Page 1 of First Puck

Part One

Grade 12

Alex

The music echoed through the clearing around the lake, bouncing off the trees that closed it in, and hid the party from our town in the valley. A bonfire blazed contentedly in the pit on the sandy shore, the spot well-worn from decades of kids from surrounding schools coming to celebrate every weekend.

We’d left the prom at midnight to sneak out here, and half the people were already so drunk they sat on logs like mine, blinking heavily at the fire, making out, or snoring.

I’d grabbed a fallen log on a slope in the sweet spot of the clearing. Too far away from the fire to be noticed, and far enoughfrom the trees to avoid the couples taking advantage of the emerging spring foliage.

I kept my eyes on Brad by the fire as I tipped up my bottle and took another gulp of warm beer.

It always tasted like mature dirt, but it was all Brad drank, so I drank it, too.

I needed something to prepare myself.

Brad’s laugh echoed as he gripped his stomach, nearly bent double. His laugh really was amazing. It could make me smile the second he started because he never held himself back. In whatever he did, really.

The corner of my lips hitched as I took another gulp of dirt water.

Tasha Connors, his current fuck buddy, took it as her opportunity to slide closer to him. Even at twenty feet away and shadowed by the light of the fire, I could see where her hand vanished.

Normally, it bugged me, but I had other stuff to worry about nowadays. Like the fact I’d been drafted to the NHL—very loudly and very publicly drafted.

I was the first guy from our town in over ten years to get into the nationals of any sport, and they even held a block party to celebrate. The East City Wranglers were one of the best teams playing in leagues, and our capital city team. It had been mine and Brad’s dream to play for them ever since we could hold our sticks.

And it should have been good and amazing and the absolute best thing that had ever happened in my life.

But that wasn’t my plan. It never had been.

It was supposed to be me and Brad. We’d practiced endlessly since we were five to get there, but I was the one in front of the cameras. I was the one giving the interviews while Brad stood behind and smiled. He thought I didn’t see the way he deflated alittle more as the months stretched toward our last day of school and he still didn’t have any offers.

“You know, the dramatic hero look really works for you, but you need to change your tune.” A sultry voice dragged my attention away from my thoughts.

I leaned back on my log, meeting the sharp gaze of my ex-girlfriend. With her bleach-blonde hair, perfectly shaped cheekbones, and killer thighs, she could easily get any guy in school—but her tastes went in a different direction. I ignored the way she surveyed me. It just became a habit of hers when she ran into any guy she pretended she wanted to fuck.

“What do you want, Suzy?” I asked casually, though my scowl was taking shape. I could already tell from the gleam in her eye what it was about.

“Still on for this weekend?” Her lips curved into a knowing smile.

I paused, quirking a brow, which got me a chuckle in return.

I wasn’t sure if she was asking because she wanted the drama, or if she was actually concerned. Suzy might act stuck-up with most people, but she’d rescued me so often over the years, and it was nice to have a friend who wasn’t obsessed with tits and hockey. Though she had to hide herself as much as I did.

Every now and then, a rumor I was gay would spring up. It was the same for all the sports guys who didn’t have girlfriends and weren’t down to fuck 24/7. All Suzy and I had to do was pretend we were dating for a month and people stopped treating me like I had a disease. And guys would stop bugging her as well.

“Yeah, if Tasha doesn’t whisk him away,” I said, and our gazes flicked back to the fire and the pair of them snuggling as Brad’s hand cupped her ass, as if they needed to keep warm in the humid Georgia spring.

“Shall I go and distract him?” she asked, twisting her lips. I couldn’t tell if it was because of her crush on Tasha or if she was looking out for me. Probably both.

I shook my head, sighing. “Nah, I think I’ll torture myself for a bit. I want to make sure I feel like I’m gonna puke when I tell him.”

She gave a sarcastic laugh as she turned back to me, popping a hand on her hip. I grinned up at her, at least grateful for her support.

I was glad I told her the truth. It was good to have at least one ally in this puritan town.

She did a more thorough sweep of me, taking in my faded swim shorts and hockey shirt. The humid heat was too much for me to hide myself in a Wranglers team sweater. But I still slouched to avoid being noticed.

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