Page 49 of Penalized Love

Because there is some time before class starts and there are still people sitting in the classroom I’ll be entering. I pull my phone out and text Selene.

Me: I finished the meeting with Bailey. She wants me to work on short-form/vlog-style content for the team, which will provide new and different content for their social media channels.

It doesn’t take long for her to reply.

Selene: That’s awesome…I think? What does that require you to do?

I lean against the wall, sparing a glance at the classroom door as students file out.

Me: I have to shadow a player and get footage of their lives beyond hockey.

Selene: Huh. Who will you be following?

Me: No clue. I won’t find out until later this week.

Selene: So it could be Asher.

I knew I wouldn’t have to spell it out for her. She knows me well enough to read between the lines.

Me: And that’s why I’m freaking the fuck out.

The last few students trickle out of the classroom, and I stroll toward the door, still focused on my phone.

Selene: I get it. But the chances of it being him are lower than it not being him.

Me: You’re right.

Selene: You can repeat that anytime, haha.

I roll my eyes as I walk into the classroom.

Me: Haha, very funny. Well, all I can do is hope for the best.

Selene: How true that is. We should meet up for lunch. I’ll text you after I’m done with class.

Me: Sounds good.

I slip my phone into my pocket as I reach the desk I usually sit at. I settle into my seat, pulling out my notebook and pen, and in a few minutes, my professor begins her lecture. Despite my best efforts to focus, my mind keeps drifting back to the video project and the possibility of working with Asher.

There’s no way my luck can be that bad.

20

ASHER

No one can ever say that I don’t go after what I want. After all, it’s the reason why I’m up earlier than usual to talk to Isla before my early morning practice.

Convincing Coach Johnson that I should be the star of the new video series that Isla will help put together was almost too easy. None of the other guys were eager to have their lives taped; honestly, I’m not either. But this opportunity allows Isla and me to spend more time together, something I’ve wanted to do since I thought I saw her on campus weeks ago.

Before the incident at her house.

As I’m headed to my car, I glance at my phone, double-checking the time to make sure that I’m not late. I know I’m not, but checking to confirm I’m not provides some reassurance. Instead of riding over with one of the other guys, I drive myself because I want to talk to Isla alone.

I assume she wasn’t too pleased to learn that I would be the subject of her series, but she didn’t decline the job, nor did she have an issue with meeting me at the arena early this morning. We are meeting to iron out some last-minute details before we start this whole experiment.

The campus is quiet as I drive to the arena, and when I pull into the parking lot, I spot Isla’s car already there. However, I also spot Coach’s and a few other vehicles. It makes sense he would be here because he’s always here before the rest of us, but now I’m almost wishing we agreed to meet elsewhere. But there’s nothing I can do about that now.

You need to remain calm, Bennett.I repeat the mantra as I turn my ignition off and exit the vehicle. I need to control how I act around her with Coach nearby, because he’ll pick up on something wrong if the interaction between Isla and me is weird. Yes, we’re practically strangers at this point, but we spent a significant portion of the summer together when Coach and Mrs. Johnson allowed me to stay with them for hockey camp just before starting my freshman year.

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