by Lynn Rush
ME: Oh, right!
ME: ((hand to forehead emoji))
ME: It’s going pretty well.
MATTHEW: I think you should transfer to Twin River…
MATTHEW: Just saying!
ME: Oh, do you?
MATTHEW: Then I could see you every day at school and hockey practice.
Matthew and I had been texting for the past couple of days. At first, he just seemed interested in apologizing for being such a jerk on the ice.
Then we transitioned to talking sports and life in general.
Things had turned flirty over the weekend. Well, at least on his end.
Most girls would be flattered to have Matthew Halliday blowing up their text messages, but I couldn’t ignore the sinking sensation in my gut.
He’s not Brodie…
“Willow, over here.” Preach waved from across the cafeteria.
He was sitting at a table near the back corner, close to a wall of windows overlooking a courtyard that some students were milling around in. Preach, Nathaniel, Teddy, and Brodie occupied four of the eight chairs surrounding the oval-shaped table.
I crossed the lunchroom on the outskirts of all the tables under the close scrutiny of some students. Being the new kid, even though I’d lived here before, totally sucked. I didn’t know anyone but my teammates and Jessa, so I was thankful Preach waved me down, since my bestie wasn’t here yet.
Preach tapped the chair beside him, so I sat next to him and flopped my reusable lunch box on the table before me. “Hey.”
“How’s the first day going, Darth?” Nathaniel asked.
“Darth?” I chuckled.
I pulled out an apple, an avocado sandwich, a baggie filled with pretzels, and a bottle of water.
Nathaniel sat up, his shaggy blond hair swooshing over his smooth, tanned forehead. “You’re a figure skater who’s crossed over to the dark side—hockey!”
“Weak,” I said.
“You’re an asshat.” Teddy tossed a roll at him. “Oh, wait. Give that back. I’m starving!”
I chuckled as I unscrewed my water bottle, and I checked my phone for a message from Jessa.
ME: Where are you?
JESSA: On my way.
JESSA: See you in a min!
“How are the classes so far?” Brodie asked as he shook out his brown locks.
“English with Ms. Vang was good. Human biology seems tough.”
“Who do you have for human bio? Mr. Todd or Mrs. Wilshire?” Teddy asked.
“Mrs. Wilshire.” I popped a pretzel in my mouth.
“Oh, she’s the best.” He took a huge bite of a submarine sandwich.
I could feel Brodie’s eyes on me, but I didn’t look at him. It had been just under two weeks since our first game and that intense moment we’d shared in the hallway at Preach’s party, where my body nearly combusted at Brodie’s closeness.
That night flashed through my mind on repeat, especially the hug after the air hockey win. His cedar scent. His warmth. Part of me wished I’d just kissed him that night, but that would make everything complicated. First, we’d be breaking Coach Kurt’s no fraternization rule and potentially introducing drama to the team, next it would destroy our friendship, and seeing as I only had a few people I considered friends in Woodhaven, I didn’t want to blow that, and third, and most importantly, I’d be leaving soon. For the first time since I’d been kicked off the skating team, a flicker of hope had ignited in my chest. I could really make it back.
“You survived your first morning at Woodhaven High!” Jessa leaned over and wrapped her arm around me. After giving me a quick squeeze, she took a seat across the table next to Teddy.
“It’s the first day of school, and I’m already getting asked to the homecoming dance!” Nathaniel flopped his phone onto the table and downed a carton of milk.
“It’s two weeks away. You’ve got at least thirteen days to decide!” Teddy laughed and then pointed at Nathaniel, then Preach. “Oh, but I got us a table at the restaurant.”
“You guys start planning early,” I said.
“Jessa, are we still going together?” Preach asked.
“Duh.” She took a bite of a carrot and flipped her blond hair over her shoulder.
She’d told me that the two of them had an agreement. They’d always be each other’s dance date, just as long as they weren’t in a relationship with someone else.
“How you two aren’t a couple still boggles my mind.” Teddy laughed.
Preach and Jessa both scrunched up their noses.
“He’s like my brother.” Jessa dunked her carrot into a small Tupperware container of ranch dressing.
Preach nodded. “Yup, she’s totally like my sister.”
They fist-bumped each other from across the table and then laughed.
“Who are you going with, Willow?” Teddy grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.
“Well, I was going to ask you, but you know, Coach Kurt said no fraternization among the teammates.”
Brodie, Preach, and Nathaniel burst out laughing. I tried to keep a straight face, but I didn’t last long.
Even though I’d only known Teddy for a few weeks, it was obvious that he had it bad for a girl named Layla. She had been at the party, and they’d spent most of the night flirting. When we were on the ice, he talked about her constantly, but he still hadn’t worked up the guts to ask her out yet.
“But for real, when are you asking Layla out?” I tossed a pretzel at Teddy.
He snagged it off his tray and ate it. “If we’re going to play this game, you tell me who you’re going to homecoming with, Willow.”
“I might have an option.” My cheeks burned. The one person I wanted to go with wasn’t an option. Part of me wanted to go with Jessa, but she and Preach had an agreement. Being a third wheel, even if it was just with two friends wasn’t an option, either. Plus…Matthew had dropped a few hints that he’d be interested in coming to our homecoming; I just hadn’t asked him yet.
