Take a Sad Song and Make It Better

Bailey's POV

My knee was bobbing up and down uncontrollably. I watched it, amazed at how quickly it was twitching. Rian would be proud.

Nothing was calming my nerves. As I sat in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, I folded and then unfolded my hands, twisted my fingers in my long hair, picked at a hangnail and repositioned my seat, all with my foot still shaking uncontrollably.

The water I had been drinking earlier this morning started boiling with the angst that ran through my body. My eyes were glued to the clock that was hanging on the pastel colored office walls, directly across from me. As I watched the seconds go by, anxiety built with each tick of the second hand.

I didn’t know why exactly I was supposed to be in the school’s office at 6:50 in the morning. I simply received a pass in painting class a couple days ago telling me a time, place and a blurb about college.

College. Junior year I had made list of colleges to visit, requirements, check lists and more. I was so on top of things, excited to put a new plan into action. After Sam left, everything fell apart. College visits were cancelled due to the fact I wouldn’t venture out of my room or step out of my sweatpants, two sizes too big for me. Check lists were lost in the move and ambition to meet requirements left my brain as I tried to heal.

I was smart. I should have applied to prestigious schools, competed for acceptance letters. If I would have, right now I would be selecting housing and straitening out tuition, not sitting in my high school’s office, waiting to probably be confronted about my “unused potential.”

On top of it, I was late. Working with a bitching sister in the morning wasn’t something I enjoyed. As I tapped my fingers against my shorts, I saw a door open. Frantically, my fingers started to pick at the lose string of my cut of jeans that hung over my legs.

“Miss Bates?” my counselor stood at the door, her foot holding it open and smiling down at me. Swallowing the giant lump in my throat, I stood up and walked into the room she was motioning to.

I stepped into a mini conference room. Eight chairs gathered around a circular table in the middle of the room, four empty. The other remaining four chairs were inhabited with unfamiliar faces. Pleasant smiles graced their faces as I walked in.

“Bailey,” my counselor started proudly. “I would like to introduce you to Mr. Bob Bowlsby, athletics director at Stanford University, Edrick Floreal, director of track and field at Stanford University, David Vidal, long distance coach at Stanford University, and Mary Jo Pruitt, Director of Operations at Stanford University.”

Each raised their hand, nodded their head or smiled when my counselor pointed them out. They were smiling sweetly, obviously pleased with what was happening. By the time she finished announcing the guests, my brain had passed out. My legs were melting to water and I my throat was closing up.

I probably looked like a complete idiot; standing two feet inside the conference room, dressed in short shorts, a tank top, long wind-blown hair and dirty converse that use to be white. But with all that aside, my jaw was dropped and I couldn’t mutter any comprehensible words.

I stared back at the smirking adults, dressed in suits, professionally sitting in the chairs, confident.

My counselor saw my awe, hesitation, and spoke again, “They are here to discuss the possibility of attending their school next year.” Merriment dripped from her lips as she spoke, proud of me. I felt her nudge at my back, forcing my feet to move foreword.

Finally realizing what was happening. A giddy feeling started to rise up and it put a smile on my face. Running for Stanford? How was that possible? Their track team was good. How had they heard of me? I was just Bailey. Plain Bailey Bates. This was a joke. This couldn’t be true. I was being Punk’d.

I walked towards an empty chair, a smile with pure happiness plastered on my face. “Hi, I’m Bailey,” I said overly sweet, stretching across the table to shake their hands. “Nice to meet you all.” Eight pairs of eyes grinned back and I felt like they were analyzing every movement I made. Slipping my messenger bag over my head and setting it down next to the chair I was about to sit in, I spoke again. “I’m sorry for being late. Even meetings with officials from Stanford University, here from 3,000 miles away, won’t get twin sisters out of bed in the morning,” I said charmingly, earning a round of chuckles from them.

I smiled nervously as I took a seat in my chair. Yes, I made a joke at Jade’s expense but I was in a meeting with some of the most important officials from Stanford. I could apologize later.

Folding my hands across the table, I looked intently at them, hoping my nervous jitters weren’t noticeable.

The athletics director leaned forward, “By the introduction Ms. Kilton gave a moment ago, I am sure you know why we have come to talk to you, Bailey.”

I heard my voice waver as I spoke, “I think so, but I think you might have to say it; I-I’m not sure if I can believe it.”

They chuckled lightly again and the head coach of the distance program spoke, “I heard about you last year and I have heard even more good things about you this year.” I nodded, still waiting for him to confirm my thoughts. “I have seen you run, Bailey. You’re good.”

