Page 12 of The Puck Player

“Like a barnacle on a damn whale.”

Which is how I find myself in my room two hours later, freshly showered, hair blown out into deep waves, applying a third coat of mascara. I’ve picked out a short, white flared dress and paired it with gold stilettos and my staple gold jewelry. I’m almost completely ready when my phone starts to blare with an incoming FaceTime call from Ben.

“Hey you,” I answer, glad to be finally catching his call. Between getting settled in the apartment and a full week of classes, we haven’t spoken as much as usual, and I miss him more than I thought I would.

“Hello, my sweet girl, sorry I missed your call earlier,” he tells me, and I can tell by his surroundings that he’s in the back office at our church.

“It’s okay, I was just in a stress funk and wanted to hear your voice,” I reply, tossing my mascara back into my makeup bag and taking a seat on the end of my bed.

“Everything okay?” he asks, searching my stare with his, and just hearing his voice has me relaxing a little.

“Yeah, it’s just school stuff, my business teacher told me I need some tutoring, so I’m a little overwhelmed,” I tell him honestly, knowing he will understand considering he’s already done with college.

“I know it’s rough, especially since you're a transfer, but I know you can do this and I’m so proud of you,” he smiles, and any tension I was still feeling melts away, because that’s exactly what I needed to hear. If he believes in me then surely I can believe in myself, but then he adds, “Remember, God only chooses his strongest soldiers for his hardest battles.”

It’s his new favorite phrase to use with me, and it leaves me feeling a little deflated, yet still I find myself replying, “Yeah, I know.”

“We need to remain strong and remember our prayers,” he responds absentmindedly, as he types something on his computer, before he comes back to me. “Are you going to church tonight? I checked and they have a service there in Fairfield.”

I grimace a little, knowing I should have expected the question, but it’s one I’m not prepared for. I softly clear my throat, “Erm, actually I promised Evie I would go to a party with her so she could introduce me to a few of her friends.”

Ben’s jaw tightens a little, but I know the grace he has been giving me since my mother’s death will take precedence. “Okay, well have fun but stay safe, you can always go to mass on Sunday, and I’ll keep you in my prayers tonight, pretty girl.”

We talk a little more back and forth about his week and mine, and by the time we hang up, I am feeling more than a little homesick. I shoot a text to Malorie telling her I miss her, and press a kiss to my mom’s photo on my nightstand, before taking one last look in the mirror and hating the familiar, sad look in my eye.

When I exit my room Evie is standing at the breakfast bar pouring herself a shot, and when she sees me she instantly grabs another glass and pours me one too. As I reach her I don’t even ask her what it is, or give her a chance to hand it to me, just snatch it from the counter, knock it back, and signal for another.

“Everything okay?” she asks carefully, pouring me another drink, and I shake my head no, before downing the second shot.

“I need everything to just be less,” I admit weakly, and her smile is sad, but knowing.

“Then let’s go.”

It’s only then I remember why faith is so fickle, because at this moment, the only thing I have faith in is drinking to forget.

And tonight I plan to forget everything.

The party is in full swing by the time we get there, and I appreciate being able to blend in with a certain amount of anonymity as we make our way through the yard and into the house. That is until Evie spots Jake lingering in the kitchen and drags us immediately in his direction. He’s surrounded by a few of the guys he was eating lunch with the other day, and a couple of girls I don’t recognize, and to my surprise, Alexander is nowhere to be found.

“Babe, finally,” Jake greets, grabbing Evie by the belt loop on her pants and pulling her into his arms, as he smashes his mouth to hers. The PDA doesn’t seem to surprise anyone, and I can’t help but smile as I watch them, noting the glances from everyone else in the kitchen, until the two finally pull apart. “Bree, you came,” Jake adds when he notices me, offering me a smile beforegrabbing the rest of the kitchen’s attention. “Everyone, this is Coach’s daughter, Bree.”

I cringe a little at him outing me like that, as I come to rest on the kitchen island, expecting an onslaught of shock and questions about my dad, but they all seem genuine as they smile at me. Evie releases herself from Jake's hold and moves to make us both a drink as she takes over the introductions.

“Bree, that’s Nova and his girlfriend Maddie,” she starts, gesturing to one of the hottest guys I have ever seen, who has his arms around an equally beautiful girl, and all I can do is stare in awe at the two of them. They look like a Hollywood couple. “And that’s her best friend Hallie, and her husband, Josh.” Another beautiful couple, looking completely smitten, and apparently married?

Each of them offer me a shake of their hand and a welcoming smile, but I can’t help but stumble as I get to the latter. “Husband?” I question in surprise looking between the two of them. “You guys are married?”

They both give one another a knowing smirk, before Hallie replies, “Took him a decade to realize I was the love of his life.” Her words are paired with a roll of her eyes, and I expect him to defend himself, but all he does is look at her like she is the most fascinating thing he has ever seen in his life.

“Well, we’ve got forever for me to make it up to you,” he murmurs, grabbing her chin and pulling her in for a kiss that is nothing short of demanding and possessive, and I swear Maddie groans.

“They’ll be doing that for a while,” a new voice cuts in, and I flick my eyes to another insanely attractive guy, who is smirking at me knowingly. “I’m Archer, and this is my boyfriend Daemon.” He offers me his hand, as he nods his head to a quiet and brooding presence at his side, and I swear Archer is quite literally beaming as he says the word boyfriend. Daemon doesn’toffer me his hand, instead offering me the tip of his head, but my stare is drawn back to the smirk on his boyfriend’s face, as Archer adds. “You know my best friend right? Alexander?”

I’m startled slightly by the question, as Evie pretends to cough to hide a laugh, passing me the drink she made me, and I accept it gratefully, taking a deep gulp while I consider my response. “We’ve met briefly,” I reply sweetly, not elaborating any more than that, but for some reason it just makes Archer’s smile even wider.

“Is that what we’re calling him stalking you at lunch the other day?” he muses, sipping his own drink without breaking our eye contact, and I narrow my eyes a little.

“You can call it whatever you like, I have a boyfriend, I wear a purity ring, and I have no interest in Alexander Reign,” I snap in response, and everyone in the kitchen seems to quiet as they stare at me, and just when I think things can’t get any worse, a familiar tone crawls up my spine.

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