“Options?” Brodie chimed in.
Nathaniel frowned. “Yeah, what do you mean by that?”
Jessa inhaled sharply and shot me a panicked look, nearly dropping her water bottle in the process. I’d told her about Matthew but swore her to secrecy. I didn’t want the guys giving me a hard time, since Matthew was from Twin River. I wasn’t even sure I was going to ask him yet.
“Nothing, it’s no big deal.” I waved them off.
Teddy got up and walked around the table, his brown eyes laser-focused on me.
“What are you doing?” I asked, sliding my legs around the seat.
“Teammates don’t keep secrets.” Teddy lunged for me, fingers splayed, ready to tickle me, but I jumped out of my seat and sprinted out of his reach.
He chased me around. “Spill it, Willow!”
I’d just done my third lap when Nathaniel’s arm shot out and stopped me. “If one of our teammates has a boyfriend, he has to meet our approval!”
“Oh, and does that mean I get to approve of all your girlfriends, too?” I asked with an exaggerated eye roll. I struggled against Nathaniel’s grip, which was light and playful but still held firm, then looked at Brodie. “A little help here?”
Brodie shrugged, a half smile filling his face, but I did notice he didn’t seem as into this as the rest of the guys. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he was slouched over.
“What’s it going to be, Willow?” Nathaniel still held me fast.
“Matthew! Matthew Halliday,” I blurted out.
Literally everyone at the table gasped.
“From Twin River?” Nathaniel’s jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious. They’re one of our biggest rivals!”
Brodie flinched but remained silent.
“I haven’t officially asked him or anything yet.”
&n
bsp; The atmosphere had transformed from a lighthearted exchange to something much more serious.
“When did you two even start talking?” Nathaniel shook his head. “He was a huge ass to you during the game.”
“Listen, I don’t need a whole team of older brothers watching out for me.” I put my hands on my hips. “I can take care of myself.”
“Hey, I gotta head to class. See you all later.” Brodie got up from the table, balancing his tray in one hand as he slipped his backpack straps over his shoulders.
Tightness spread across my chest. Did he dislike Matthew that much? Or was he mad I might go with someone who wasn’t him? It wasn’t like we could go together or anything, if he even wanted to.
But something was up, because I could still feel the tension that was rippling off him.
“I have to bolt, too.” I threw my food back into my lunchbox and headed in the opposite direction.
This is not how I pictured my first day going…
I pulled out my phone once I’d found a little alcove with a bench.
The hall was all but deserted.
ME: You there?
ERICKA: In Ancient Civ.
ERICKA: What’s up?
ERICKA: How’s your first day?
ME: Things aren’t going so great…
ERICKA: Do you need me to come and kick someone’s ass?
ME: No…
ERICKA: Well, what’s up?
ME: My teammates, well, one in particular, is pissed. They don’t want me to bring this Matthew guy to Homecoming.
ERICKA: Why would they care who you go to the dance with?
ME: Well, he may or may not be the star player on our school’s biggest rival team.
ERICKA: Willow!
ME: Would it help if I said he was really cute?
ERICKA: Maybe…
ERICKA: But even the hottest guy isn’t worth ripping a team apart, right?
Damn, talk about a loaded question.
Sure, Matthew wasn’t worth ripping our team apart, but what about Brodie?
I shook my head and chased the memories of Brodie’s disappointed look away.
ERICKA: What are you going to do?
ME: Honestly, I have no clue.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Brodie
“Damn shame letting that girl on the team.” Pax’s dad, Frank, gripped my shoulder and stared down at me from beneath bushy gray eyebrows. Cigar smoke curled around me, making me cough. “Coach had no business doing that. You better keep them focused, Wind. No distractions, you hear? State, boy, we need another State win.”
“Come on, Frank, the team is holding a perfect season with her in that goal,” Mr. Wright, the town barber, said from the front row of the bleacher.
Pax’s dad laughed, sending a nauseating cigar stench over me, strong as a tidal wave. There was a hint of liquor, too. I stepped back and turned my head slightly.
He grumbled, then made his way up the three stairs I’d just come down.
“Yo, Wind. Good job last night,” someone from the crowd yelled.
I held up my hand and kept walking. Talk about living in a fishbowl. Sure, it was pretty cool knowing people everywhere, but yet not. It got old sometimes. And poor Caleb, he got pressure, too, and because of his health…
No. I wasn’t going to go there. Tonight was about fun. Relaxing. We hadn’t had practice today, so I got to hang with my little bro earlier. He was tucked safe and sound at Mrs. Armstrong’s side for the game and then sleeping overnight at their house, too.
So it was time to turn off the worry and enjoy the game, because Mr. Wright was right. Willow had been a huge part in the fact that we were sporting six wins and zero losses.
The last two weeks had been great with stellar practices and three more wins. The team was clicking. Everyone except Pax and Eric had pretty much accepted Willow. She’d proven herself beyond measure—even our backup goalie, Izan, had commented a few times that she was the right choice.
