Chapter 11: The Truth

The dean ended the hearing in six minutes, and nobody argued.

Pierce's father led his son out by the arm, and the swimmer in the lanyard went with the campus police.

Jesse walked out of Hale Hall with Nate beside him and said nothing until they reached the steps.

The sun was bright, and the quad was full of students on their way to class.

Cal had stayed behind with Hank, and he had looked at Jesse once, and stayed.

"Say something," Nate said.

"Is it true?"

"Yes."

Jesse nodded slowly, looking at the grass.

"Tell me all of it."

Nate sat down on the cold stone steps, and Jesse sat next to him.

"Last October, I went to Cal's place after your weekend visit," Nate said. "You'd left a printout on his desk. A list of colleges."

"My applications."

"Halbrook was first. You'd circled it." Nate scrubbed a hand over his face. "I stood in his kitchen holding that paper like a fool."

"You were at Eastern."

"I was. A full scholarship. A spot for the Olympic trials. Everything I'd worked for since I was twelve."

"And you left."

"In January," Nate said. "I told myself it was the money. I told Cal it was personal."

"The truth is I couldn't stand being four hours from the guy who wrote his number on a coffee sleeve."

Jesse's breath caught. "I did that?"

"You were eighteen and terrified. You wrote your number and a smiley face. I've kept it in my wallet."

"Nate."

"I wasn't going to say anything. I was going to be your friend and let you have your four years."

His voice thinned.

"And then you walked across that quad with a box of books."

Jesse stared at him.

"I came here for you," Jesse said.

"I know."

"No. Listen. I picked Halbrook because you were here."

"I turned down two other schools. I thought you'd moved here for Cal."

He laughed, high and shaky.

"I followed you. And you followed me."

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