing.” Colton smiled and pulled her forehead to his. “Not as amazing as you. How did you calm Kenzi down anyway?” He kissed her quickly. Jenna replied, “I just told her that Daniel would never abandon her, that Daniel needed her to be strong, and that Daniel would be ok. I told
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
her that it was all very medical that Daniel passed out, but that it was smart of Kenzi to check on him. And I told her to ask Daniel what he was thinking about when he passed out.” They kissed again and then found the Connors in the kitchen. Together, the four of them began cooking different types of soul foods. Jenna and Colton conquered the mac and cheese with a twist, while his parents cooked up a nice Chicken and Sausage pizza and a power kale salad (just in case someone wanted to eat healthy). As they looked out the big windows in the kitchen, they saw Kenzi and Daniel sitting on the edge of the dock, her head on his shoulder and his on top of hers. Kenzi was lost in thought, mesmerized by the serenity of the lake water lapping against the sunken posts of the dock. Her mind wandered to when she first met Daniel. It was fall of their junior year, roughly a year and a half ago. She had been dressed in her volleyball uniform when she first saw him. At 5’ 10” she seemed tall to most guys, but not to Daniel. He was 6’5” and incredibly fit, with a hint of facial hair at 16. She had noticed him before that day, of course, having ogled over him in her classes. His short blonde hair was spiked in the front, his light blue eyes sparkling like she thought only actors’ eyes could. In a word, she thought, he was gorgeous. They had just won their big district game and every one was celebrating on the court. She noticed him staring at her, and then glancing away, then looking right back. She smiled at him and bit her lower lip slightly, giving him the signal that it was a good idea to approach. She watched as he tapped his friend on the shoulder and said something before he made the trek through the crowd to her. His eyes were even more mesmerizing up close, the piercing gaze was warm and comfortable yet enthralling and captivating. He smiled as he stood in front of her and, though her uniform left little to the imagination, stared only into her eyes. “Hello, I was just standing over there and felt compelled to tell you how amazing your game was to watch. You really killed it on your spikes. But then, I came over here and I must say, you are far more striking in person than your game was.” He continued smiling at her. “I see I have picked out a smooth talker. Just my luck,” she quipped, smirking the entire time. “My name is Kenzi, by the way. And thank you for the compliment; it was very nice.” “You deserve all the compliments in the world, Kenzi. I can give you more if you go out to dinner with me this Friday. Seven o’clock?” His insides were rushing with hope and nerves while his outer look remained calm, cool, and collected. “Friday...Friday...I can do Friday. Can we push it back to 7:30 though? I need time to get ready after practice. Put your number in my phone.” She handed him her phone and she waited as he typed in his number and took a headshot. “There you go, you have officially become the first girl to get my number before I get hers. It was good to meet you Kenzi, and again, good job tonight.” He turned to walk away but turned back, “Oh and on Friday, wear something nice. We are going into the city.” “Sounds good, and thanks for the heads up. When is your next golf tournament, Daniel?” She smiled at him.
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
“It is Saturday morning over at The Devil’s Tail Golf Club. Looking forward to it.” With that, they said their goodbyes, Daniel kissed Kenzi’s cheek, and they went their separate ways for the night. Kenzi went home, showered, and ate quickly, all the while daydreaming about Daniel and how Friday would go. She slept and dreamt of her wedding day with Daniel and how beautiful it would be. “Hey Kenz? Kenz?” She lifted her head with a start. “Hey babe, Colton just told me dinner is ready. We don’t want to be rude.” Kenzi laughed and was amazed at Daniel’s poise and manners despite what he was dealing with. She looked at him as they stood and faced each other and she wiped some dirt and grime from under his eyes. Her fingers ran through his matted down hair and she tried to bring it back to life. Only, her attempts failed and just made it look like he had bed head. Daniel kissed her on the forehead and they walked, arm in arm, back towards the house and into the dining room. The food on the table looked magical and smelled even better. The kale salad in the middle of the table burst with color with the additions of cucumbers, tomatoes, walnuts, strawberries and blueberries. The Macaroni and Cheese that Colton and Jenna had made was a nice golden yellow color with green chunks popping out from the chopped green peppers and jalapeños incorporated within the dish. Finally, the smell of the chicken and sausage pizza with what had to be double mozzarella cheese was intoxicating and made everyone’s mouths salivate. Daniel pulled out a chair for Kenzi and pushed her in before sitting down next to her. Colton and Jenna had already been seated and the Connors joined the two couples at the other end of the table. “Before we eat,” began Mr. Connors, “I just want to make a small toast. Today has been an incredibly trying day for everyone at this table. Daniel and Colton overcame adversity to win the qualifying tournament for the US Championship. But, that high has been set aside due to the loss of our dear friends, and Daniel’s beloved family. They will always be in our hearts and minds as we continue to live out each day of this life. I want to say that Colton and Jenna and Kenzi have been remarkable in helping their friend and that Daniel, you have handled this so well. You know that everyone at this table is willing to do anything to help you and we will help you get through this tough time.” The glasses clinked and everyone at the table said thanks, then the feasting began. Plates were passed around, bites were taken out of various servings of the food and conversation filled the air. Before long, the whole group at the table had eaten their fill and felt too full to polish off the rest of the food. Despite having prepared a lovely peach cobbler, no one at the table could eat any of it. Daniel and Kenzi got up first and started to clear the table of the dishes. They took them into the kitchen and sat them next to the sink. Daniel looked at Kenzi and said, “Would it be rude of me to eat and run? I really want to go home and sleep.” Kenzi thought for a second before answering. “No I don’t think it will be rude. But are you sure you want to be alone tonight?”
