Page 63 of Tricky Girls

They leave me alone once we get back to the lodge, giving me a wide berth as I get ready for my final hockey practice of the week. I’m in the kitchen when Nic rocks up, dressed in shorts and a loose t-shirt, hockey stick over one shoulder.

I’ve already swapped my shorts for joggers. Too bloody cold out for less.

‘Off to hockey?’ I ask pointlessly. Dumb stuff just falls from my mouth when she’s around, desperate to break the awkward silence.

She only nods, not even bothering to call out my idiocy. She doesn’t really need to. I can feel the aversion like a slap in the face.

‘Wanna walk over together?’

Now she looks at me. ‘Still can’t find your way?’

‘No. Just a bit awkward walking the same way, isn’t it?’

She shrugs. ‘For you, maybe.’

‘Alright.’ Swiping my water bottle, I stalk past her out the door. ‘Sorry for trying.’

I feel her on my heels the whole dark walk across campus. So dumb. And so unnecessary.

We pull up to the sport’s hall just as the first team boys are finishing their session. I spot Tommy in the fray and quickly flaghim down. He smiles at me gingerly, clearly still salty after this afternoon’s lecture.

Then his eyes drift over my shoulder and his smile vanishes completely.

Nic blows past us into the hall, Tommy following her with his gaze the whole way.

‘Do you know her?’ I wonder if that’s something to do with Elly’s and Haz’s animosity towards him. Because that would makesomuch sense. That girl seems to have a fuck tonne of enemies, and her two besties are blind with loyalty.

Tommy rubs the back of his neck as he puffs his cheeks out. ‘Kinda.’

‘What did you do?’

He looks at me blankly. ‘Why is it something I’ve done?’

A whistle sounds in the hall, momentarily drawing my attention.

‘You better get on.’ Tommy smiles thinly. ‘I’ve heard your coach is a bitch.’

‘Yeah, alright.’ I catch his sleeve just as I’m about to jog inside. ‘I’ll catch you another time, though?’

He shrugs, already wandering away. ‘Yeah, maybe.’

Turns out another time is next Wednesday night. Instead of pregaming with Elly and Haz at the lodge, I’m invited to a flat party by one of the other hockey girls. At my old digs, just one floor below. I feel weird entering through the front door, but I don’t think I have anything to worry about. Neither Ryan nor Natasha are on any teams. They don’t tend to go out Wednesday nights, instead saving themselves for the weekend.

I make a beeline for Tommy as soon as I see him. He smiles toothily, obviously drunk enough not to feel any awkwardness around me. We’ve spoken briefly at uni this week but he hadn’t seemed inclined to stick around with the other two there.

I pull out my vodka and mixer and make up a drink. ‘Hey.’

‘Hey yourself. Left your guard dogs at home?’

Ah, not that drunk then.

‘For the time being. They’ll be out at Vipers later.’

I think, anyway. Just before I left they had a bit of a tiff with Nic. I couldn’t tell what they were all going on about, only that Nic was going to go somewhere or do something they didn’t want her doing. And that it was my fault she was doing so. I definitely understood that bit. Kinda hard not to with Nic jabbing her finger at me like that.

So I’m glad I’m here alone. With another one of her enemies. Just another reason Tommy’s secretly endeared to me.

‘Better avoid the place then,’ he jokes weakly.

---