He glanced down at his papers and grinned at me. “You hold every record at Dulaney from the 400 meter to 3200 meter race, blowing away the previous records. You are conference and section leader, all-state in the 1600 meter and 3200, and your most recent accomplishment, state champion in the 1600 and 3200 meter races.”

He paused, thinking I was going to say something, but I wasn’t sure what to say. I blushed and shrank back in my seat. My hands shook and my knee started to bob up and down again.

“Bailey, to say the least, we are impressed. Very, very impressed.” I nodded again, waiting with my eyes wide in anticipation.

The other man took over, director of track and field. “We like what we see. Stanford would love to see you running next winter. Except with maroon and grey on your back.” My mouth went dry. I couldn’t believe it. By accepting this offer, I would be single handedly altering my life significantly.

“You are a good student as well, confirming our recruitment. We are offering to pay for your tuition, room and board and other expenses that you will encounter,” the athletic director spoke up again.

I was at the point where I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs with excitement, ball my eyes out and really just do both and have a complete break down right there. It was all happening so fast. Electricity shot through my arms and my legs became jittery. I felt tears wanting to form and I suddenly had the urge to get up and do a dance or hug the life out the four representatives.

They had flown all the way from California to Maryland to talk to me. To offer me a free ride to Stanford. I had dreamt about it but had quickly dismissed the thought. Mostly because I never thought I was good enough and on top of it, the expense.

“I-I-I-”

“We realize this is short notice,” the woman spoke up, director of operations. “We were finally able to locate you. We tried getting a hold of you months ago. You were registered at East High in New Jersey and then you attended here and then reenrolled in New Jersey, so we were contacting the wrong school. Luckily we tried here after not getting a response,” she said happily. I simply nodded, grateful they caught the mistake.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I ran a hand threw my hair and let out a big exhale. I must have looked indecisive, because they felt the need to keep talking. “We are aware that you have probably gotten many other offers from other schools. It is a shame that we got here so late to speak with you.” I questioned the statement inwardly. I hadn’t received any offers for track scholarships. I actually hadn’t thought deeply enough about using track to get me into college; I thought it was too late for anything. Now I had Stanford at my fingertips.

“Disappointingly, for me, I haven’t received any other offers,” I said formally. I probably shouldn’t have said anything about other offers, or lack there of, but I was too excited. I didn’t want this opportunity to pass.

As soon as I said that, four smiled were gleaming at me. “Well, Miss Bates, I am speaking for everyone at Stanford, we would love to see you there next year.” The four stood up, signaling the meeting was coming to an end. “We hope you think about the offer we have made you.” I nodded eagerly and was given a few papers and folders with information and numbers for contact.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Bailey,” they said cheerfully.

“It was nice meeting you as well. Thank you for taking, for traveling to see me,” I stumbled over my choice of words and what to say. “I am, I can’t, I’m excited to get back to you.”

Taking the cue, I leaned down to grab my bag and left the room, leaving them to talk. As soon as the door closed behind me, I let out the tense breath I had been holding the entire meeting. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I felt like I had too much air in me but then felt like I was suffocating. My body was quivering and I wasn’t sure if I was standing or sitting. It all had been so surreal. My dream had just been served to me on a platter.

I heard a faint bell ring from the hallway, signaling five minutes until school started, but I didn’t react. I simply leaned up against the wall, resting my head back to close my eyes and take soothing breaths. I cradled the folders close and stood like that for a while, just relaxing and replaying the past half hour in my head.

Finally calming down a little, I left the office, immersing myself into the crowds of students. I couldn’t think. I had a stupid, giddy smile plastered to my face and I didn’t care who saw it or thought I looked ridiculous. I couldn’t contain my emotions.

I needed to tell someone, I couldn’t keep my excitement simmered down. Normally I would have run to Jade, but she had been acting bitter towards me. Lately we hadn’t been very close. Another face immediately popped into my head as to who to call.

Students were starting to disperse and the hallways were clearing, but I continued walking. I ended up in the foyer where very few students were lingering before the bell rang.

I quickly snatched my phone out and dialed a familiar number.

“Hello?” a groggy voice answered, sleep covering his voice box.

“You’re not even up yet?” I laughed. “I’m pretty sure school starts in a minute, Hun.”

“Eh, so I’ll skip first hour.” I rolled my eyes, he really meant the whole day. He skipped quite often. “What’s up, Bails?”

I smiled and held back a squeal, “Zack, you will never believe it! I am so excited! I just had to call you! I can’t contain my excitement!”

