Page 73 of Heartless Game

“Can they all stop staring and whispering?” I complained to Aviva as we took our seats in the row behind the penalty box. “Seriously, it’s going to give me hives.”

Aviva laughed. “They all want to know who their star forward’s new girlfriend is,” she teased, before sobering. “How are things between you two? You were gone in the morning when I woke up.”

“Yeah, he still…has my phone.”

Which was beyond frustrating—and worrying. What if my mom had tried to get in touch with me?

Aviva continued with her questions. She would’ve made a good investigative journalist. “Did he apologize? Or try to make it right?”

“He bought me like, fifty boxes of hair dye, even though he hates me dyeing my hair. He’s been…nicer, but distant. Honestly, I don’t know where we stand. I want to hate him still, but there’s a connection between us, this crazy, no, insane chemistry. And even though I wanted to run away from it…it caught up with me. Ever since, it’s like something is tying me to him. I couldn’t get away from Isaac or say no to him, even if I wanted to.”

Aviva’s face softened. “Yeah,” she said. “I get that.” A stern look played over her face. “But if he hurts you again, tell me.”

Fortunately, I didn’t have to answer her, because we were interrupted by someone screaming, “Hey, hey, hey girlies hey!”

Lucy and Leslie, two of our friends from Tabb University, stood in the aisle. Lucy was a tall, voluptuous blonde who swore like a sailor, was more outspoken than evenme,and also had a doomed crush on the Tabb hockey coach that she’d sworn us all to secrecy over. Leslie was a sweet, petite black-haired ballerina who got along with everyone. You wouldn’t think the two would be best friends, but they balanced each other perfectly. Leslie was also engaged to Tabb hockey’s left wing, Mason Calloway. Because of their connections to the team, they came to all their games—but they broke the unspoken rules and hung out with us on our side of the arena for at least part of the game.

We hugged them, then scooched over to make space.

Lucy eyed me up and down.

“I think it’s warm enough in here that you can take off that parka, Tovah,” she said finally. “Unless you’re embarrassed to show us what you’re wearing underneath?”

“Troublemaker,” I said, reluctantly unzipping my coat and revealing Isaac’s jersey underneath.

Leslie giggled. “That’s what Coach Samson calls her.”

Lucy’s cheeks flushed. “Whatever. We don’t have to talk about that. Not when you’re wearing Isaac’s jersey. So the rumors are true?”

I pasted a smile on my face, aware that the staring and whispering around us had just gotten worse. “Depends on what the rumors say.”

“They say that you and Isaac are dating. Not even dating.Together.Apparently, he’s been making itvery clearto all the guys at both Reina and Tabb that Tovah Kaufman’s taken now. And that jersey just drives the point home.”

I smiled to myself, brushing my hands over the three rolled up posters I was holding upright between my legs.

The jersey might.

But I had my own point to make.

“Uh oh,” Leslie said, watching me. “I know that look. I’ve seen that look. I’vemadethat look. Whatever you’re up to, seriously think through it. Or if Isaac’s anything like Mason, he’ll take it out on your ass later.”

This time, it was my turn to flush.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said primly, even though I remembered in graphic detail what Isaac’s punishment had felt like when he’d spanked me.

Leslie and Lucy exploded into laughter. Aviva just watched me.

“You’re hiding something from me,” she said quietly. “Tovah, you don’t have to tell me right now, but if Isaac is doing anything to hurt you…”

“I have it under control,” I said firmly.

Because at least for now, I did.

The players lined up, Isaac facing off against Tabb’s center for the puck drop.

Tabb’s center lifted his stick and pushed Isaac backward off the line, while Mason, Tabb’s left wing, picked up the puck with his stick and carried it off into the offensive zone.

“That’s my man,” Leslie said dreamily.

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