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
He looked up at her, “I’m sure. But I don’t think Colton will let me be home alone anyway. I bet he will come with me. Does that make you feel better?” He smiled at her to make sure she knew he wasn’t mad at her for asking the question. “Yes. Yes it does.” Chapter 4: Home and Reality Daniel parked the car in his garage and opened the door to the house with Colton following behind him. His keys clanked into the bowl on the desk near the door and he paused to let Colton in before locking the door behind them. Colton crossed to the refrigerator and put the leftovers and desert on separate shelves and then closed the door. The house was so quiet. The moon glistened in through the windows and the light bounced off the marble counter tops until Daniel flicked on the light. Just the way he left it that morning, he thought. Both boys went into the living room and up the staircase on the far end of the room. At the top of the stairs, Daniel turned left and went down the hall to his room while Colton walked straight ahead into his guest room. In his room, Daniel placed his phone onto a wireless charger and dropped his duffel by the closet. He flopped down on his bed and closed his eyes, welcoming the silence and loneliness he hadn’t felt since passing out in the bathroom. After a few minutes he walked to the end of the hall and stood in the doorway to Colton’s room. “Hey man, I’m heading down to the basement to watch a movie or play a game. Want to join?” “Yea, of course I do. Let’s go blow people to smithereens or slice them in half!” Colton was always ready to show off his prodigious video gaming skills, especially when Jenna was around. Daniel laughed, “Alright man, let’s go. I’m going to bring some snack down as well, could be a long night.” “Long nights with friends are the best nights dude!” They bolted down the stairs, made sure all of the doors were locked, grabbed their gaming snacks (shredded wheat cereal covered in frost and orange soda), and went downstairs. They entered into the home theater and closed the doors. The theater was sound proof and had state of the art technology both for their gaming and viewing pleasure as well as safety. Colton flipped on the projector and put the game into the console while Daniel crossed to the far side of the room next to the screen and flicked on his father’s patented security device. The device shot a 3 dimensional hologram onto a flat surface next to the chair Daniel had chosen and showed the entire outside of the house plus thirty yards of lawn and
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Life Bites Back: A novel by Eric Hall
driveway. When Daniel turned it on, he saw a deer hanging out on the very edge of the map back behind the house by the lake. He smiled as he admired his father’s work. “Colton, we ready to play yet? “ “Yea man, and the snacks are set up for easy grabbing during game play. Let’s slay some aliens!” Colton tossed Daniel a controller and they chose their respective characters. These two had logged some serious hours on this game and created incredibly custom characters. Colton’s character was a tank of a man boasting a silver handled broadsword and an automated Sniper rifle. Meanwhile, Daniel’s character was less muscular but still crazy strong and wielded the ability to teleport and used a laser crossbow and a large, curving blade. His character was lovingly named “The Executioner” while Colton’s was “The Reaper.” They played for roughly an hour, yelling obscenities at the bots they were destroying and conquering the castles and fortresses of each and every villain they came across. After the destruction of the most recent and strongest villain, Daniel randomly said, “Colton, you know what is really going to suck?” “What’s that?” “Having to answer the same questions over and over again when school starts back again after break. How are you? How are you handling this? Do you need anything? What happened? It is going to be so annoying. And yes, I know that they will mean well and that they care about me but I just can’t stand answering the same question over and over again.” “Yea, I get what you are saying. How are you planning on dealing with that?” “Ideally, no one will ask me and I won’t have to. But I would really just like to answer the questions once.” “Why not ask for an assembly?” “Wouldn’t that make me look like I wanted attention? That I felt like I was better than everyone else?” “True...remember when Paige lost her brother? She stood up in front of all of her classes and said what happened and no one asked her questions.” “Yea I remember that. It still felt a bit selfish though.” “Ok dude listen to me, this is like the one timein your life where you are allowed to be selfish. You are allowed to ask people to respect your privacy and not ask a million different questions three days after the event happened. You are allowed to be quiet and be withdrawn and be completely out of the social light if you want to be. You don’t have to torture yourself by trying to act like nothing happened and like you can just roll on after your family died. That will make people hate you. Especially since everyone loved your parents and your sister is an athletic legend that no one except for you has been able to hold a candle to. So please, be smart and do this. Get out all the easy answers and then continue your mourning process. Besides, Kenzi is in all of your classes and will be there to support you.” “You’re right. Ok, I will do that.” They played long into the night and fell asleep in the comfortable, plush armchairs that had been installed in the theater. They woke to the sound of buzzing coming through the
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