Page 21 of The Boyfriend Zone

"Exactly. I'm counting on you, Sean."

After we hung up, I stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of his expectations pressing down on me like a physical force. My shoulder throbbed, a constant reminder of how close I was to losing everything—my spot on the team, my scholarship, my father's approval, my future.

When I returned to the booth, the easy camaraderie of earlier had broken up into smaller conversations. Zach and Nate were locked in what appeared to be an intense debate about the merits of different camera lenses, while Tristan was talking hockey strategy with another teammate.

Lucas looked up as I slid back into my seat, his smile fading as he took in my expression.

"Everything okay?" he asked quietly.

"Fine." The lie came automatically. "Just my dad checking in."

Lucas studied me for a moment. "You don't seem fine."

"I'm good, really." I forced a smile. "Just tired. It's been a long day."

He didn't push, but I could tell he didn't believe me. We sat in silence for a bit, both nursing our drinks, until Lucas spoke again.

"You know, it's okay not to be okay sometimes."

When was the last time someone had given me permission to be anything less than perfect?

"Is that what you tell all your interview subjects?" I deflected, uncomfortable with how easily he seemed to see through me.

"No," Lucas replied seriously. "Just the ones I care about."

Our eyes met, and for a moment, I felt like I could tell him everything—about my shoulder, about my father, about the suffocating pressure I felt every time I stepped onto the ice. About how the only time I'd felt truly free recently was when I was kissing him.

But the moment was broken when Zach loudly proclaimed, "There's no way a 50mm prime is better than a good zoom lens for sports photography, press boy!"

"For the action shots, sure," Nate countered, leaning forward intently. "But for capturing emotion, the intimacy of player moments, the fixed focal length creates a completely different aesthetic."

"Is he always this passionate about camera equipment?" I asked Lucas, grateful for the distraction.

"Oh, this is nothing," Lucas laughed. "You should hear him when someone suggests that digital filters are just as good as proper exposure techniques."

The conversation flowed easily after that, with Lucas sharing funny stories about the newspaper office and me recounting some of the team's more ridiculous road trip antics. It felt good—normal, even—like we really could be friends without all the complications of our attraction to each other.

But every time our hands accidentally brushed reaching for drinks, or our eyes held for a beat too long, that undeniable pull was still there, a current running beneath the surface of our carefully casual interaction.

As the night wore on, teammates began to filter out. Tristan clapped me on the shoulder as he left, making me wince slightly as he hit too close to my injury.

"You coming, Sean?" he asked. "Early practice tomorrow."

"In a bit," I replied. "Just gonna finish my drink."

Zach, who had somehow migrated to sitting right next to Nate during their ongoing debate, gave me a knowing look but didn't comment.

"I should head out too," Lucas said once Tristan had gone. "I've got an early class, and Mia wants the draft of this article by tomorrow afternoon."

"I'll walk you out," I offered, standing before I could think better of it.

Outside Hat Trick's, the night air was cool and crisp, a welcome relief from the tavern's warmth and noise. Lucas zipped up his jacket as we stood awkwardly on the sidewalk.

"Thanks for coming tonight," I said, suddenly shy. "It was nice. Hanging out like normal people."

"Is that what we are?" Lucas asked with a small smile. "Normal people?"

"Well, maybe not normal," I admitted. "But it felt good, being around you without all the... complications."

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