If I Could Go Back by Briana Johnson

Author:Briana Johnson [Johnson, Briana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Peachtree
Published: 2025-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

7

I don’t attempt to speak to Grandpa Joe after learning the truth about what he did to Lena, and he doesn’t tell Auntie Yolanda to ask me to come back to the rehab center in the days following our disagreement. I should be leaving Jen’s house because I’m sure I’ve overstayed my welcome, but I just can’t be in my auntie’s apartment right now. Especially with me and Ivy still having issues. She’ll no doubt be on Grandpa Joe’s side, and I don’t want to fight both of them. I just want them to see things from my perspective. I want them to understand why I’m so angry. Not only did he lie to me, he also abandoned Lena when she needed him the most. Talk about hypocrisy.

Because I currently don’t have my grandpa, I’ve been leaning more on Quincy, and he’s taken on the light increase in responsibility well. He responds to my texts and answers my calls and says all the right things. I’m not naive. I know he’s being this way so he can impress me and get on my good side, but it’s nice to have family care about me now that things with my grandpa and Ivy are in a bad place.

I’m not shocked when Quincy’s name pops up in my Notification Center. I debate responding now or waiting until the first outdoor practice of the season is over. Coach Barnes has been hassling me about remaining focused on track, and I know he’s right. I’ve been distracted by my family drama, and now is the perfect time to show that I’m locked in, but the excitement I get from Quincy’s text overwhelms me. I check it anyway.

Quincy: Having a party next week. You should slide.

Me: No thank you.

Quincy: When imma see you again then? Never?

Me: If you wanted to hang out, you could’ve just asked. You didn’t need to make up a fake party as an excuse to see me.

Quincy: Shut up. My party is real.

Quincy: So?

Me: I’ll let you know after practice.

Coach Barnes has his eyes on me, and I hurriedly stuff my phone into my Nike bag. For a moment, I forget that Ivy and I aren’t on speaking terms and I turn to my right like she’ll be there, but she isn’t. Despite the things that were said during our fight, I still miss her. My heart and mind don’t care that I see her every day at school and during track. They’re still grieving the loss of her. Even on a field full of my teammates with people constantly in my face, the only person I really notice is Ivy standing ten feet away from me.

The coaches split the team after the warm-up. Distance runners go with Coach Newman. Everyone else goes with Coach Barnes and Coach Parker. Our coaches herd all the sprinters and fielders to the start line on the outdoor track. Coach Barnes tells me and Jen to come to the front, along with the captains of the boys’ sprinting team and the fielders.

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