Page 26 of Unrecognizable Player

He frowns at me like I’m the biggest idiot in the world.

“Just kidding.”

“No I know it’s just…” he shakes his head. “You do know that Queens V Brooklyn has nothing to with… never mind.”

I’m not about to get into an argument aboutWest Side Storywith him, so I change the subject. “Whereabouts in Brooklyn are you from?”

“Do you know Brighton Beach?”

“No, but I’ve heard of it. Coney Island way right?”

“Sure, yeah.”

“What are you gonna do when you finish college? Go and play in the NHL or whatever?”

Something flashes across his face and I wish I hadn’t opened my big stupid mouth. But he recovers quickly.

“No, actually, I’m doing a finance degree, I’m looking for work placements in banks after graduation.”

“You wanna go work in a bank?”

“Nobodywantsto work in a bank.” He says it like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Surelysomeonewants to work in a bank?”

He just death stares me.

“I guess it pays better than hockey?” I thought professional sports were one of the best paying professions in the world, but what do I know?

“It pays better than minor league hockey, yeah.”

Ah, okay, raw nerve, sore spot, got it.

“Well… I’m sure it’ll be exciting, working in the city. You can be one of those guys in the Armani suits who walk past wafting Tom Ford cologne everywhere they go, you know? Talking on their cellphones about business deals and-”

“Everybody hates those guys.”

“Yeah, but only because they’re jealous of how rich they are. Imagine being so rich that people wanna punch you?”

He lets out a breath of a laugh through his nose. “I guess.”

He gets up to rinse his coffee cup out and I try not to look at the way his ass looks in his sleep shorts.

“I’m gonna put the blender on now, is that okay?”

“Sure, it’s your apartment.”

“No.” He turns to face me. “It’s our apartment.”

Oh.Why do I feel all warm at that? Itisour apartment, I’m paying rent. But still, the ice king just thawed a little.

“I’m going over to the music department now to practice my violin, so I’ll see you later maybe?”

He’s already distracted, peeling a banana to put in the blender, so he just grunts in response. But before I reach my room, he calls me back.

“I forgot, my teammate wanted me to ask you if Alice is single.”

“Alice?”

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