Sarawat's Story

Part XXXII: Tine Digs Deeper

For about twenty minutes, I cried in Dim's office. Afterward, I pulled myself together enough to return to the auditorium, where I found the team's immediate shock at Dim's resignation had shifted into a palpable feeling of grief. I returned to my seat next to Boss and Mann and silently watched the sorrowful scene. Teammates were weeping openly; others were quieter with their sobbing, their heads hung low as tears trickled down their faces and fell upon the floor. A few mates cried on each other's shoulders, lamenting the loss of our beloved coach. As the minutes dragged by, a reflective silence took hold of the team, only punctured occasionally by a sniffle or cough.

Cheerleaders began to trickle in a little before five o'clock, bringing with them the sense that news of Dim's resignation was spreading quickly. Although they were not as close to Dim as we were, the cheerleaders joined us in silence and kept their talking to a minimum. Tine arrived at five and gave me a tight hug from behind before sitting in the seat behind me. He placed a hand on my shoulders, and I leaned my head onto it.

Cookie walked into the auditorium slowly, her eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses. She appeared to be as shaken as the team was.

"Let's, uh, let's meet tomorrow," she said in a shaky voice. "You guys, uh, look like you may need some time to process this, and I kinda do, too. I might need some time to figure out how, uh, we'll move forward with Open House next weekend." She sighed deeply. "So, uh, yeah, you guys are dismissed." She walked out of the auditorium, not speaking to anyone as she exited.

Green's absence created an additional ache in my heart, although no one mentioned it or even seemed to notice that he wasn't there.

I turned to speak to Tine over my shoulder. "Let's go outside."

He nodded and smiled. "Let's go."

We walked outside and sat on the steps of the Fitness Center. I could tell from his questioning eyes that he wanted to ask me how I was doing or if I wanted to talk about my feelings, but surprisingly he said nothing, even when I put my head on his shoulder. He leaned his head against mine, and we quietly watched across the campus lawn as the sun began dipping into the horizon.

For a while, I considered telling Tine about crying in Dim's office and how I felt partly responsible for Dim's resignation. However, I knew that it could lead to me spilling more information about Dim and Green's relationship, and that would only lead Tine closer to the truth about how everything between him and I had unfolded. So, I sat with my head on his shoulder and said nothing, only sighing now and again when my sadness became heavier.

Soon the sun set, and the streetlamps illuminated the campus lawn.

"Are you hungry?" Tine asked.

"Not really," I said, only to have my stomach growl loudly immediately afterward.

Tine chuckled. "Come to my dorm, and let's order a pizza." He nuzzled his head against mine. "And, if you wanna talk about how you're feeling, we can talk. Okay?"