Page 151 of Staying Selfless

“We need to talk about Ali.” Logan changes the subject, unable to hide her frustration any longer, and looking at my brother.

“Oh, get ‘em Lo,” Zanders chimes in, taking a seat at the table with us and pulling his coffee mug to his lips as if he’s here solely to be entertained.

“Shut the fuck up,” Marc laughs. “You’re new to the group. You don’t get to chime in yet.”

“After last night, I think it’s time to pass the title on,” Cam interjects. “I’ll be your new official best friend, Logie.”

Marc gives Cam his middle finger, both of them finding themselves hilarious this morning.

“You need to talk to Ali,” Logan tells my brother.

“I don’t want to talk to Ali,” Marc counters, being stubborn for the first time in his life.

“Well, one of you two needs to grow a pair and start the conversation,” I add. “You guys have the worst fucking communication I’ve ever seen.”

“She’s the one in the wrong here. She can come to me if she wants to talk.”

“I highly doubt that’ll happen after last night. Look, Marc,” Logan softly says. “I know what Ali did sucked, and it hurt your feelings—”

“She did exactly what Lauren did!” Marc snaps, finally showing some vulnerability.

“Actually, she didn’t,” my girl corrects. “She didn’t sleep with that guy, and her motives were not the same as your ex’s. Ali is struggling with some stuff from her past.”

Marc rolls his eyes while taking a deep, labored breath before drinking more of his morning coffee.

“Is she okay?” he finally asks.

“She will be.”

“And she really didn’t sleep with him?” he questions, needing the confirmation.

“No, she didn’t. Marc, you’re always the bigger person—”

“Exactly!” he cuts her off again. “I’m tired of always having to take the high road and getting fucked over for it.”

“Just have a conversation with her. The only reason I’m suggesting that is because it’ll make you feel better.”

“I don’t know, Logan,” Marc says quietly, shaking his head. “I just need some time. I honestly don’t want to deal with it right now.”

“Well, in the meantime, can you try not to put your dick in every chick you lay your eyes on?” I ask with a disapproving tone. I know I don’t really have room to talk, but I have a lot of regrets about the way I navigated my single life, and I don’t want Marc to make the same mistakes I did.

“No guarantees.”

“Marc is turning into Maddison,” Cam laughs. “This is fucking awesome.”

“No,” Logan sighs. “It’s not.”

“You can all calm down.” Marc sips his coffee. “I haven’t slept with anyone else.”

I couldn’t sleep last night, but it wasn’t so much my anxiety that kept me awake as it was my nerves. Actually, I guess it wasn’t nerves either. Adrenaline sounds about right. Round two of the playoffs is tonight, and I’m not too worried. Of course, there’s the thought that my season could be over with a loss, but we handled Northwestern with ease during the regular season. Twice.

I know we can’t go in with that cocky mindset, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel confident. Mainly because after a week of full-speed practice, I plan on spending my full twenty minutes on the ice. And thankfully, since Thursday morning, my anxiety has been in check.

The post-season buzz flows through my veins just as it has every March since I started college. The pumping, coursing excitement and rush keep me from sleep quite often, but I never feel tired this time of the year.

Which is why when Logan woke up at an absurd hour to hit the gym, I decided to go with her. No use in lying in her bed and waiting for her to come back. At least if I’m at the gym, I can get some pre-skate stretching in while I watch my smoking hot girlfriend drip sweat and channel everything she has into a punching bag.

Have I mentioned how turned on I get watching her box? I’m not kidding. I’m currently stretching out my mid-thigh on a foam roller with a semi in my shorts because my eyes are glued to my girl as she throws punches with power and coordination.

---