Page 14 of Unrecognizable Player

On my way over to Alice’s, I text the number Madison gave me, deciding to do something sensible instead and find a place to stay. So he’s a hockey player? What’s the worst that can happen?

4

ALEXEI

Hi it’s Stefanos, Madison said you were looking for a roommate, maybe I could come and take a look at the place?

Who the fuck is Stefanos, and Madison?

I ignore the message for now and get on with my work-out.

It’s only when my bank pings me again to remind me I’m in my overdraft – even deeper now – that I read the text again.

“What’s up man?”

Pawlowski takes the machine next to mine and starts racking up the weights.

“Nothing, just this roommate shit.”

“Oh yeah, I gave my sister your number.” Brown shouts from the other side of the room.Big ears.

Someone wolf whistles until he gives them a death stare. “Not for that man! For the roommate.”

“You want your sister to live with Simakov?” Hoffman asks.

“Hey, if you can trust anyone around your sister it’s Cap.” Brown jokes with a shit-eating grin.

My blood boils and shame tints my face before I ask. “Why’s that?”

“Because you’re saving it for marriage right? Aren’t you like an Orthodox Catholic?”

Shit, yeah, I did tell them I was saving my virginity for marriage so they’d get off my back about setting me up with girls. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

"Hey man, I respect it,” he goes on. “I wasn’t clowning you about it.”

Great, now I’ve acted like a dick in front of all my teammates.

I try to laugh it off. “Don’t sweat it. And thanks for asking round, I’m kinda getting desperate with this roommate situation.”

“Desperate enough to live with Brown’s sister?” Hoffman asks with a grin. Brown smacks him on the chest.

“It’s not for my sister,dick, I thought she might know someone in her class or in the band or something.”

“What kind of band?” Pawlowski perks up. “The marching band?”

“I don’t know, maybe. I don’t listen to half the shit she says.”

“That’s just lovely, dick brain,” Pawlowski says.

“My sister would kick me in the balls if I didn’t listen to her.” I say to stop them from getting into a full-blown argument.

“Yeah, but your little sister’s cool, she comes to your games and gets you to sign her jersey, it’s cute.” I smile, thinking about the last time she did that. It was embarrassing, but it was also really fucking nice. I know I’ll never get to do shit like that after I graduate, because I won’t be playing pro. This is my last chance to sign jerseys and play hockey, or even be around hockey.Before I go into the world of finance and bankers and wearing a fucking suit to work every day.

I text this Stefanos guy back and tell him what time I’ll be home if he wants to come and take a look at the place.

I havea ton of work to do for my next finance assignment, but after my work-out and then practice, my shoulder’s killing me.

Michael, the PT, calls me in for a sport’s massage before I can escape and I have to pretend I’m not in pain as he works through the knots.

---