“I would love to share in this excitement, but you have to tell me first,” he teased.

The bell rang, signaling the start of school. I started pacing around the open space, my voice bouncing off the now empty halls. “Okay, well you know how I was telling you about the meeting I supposed to have this morning regarding college?” Zack grunted in acknowledgment. “Well I showed up and guess who was there!! Guess! Guess!!”

“Uh—”

“The director of athletics and three other directors from the track and field department from STANFORD!!”

“What?!”

“Yes! And just guess what they said to me!”

“Did th—”

“A FULL RIDE to Stanford University if I run track for them!!!” I screamed into the phone, not caring if I got in trouble.

“Are you fucking kidding?!?!?!” Zack yelled with excitement.

“I am not fucking kidding!!!”

“Holy fuck, Bailey! Ho. Ly. Fuck. Like, everything? Free?” I could picture Zack running his hands through his hair at a complete loss for words, a stunned smile on his face.

“Everything. My tuition, room and board, meal plans, transportation, books, everything! I can’t-I can’t even. Oh my God,” I said slowly. Everything hit me. Thousands of dollars was being handed to me and all I had to do as run.

“Oh my fucking God. I can’t believe this! I’m so fucking happy. I-I wish I was there with you right now, Bails.”

I blushed at his sweet sounding voice. I stopped pacing around and smiled. “I wish you were here too. I can’t calm down! I’m so fucking happ—” I paused mid sentence to listen to a faint noise that was coming from down the hall.

“Bailey?”

“Yeah, sorry, I’m here. I just heard something…” I faded off. Impulsively, I slowly ventured down the hallway to the source of the sound.

“What is it?” I shrugged, not caring that he couldn’t see me. I peered around the corner and saw a good amount of people gathered in the hall. It was clearly more than a single class and most importantly, they were circled around each other chanting. It was something I had never seen.

“It…it’s a bunch of people yelling. I’m pretty sure it’s a fight…” I tried to stand on my tippy toes, still a good distance away, and peered in.

“I can sort of hear it. It’s definitely a fight!”

“It would be the first one I’ve heard of all year.”

“Go see! You can’t miss out on those. It’s high school. And don’t roll your eyes like I know you’re doing. Go look!” he encouraged, knowing me too well. I stopped myself mid eye roll and laughed to myself. It wasn’t exactly my kind of thing, but after a couple seconds of contemplating and scanning the crowd, I spotted a familiar face.

Alex was being pushed towards the edge as the chants of “fight, fight, fight” got louder and louder, but he continued to try and peek his head over the mass. Seeing him, I assured Zack I would fill him later and said a goodbye. Quickly, I shuffled next to Alex and greeted him loudly.

He smiled distractedly back at me and I raised my voice again, “What’s going on?”

Alex gave me an exaggerated puzzled look, “I don’t know. I can’t get a good look!”

Suddenly I was shoved back and Alex grabbed my arm to steady me before I could fall back any further. Soon I realized that the reason for the crowd was that teachers had now intervened. If I was a couple inches taller, I would have been able to see faces. Instead, I saw the heads of two teachers dragging what I presumed to be the fighting students.

I recognized my English teacher with a firm grip on two girls that I recognized but wasn’t sure of their names. I was astounded when I saw a skunk head emerge in the clutches of his French teacher. One arm strongly held Jack by the forearm, and the other was lugging a girl with a proud grimace.

I knew that smirk; Jade.

It wasn’t just the fact teachers were pulling four kids to the office, it was how they looked. There was blood all over them. Jack was the only one who didn’t look beaten to a pulp. My stomach churned when I looked at the blond girl. Her lips were split, nose bleeding and a swollen eye. The red head looked the exact same. Their clothes were disheveled and their usual perfectly styled hair was sticking out everywhere.

I took one look at my sister and I couldn’t express how horrible she looked. Her blonde hair had been yanked in odd directions and sat strangely atop her head, blood on some of the strands. Her face was swelling and blood was starting to dry and crust not just under her nose, but in between her knuckles and smeared across her arms.

I kept my eyes locked on my sister in awe as she was dragged past me. She connected her green eyes with mine and even though I was in total shock, it was clearly written across my face, she held her smug smirk.

Her eyes intimidated me so much that I had to tear my sad eyes from hers and stare down at my shoes. Alex and I were both in complete shock as we watching the retreating backs of our friends. Stunned, I looked at him and he looked back with the same frenzied look and I knew we were both thinking the same thing:

What the fuck just happened?