Page 85 of The Game

This time she’s the one who doesn’t let me go when I try to stand up. “Wait, Cole.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you want to talk to me about something? You said yesterday.”

Yesterday feels like two years ago, but yes. I should tell her this. I told her I love her for fuck’s sake. She should know the kind of mess her boyfriend is in. Then she can decide if she wants to stay with the hot mess who was keeping things from her.

“I’m suspended from the team.”

“What? What for? What happened?”

“It was Darryl. He ratted me out for what I did to him in your apartment.”

She’s shaking her head again. “But that’s not fair. He was... he had his hands on me.” Her hands go a little shaky under mine.

“I know, and I told my coach, but he couldn’t do anything about it. There’s a zero-tolerance policy and without proof, he couldn’t do anything. I’m off practice and one game, and if I can’t prove that I was in the right, I’ll be off the team.”

“No.” She pulls back. “No, they can’t do that to you.”

“They can and they did. Look, I’ll understand if you want nothing to do with me. I’m cursed. I get it. Fucking bad news.”

“I’ve gotta go.”

She pushes up to her feet, walking off without a backwards glance, and I’m confused. I know I told her she could go, but that was. She just took off. I watch her rushing off through the glass door, too stunned to stop her.

My head falls to my hands. Hail. Mother fucker. Look what I get for trusting a team mate again. Bit me in the ass in the worst possible way. Without hockey, without Jazz, I’ve got nothing.Nothing to lose. A burning rage builds, giving me the push I need to get out of here. At least accomplish one thing.

Maybe I can’t solve anything with Jazz, but at least I can deal with this. I’m not allowed in the arena right now, so I’m hanging out in the parking lot like a chump. Waiting. Every fiber in my being wishes I was in there with them. On the ice. Where I belong.

I blow on my numb fingers to warm up. Can’t afford to be idling my engine to blast the heat. Mabel only has so many miles left in her engine, and I’ve only got so many dollars in my bank account.

A few of the rookies are the first ones out, but there’s no sign of Hail.

My fingers drum on the steering wheel while I imagine what I’m going to do to Hail. Everything is all fucked anyway. What difference will one more bloody nose make? NO. I can’t think like this. It could still get resolved. Yeah, if there’s some miracle out there waiting for me. My life hasn’t exactly been full of them, so probably not. But I shouldn’t go in there hot. That only ends badly.

There he is. His tall form steps out the front door. He’s walking with McAllistair. All casual and carefree, as if he didn’t try to fuck me over. Sneaky asshole. Joke’s on him. I can fuck myself over better than anyone else.

I take a deep breath to slow the pounding of my heartbeat. Count backward from five and get out of the car.

He looks up, startled, as I storm toward him. And the rage on my face must look as palpable as it feels because he throws up his gloved hands, taking a step back.

“Why, Hail? That’s all I want to know. Why did you choose to fuck me over? I thought we were getting along. As teammates, at least. If not friends. But teammates don’t do that to you.” At least they shouldn’t. Apparently, I’ve learned nothing from my past experience.

“I don’t know what you think I did, Schaeffer, but I had nothing to do with getting you suspended.”

My laugh is bitter. “I wasn’t thinking that, but thanks for putting that idea in my head. I mean Charlene.”

“Who the fuck is that? Your girlfriend? I thought you were dating, Jazz.”

I take a step closer, satisfied when he backs up until he’s pressed against the concrete wall beside the back door.

“Really? You’re going to deny it? Let me jog your memory. Blonde hair likes to wear shiny pink lip gloss while she’s riding your best friend’s dick. Ring any bells?”

He swallows and understanding dawns on his face. “Is that your ex?” And then something else happens. There’s awareness, but he’s surprised by it. Shock. “No. No. I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I never meant.”

He’s still holding his hands up to hold me off like he can sense the dark need in me to take out my anger out on his face.

“So you admit it? You told her?”

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