May the Best Ex Win

32 | Go Get Your Girl

Even though I was still miserable about wrecking things with Emily, it felt easier going to school on Monday now that the weight of being a jerk was slowly lifting from my shoulders. I wasn't wrestling captain anymore, or Hank's second in command— I was just Preston, and Just Preston was allowed to act however he wanted, with no outside interference.

While I wasn't planning to go make peace with Hank and the guys or anything, the weekend did give me time to let my lingering anger at them simmer out. I hated how they acted about Emily, but there was no use in harboring resentment over it.

A very, very small part of me was actually thankful wrestling got cut— it would've been awkward being on a team with a bunch of people I was no longer friends with. Now that it was over, we wouldn't have to see each other anymore.

Or that's what I thought, until the afternoon announcements informed me and the rest of the wrestling team that we needed to stop by Coach Hoult's office after the bell. 

When I walked in, the rest of the team was already waiting, chatting quietly while leaning against the poster-plastered walls or sitting on the bench near the door. Fulton stood, rocking on his heels behind Coach, who was sitting at his desk. I shared a few awkward glances with my old teammates, including Hank, who's eyes dropped from mine as soon as I looked his way.

"Alright, that's everyone," Coach confirmed, looking to Fulton.

"Great!" Fulton clapped his hands together, grinning at all of us. "I guess you're all wondering what this is about, so I'll just jump into it— some exciting things went down this weekend. We got some calls, made some calls, and long story short, Milton got a pretty big donation. As baffled as all of us were, the company made it clear that they wanted the money to go straight to the wrestling team."

My eyebrows raised— I almost didn't believe what I was hearing. Why would someone donate to the wrestling team? As far as I knew, the only people who even came to our matches were our families and a few overly-school-spirited students.

Coach, who had obviously already heard the news, looked happier than I'd ever seen him. "We've got funding for at least two more years, guys."

The room erupted with claps and excited chatter— the drama didn't seem to matter as a few of the guys patted me on the back and jostled me with the rest of the group. I didn't even realize I was smiling until my cheeks started to hurt.

"I don't get it— who would do that?" Hank asked, his question coated in a smile.

"I guess someone at..." Coach Hoult picked up a paper from his desk, squinting at it, "The Banks Architectural Firm has a soft spot for wrestling."

I froze at the name, wondering if I'd heard correctly. "The what?"

"The Banks Architectural Firm. Some business over in Briarmoore." Fulton said with a shrug, completely unaware that his words practically winded me as I put the pieces together.

"Shit," Hank turned to me from across the room, wearing a face like he was solving a math problem. Fulton glared at him for swearing, but Hank didn't notice. He let out a laugh of disbelief, his eyes widening. "It's your girl, isn't it?"

"I have to go," I blurted, turning and heading out the door. It had to be Emily— I didn't know what her parents' business was, but how many Banks could be living in Briarmoore? And who else would donate to a school that was nearly in a different county?

I only made it a few steps before I heard the door open again behind me. "Pres, wait up!"

Hank caught up to me by the time I turned around, and I met him with confused silence. I didn't expect us to really ever have another conversation after Friday, let alone one so soon. 

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath. "I... I thought a lot about what you said. And I wanted to say I'm sorry. I was being stupid about the protest. And I never should've talked about Emily that way— sometimes I say things I don't even mean, you know? I was just mad. I was jealous, really."

"Jealous?" I shook my head, not understanding. Jealousy was just about the last emotion I would've guessed Hank ever felt towards me.

He shrugged, looking embarrassed for what was probably the first time in his life. "You're a better guy than the rest of us, Pres. You never let all that popular stuff go to your head. Seeing you go against the grain, hanging out with Emily without even caring what anyone had to say about it... I guess it made me realize how much I do care about that stuff."

"I did care," I admitted. "I cared enough not to stick up for Emily. Cared enough to mess everything up with her."

He cocked his head, eyebrows furrowing. "What about the donation?"

I didn't know how to answer that— I had no idea why Emily would've gotten her parents to donate the money. It wasn't exactly the type of gesture I was expecting after how things had ended between us.

"Maybe you didn't screw up as badly as you think you did," Hank offered.

"Maybe," I mumbled, my thoughts busy trying to sort through my confusion. There was only one way to know the truth, and I wasn't getting any closer to it by standing around in the hall. "I should go."

"Hey, I heard about what you said to Ronald," Hank continued before I could move. "I was thinking... I don't know. I thought maybe I'd do the same. Right my wrongs before graduation and all that."

"Really?" I asked, hoping the surprise on my face wasn't offensive.

He nodded, smiling slightly. "Like you said, I've been an ass. It made me realize I have a lot of growing up to do. Anyway," he took a lighter tone, shaking off the seriousness of the conversation, "You better go get your girl— and tell her the team says thank you."

For what was definitely not the first time since Friday, I found myself wishing I'd done all of this a lot sooner. If I'd known my change would encourage Hank to make his own, I'm sure I would have.

There was a moment of silent understanding— things were good now. We didn't have to say it, and knowing us we probably wouldn't even bring up the past week ever again. Things would be different because of it, and that was all I needed.

I nodded, stepping forward to give him a quick one-armed hug. We shared a grin as I backed down the hall towards the nearby double doors, my mind already miles away in Briarmoore. "I'll see you at practice!"