Page 17 of Fated Shot

“She dumped you, eh?” he asks, half sympathetic, half mocking.

“She didn’t dump me,” I huff, “it just—it never…” I struggle to find the words. Somehow,well, I never actually spoke to her until I discovered she’s Coach’s daughter, and now I still can’t seem to control my mind from flicking to her every chance I get and when I’m alone with her and she so much as looks in my direction, my body erupts with energy like she’s the only thing I ever need to live,doesn’t seem like the right thing to say.

I hit the radio button instead. “Next topic,” I grumble as the country station blasts through the speakers.

Thankfully, Penn is easily distracted as he starts tapping the wheel and singing along to some song about country roads.

Gotta love him in all of his golden retriever glory.

We don’t talk much for the remainder of the ride. We pull into the arena, and we’re geared up and on the ice less than thirty minutes later.

I’m playing like shit, and it doesn’t help that every time Coach calls my name, something in me jumps.

“You alright, Brody?” he asks as I skate by the bench.

“Fine, Coach,” I reply. Trying to hide theI almost kissed your daughter this morninglook off my face.

Max and I break off into a few drills as Scott, Penn, and Theo start taking shots at Evan in net. The whistle blows as we clear the ice, marching into the locker room. I’m distracted clearly, my head just wasn’t in it. Slumping into my locker, I start on my skates.

“What’s wrong with this guy today?” Max says to Penn while motioning toward me.

“Girl troubles,” Penn replies matter-of-factly.Traitor.

“Ahh… I see, I see.” He nods philosophically.

“Hey ass-hats, I’m sitting right here.” Glaring them down, I add, “Had a shitty sleep, alright? Can we move on?”

“Geez, a little testy are we?” Evan chimes in.

“So, did a girl fall madly in love after one night of Brody magic and demand a proposal or something?” Max asks openly to the group. Penn laughs but stifles it with a cough when I narrow my eyes at him.

“No?” He continues, fingers tapping his chin, feigning being deep in thought. “Did you get a girl pregnant? No, wait, let me guess, two girls are fighting over you, and they’re… get this, SISTERS!” The boys erupt in laughter around us.

“Just. Tired.” I huff. My will to rise above is wearing dangerously thin as I shake my head and walk toward the showers. By the time I’m back, the topic has changed to whether or not birds are actually government-sanctioned drones, and I know I’m finally in the clear.

Scott, next to me, rummages in his bag for something. He tosses whatever he’s retrieved over toward me as I catch it in one hand.

“What’s this?” I ask, looking down at the green bottle.

“Melatonin—it’s life changing, man.”

“Oh, what for?”

“You said you had trouble sleeping?” He replies slightly confused. “It’ll knock you right out. Try it for a few days, see if it helps.”

“Thanks, Cap.” I smile, slapping a hand on his shoulder. He’s such a good dude, I almost feel bad for my lie, but it’s better than the truth—that I’m pining over Coach’s daughter, the girl I can never have.

Penn and I drive most of the way home in silence. I’m praying I can get away with no further girl discussion. Just five more minutes and I’ll be in the clear. Two blocks from our building though, Penn turns to me.

Shit.

There’s an unusual agitation in his voice, “I’ve never seen you like this.”

“I’m fine, Penn,” I say, staring ahead.

He sighs, clearly annoyed. “She really did a number on you, eh?”You, my friend, have no fucking idea. Clearly taking my silence for an answer, he continues with a gentler tone, “If you like her that much, get her back.”

If only it was that fucking simple. I finally give in, “I can’t. It’s—it’s complicated.”

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