Chapter 8: Stefan's Form

Stefan's POV

I locked the gym at eleven-fifteen, after the last custodian left and the last team bus pulled out.

I stood in the dark with my hand on the light panel and didn't hit the switch.

Two weeks before Senior Night, in this same doorway, Blaine Linwood had leaned over my clipboard.

He had signed the Senior Night escort sheet.

He had written two names on it.

KENZIE WORKMAN. ESCORT: BLAINE LINWOOD.

I had looked at it for a long moment.

Maxine's line was on the same sheet, higher up, with a blank where a father's name should go.

"You want to put your name on Maxine's line, too?" I had asked him.

"Maxine's mom will walk her," Blaine had said. "She likes doing it."

I had known that was wrong.

I had told myself he would fix it.

I had told myself it wasn't my place to fix it for him.

Tonight was the best night of the season.

All I could think about was that sheet.

I had spent four years since my wife died keeping my mouth shut about things that weren't my business.

It had been easy.

It had been a way of staying small.

I turned off the lights and went out through the side door.

The parking lot was almost empty.

My truck sat at the far end under the one working lamp.

A man was leaning on the tailgate with his arms folded.

I knew him by the jacket.

"Coach," Blaine said.

"Mr. Linwood."

"Blaine's fine. Nice game."

"Thank you."

"Maxine's got a future."

He pushed off the tailgate and took an envelope from his inside pocket.

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