Page 96 of Breaking Away

“Make Lokhov do whatever?” repeats Matt, swigging from the frothy champagne bottle. “Sick!”

Quinn rubs his hands together. “The power you have, Kavi.”

Other players chime in, telling her to make the dare unhinged. They tell her she can call them any time of any day to watch and that she should film it, if that’s possible. Laughter blooms as my team gets invested. Everyone is on a high from winning tonight.

I’m counting down from a hundred, looking anywhere but at her.

It doesn’t matter.

Kavi taps her shoe against mine. I pretend I don’t notice. She does it again until almost stepping on me. I step backwards.

Our eyes hook on each other.

She steps forward again. I move backward.

It repeats until we’re pulled away from everyone else.

“I don’t get it,” she says, lowering her voice. “If you do the barbecue, we’re even. Or we can go out somewhere else if you don’t want to bring the team home? They just want to celebrate with you. You’ll get points for team building efforts. We’ll be tied, basically, in my head.”

“No. You won. I owe you a dare.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to celebrate? To be with your team? To build connections with them tonight?”

Her expression is so open, as if she’s willing to find whatever compromise I’ll give her. As long as it helps me towards my goal. As if she wants to make sure I’m progressing as much as she did today.

“I’m not afraid,” I say stiffly. “Of your dare.”

Her smile fades. “What if I dare you to do the barbecue?”

“Anything but that.”

Her hand brushes against my arm. “You… promised.”

I step away. “Guess I’m just another hockey player disappointing you.”

My answer is flat and dull; the world around me has gone glassy. I need to sit down, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see her shoulders deflate.

Fuck.

I hate myself.

Something is bleeding. It has to be. I need to check my chest because it feels as if a hole has opened up there.

“It sounds like you want to go home…” she trails off.

“I do. I’m tired. But you can go out with them. The team.”

She picks at the skin around a nail. “I—I—” Her shoulders push back. “I… will. Fine. Without you.”

“Good.”

I leave immediately.

40

KAVI

After many hoursand a good number of drinks, I stumble home. Well, Pink Headband gives me a ride in his car. He’s uncharacteristically quiet, except for his goodbye, which isn’t a goodbye at all but a cryptic message about Lokhov.Something is off.

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