Page 13 of One Last Puck

My eyes darted to the screen, and there she was smiling and talking to GZN Sports about winning the podcast contest.

“Shit! Is this your first time on TV?” I questioned.

“Yes! Get my picture!” She squealed, and I moved fast to retrieve my phone off the nightstand.

“I got you.” I opened up my camera app and angled the phone at the screen, being sure not to get any of her naked body.

“This is so crazy.”

“You gonna be a big deal after this, shawty.”

“I can only hope.”

“You will. You’re Lafayette Porter!” I hyped her up. “The next big face in sports reporting.”

“Wow.” She gasped, returning to her seat as her news segment went off. If Avery could see this,” she said settling back on the bed.

“Avery? Is that your ex? The one that passed?”

“Yes.” Her voice dropped. This was obviously a source of a lot of pain for her.

“Do you mind if I ask what happened?”

“No… um he was hit by a stray bullet one night when he was out with some friends two years ago.”

“Wow. I’m sorry. How long were you guys together?”

“Three years. We met in college.”

I nodded my head. I was not sure what to say.

“Have you dated since?” I asked.

“Date? No. I mostly just sleep around. I’ve accepted the fact that Avery was probably my one and only true love.”

Wrong. It was me.

“So, what? All you have to offer is one night?” I questioned.

“Pretty much.” She shrugged.

“Seems pretty empty.”

“Says the guy who’s in the press every other day with a new hook up.”

“That’s how I know it’s empty. Just looking for some shit to do to fill a void.”

Her head turned in my direction.

“What void are you trying to fill?” she asked.

“I was the geeky kid none of the high school girls liked. When I becametheJaxton Saint, it seemed like I could redeem myself.”

“So, you sleep around to boost your ego.” She said it like she was unlocking some secret code or some shit.

“And you? What void are you trying to fill?”

I had my theories, but I wanted to hear what she had to say. She gazed at me, and it was like the broken shit in me was mending with the broken shit in her.

---