The Opposition

Chapter 15: Sadie

We crowd around the old laptop Maddie rests on her knee as she sinks further into the thrifted brown leather couch. The screen shakes with every bounce of her leg and mom places a comforting hand on her thigh to stop the computer from falling onto the ground. Her face is a mix between excitement and worry, and I find myself mirroring the expression. It's March 10th. Decision day. Fairridge is the first to release their decisions, sending out the letter bright and early at 5 AM. Dad passed out at a bar last night, so he's not here for the big reveal, but he's never here, so it's not like it's anything new. I swallow down a lump of disappointment, and urge myself to smile a little brighter for Maddie. She never lets dad dull her smile and I'm so desperately trying to follow suit.

Maddie's email finally loads up on her computer and we hold our breaths at the new email titled "Fairridge Decision." The slowness of her computer has never been more antagonizing. She takes her time using the provided link to log into her portal. It's almost as if she's dragging out this moment with mom and I breathing down her neck.

"You're going to get in," I tell her, earnestly. No one is smarter than Maddie.

"Thanks, Sadie," she takes the time to smile at me, even when mom freaks out from seeing the "View Your Decision Letter Here" link.

"Okay, I love you girls, but, Maddie, please open it before I die from this anticipation."

Maddie laughs, the computer shaking, once again, on her leg. She obliges, though, and clicks the link. Immediately, the screen fills with confetti and we don't have to read the letter to know what it says.

"Congratulations, Maddie Jones. We are pleased to offer you admittance into the class of..." mom reads, but she's quickly cut off by my squeals as I throw Maddie's computer onto the couch and engulf her in a bone-crushing hug. She returns it with the same force, mumbling "I did it" over and over again into my hair.

"I'm so proud of you," mom sobs, snatching up the computer to reread the letter.

It doesn't take long for the financial aid and scholarship information to come through in another email to mom's phone. She opens it with shaking hands and her eyes roam up and down the page before she breaks down, throws away the phone, not noticing that it falls onto the carpet, and cries into the palms of her hands.

"What is it?" Maddie asks, tentatively taking mom's hands away from her face.

"You got a full ride," she whispers. And then Maddie is crying and I am crying and we're all drowning in sobs fuelled by pure joy.

I bury my face in Maddie's pink oversized sweatshirt, the scent of her floral perfume surrounding me. "I am so, so proud of you, Mads."

Winning is a high that I never want to come down from.

Are you proud of me for winning, Maddie?

Damion was an easy opponent that got fluttered by even the most simple POI. Just asking him to explain the relevance of one of his points–that made absolutely no sense to me–had him stumbling over his words and contradicting himself every few seconds. When the debate was finished, the judges revealed my near perfect score and I stood there beaming extra bright just to rub it in Damion's face.

Now, I'm trying my very best to find my way out of the dark corner that homed the room I just debated in. I think I'm still on the same floor as the cafeteria, where Carter said to meet him. I'm looking down at my phone, trying to soothe Angie and Ana who are blowing up my phone with questions, as I walk down the hall. I'm smiling from the amount of celebratory emojis Ana is using, not realizing that I just crashed into a solid chest. I stumble backwards, nearly falling down, before a hand reaches out and grips my wrist, dragging me back up.