Page 6 of Breaking Away

Maybe tonight will finally work?

There’s wine chilling in my fridge, so I’m inviting her over for some.

At my age, I know I should have established friends, but I don’t. I wasn’t popular in high school and I never went to college where I could find new friends, and helping my dad with errands takes up so much time, as does spending time with my mom and being Tyler Smith’s girlfriend.

Julia answers. She’s not free, because she’s hanging out with…

The team?

And so are some of the other partners?

My hand spasms and my phone drops to the ground. When I pick it back up, I’m diving into a stalking spiral, looking up social media stories of this party. There are so many of them. Almost everyone is there.

My heart and head hurt.

On one hand, I have the captain of the Blades defending my honor with his physical body on the ice. On the other hand, he doesn’t invite me out?

My confidence shrinks as I switch to watching the video of Lokhov punching Tyler again. I zoom into their faces. Tyler is smirking and whispering. Lokhov… looks murderous.

A trembling shiver runs down my spine. I drink more wine, watching Tyler get punched in the side of his ribs. It’s brutal. Lokhov had an immediate penalty because of it and that gave Seattle the power play. No goal came out of it, which made Seattle even more frustrated on the ice.

I swirl wine in my mouth, so I feel dignified even as I’ve started drinking from the bottle. Then I think of Anna and herlife. Does she hang out with her husband’s friends when they go out? Maybe Tyler would want me more publicly if he knew I had his back like he had mine today.

My hand reaches for my phone again.

How dare Lokhov say horrible things about me and bait Tyler?

This is the same phone I’ve had for ages. It’s more brick than modern technology. On it exists all the contacts I’ve ever entered. It takes a minute, but I find Lokhov. He wasn’t the one to give me his number. My dad was the high school coach. I got all the player’s phone numbers to organize a bake sale ages ago.

What are the chances he’s still got the same contact information?

I don’t know what I’m doing. My legs fold against my chest. I keep thinking that I’ve done nothing to prove myself worthy. No matter how much I want to be, I’mnota photographer, this studio apartment is subsidized because the landlord is a friend of Tyler’s, and I’ve never gone to college or proved myself worthy of earning anything on my own.

Playing the video again, I see Lokhov glare at Tyler. It really pisses me off.How dare he go after him like this?

My fingers type. I send a message.

ME

This is Kavi Basra. Not sure if you still have this same number, but I’ve got a problem with you. We need to speak, Lokhov.

Tyler defended me. Now I’ll defend him. The illogical logic of a drunken woman with something to prove is genius. Part of me thinks if I do this, Tyler will know he can count on me, too. Then I’ll definitely get invited to team parties.

Lokhov doesn’t answer. I don’t even know if it’s him on the other side.

I send another message.

ME

Where are you?

No answer.

ME

If you don’t tell me, I’ll wander the streets all night by myself.

I’m not sure why I think it will work…

---