Josiah was progressing and should be able to try out for the high school team in a few weeks. It might be interesting to see who made the starting position between him and Willow, if she was still around.
During a morning ice session last week, she’d landed what appeared to be a pretty big jump. She hadn’t said much about it, but I could tell she was excited. It looked like she was moving ahead on her plan to get on a skating team again, and I just needed to deal with that.
She wasn’t a hockey player. She wouldn’t be on our team for much longer.
I stepped into the concession line and hugged my coat closer to me. It was cold tonight, and I’d totally not worn enough clothes.
Didn’t matter. Tonight was a night for relaxing. The homecoming football game against Quails Hollow. They’d beaten us last year, so this was a big game. Needed this win.
“Ever try M&M’s on popcorn?” someone behind me asked.
I turned to find Willow standing there, a smirk lifting the side of her mouth. No braids this time. Her long black hair curled in silky ribbons around her neck.
And those eyes.
Out from behind the goalie mask and beneath the stadium lights…the blue really popped, almost like it was on fire. Two weeks ago, at the first day of school, she’d announced she might go to the HOCO dance with Matthew Halliday, and I hadn’t been able to get it out of my mind. I tried to tell myself it was because Matthew was from our rival school, but I knew it was more than that.
I was thinking about her as more than a teammate a little too much lately. The talent, the beauty, that exchange we had last month at the party, and that hug after air hockey—
“Fine, so you don’t like M&M’s. I was just sayin’—”
“No. Um…” I couldn’t think with her staring up at me with those huge eyes. “What?”
“Graceful on the ice, but not so much with the words.” She chuckled, and a soft pink dusted her cheeks.
“Graceful enough to score on you in practice the other day.” I stepped closer to the concession window, thankful for the distraction that tore me away from her gaze. “Again.”
She huffed as she shook her head. The long strands of hair shifted in a subtle breeze and brushed across her face. Before I could even think, I tucked the wild strands behind her ear.
She froze.
I yanked my hand back and whipped around again, heat steaming my cheeks and heart hammering like I’d spent the last hour running sprints. It did that a lot around her. Especially when the team was doing dry-land exercises and she was in only a sports bra and tight leggings.
I really needed to get whatever was going on with me under control.
I focused on the back of the head of the person in front of me. Only three more people until I could put in my order and bolt. Maybe I should just go now. I didn’t need popcorn. I could come back after she was gone.
“What’s wrong?” Willow asked. “You’re acting all weird.”
Wait, she was next to me now?
She was standing beside me, facing forward, but I could tell she was smiling by the way her cheek bulged. “You ticked off that I blocked your goal during our intersquad scrimmage yesterday?”
“The crease, what is it?” I asked to change the subject. I needed to make this about hockey. About the team. Anything other than how pretty Willow looked right now.
“Vocab test? Really?” She grinned as she shook her head.
“So you don’t know it, then?” I nudged her.
“Four-by-eight-foot area in front of each goal in which opposing players may not stand unless they have the puck.” She jutted out her chin in triumph. “Deke—defensive move or fake used to get around an opponent.” And then she stuck out her tongue.
“Nice.” I chuckled. It was the cutest thing when she did that.
“Too bad it doesn’t help you guard your five-hole better.”
“Puck Head.”
“Ice Princess.” Yes, bantering was much better. Safer. I could hide behind it, make it about hockey, 100 percent hockey.
Only one more person in front of me. At first I was happy, wanting to get out of here, but now that we were talking… And she smelled so good. She seriously gave off a scent of fresh ice. How was that even possible?
“For real, though, you should try M&M’s in your popcorn. It’s the best cheat treat ever.”
“Cheat treat?”
“Um, yeah, we—when I was figure skating, with strict diets and stuff. We got cheat treats. That was mine.”
I chanced a look at her and caught her scanning me from head to toe. Why the hell did that rev my engine so high?
“You’re not really taking Matthew to our dance tomorrow, are you?” That came out of nowhere.
“I’m not sure that’s any of your business.” She huffed.
“But you can’t…” My heart pounded so hard, it echoed through my head. I knew I had no right to say anything about the situation, but I couldn’t stop. Matthew wasn’t good enough for her. He was an asshat major. “He’s…from Twin River High.”
“Our rival, I know.” She rolled her eyes.
“Not only that. He’s a total dick.”
“He’s actually not. We’ve been talking a little…”
She curled some loose strands behind her ear as she mumbled something I couldn’t understand.
“What was that?”
“Damn hair.” She yanked out a pink stocking cap from her coat pocket and pulled it over her hair. “Why do I even bother?”
“Don’t.” I gently pulled it off. “It—your hair—it’s really nice.”
Her eyes locked on mine. They were wide and…was that longing? Maybe even searching, like she doubted what I’d said. Maybe I was searching for the hidden meaning or something.
What did I mean by saying that? I—well—damn it. She was hot, but I had no business noticing that. Okay, I could notice it, but what surprised me was how much I wanted to bend down and kiss those full lips. And smell her hair up close.
“Um…I—” I started.