Page 23 of The Riley Effect

“I’m nervous.” The confession leaves my lips before I fully understand what I admit.

Lola joins us on the couch and snuggles into my side. She takes my hand and squeezes it. “Nerves are good. They mean you care. It’s important to live your life Ivy. Not wait for it to come to you.”

Indy adds, “I’m pretty sure it was you who told me we never get to where we are supposed to be by living in fear. It’s one double date, and I promise that if at any point you want to leave, I’ll be the one driving you home.”

I take her hand and give it a light squeeze. How did I get so lucky to find these girls?

“Tell the boys I’ll go only if we get to pick the movie.”

The hockey team’s Thursday night scrimmage gave me no choice but to see Jalen for the first time since our date on Saturday.

I wear my standard leggings, Westvale University shelter hoodie, and baseball hat. It’s my usual uniform for when I have to take Riley to games.

I wish I had the same excited energy that the golden retriever has had since he realized we were headed to the Riley Center, instead I want to crawl under a rock to never be seen again.

I take the short walk from the shelter to the arena enjoying the cool fall evening. I soak in the sunset and the trees that are shedding their last leaves, knowing in a few weeks, snow will cover campus, and I won’t see the sun until April.

Before I can enter the arena, I am bombarded by a gaggle of six-year-olds who ask if they can pet Riley. I bend down so I am at eye level with them and show them how Riley likes to sniff your hand before he lets you pet him. They bring the back of their hands to his nose and then give his back a good scratch. I stand as the last kid takes his spot along Riley’s back. I let out a laugh at the grin on Riley’s face and the row of kids putting it there.

There is a tap on my shoulder and Mr. Holloway is standing to my right.

“They’re about to start the national anthem,” he tells me with a soft smile. Then, turning to the kids, he continues, “Thanks for playing with Riley. The boy looks like he had some good lovin’.”

I watch to make sure all the kids find their way back to their parents before I start walking into the hockey arena with Mr. Holloway.

“How’s Jalen doing at the shelter?” he asks me. “It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen him.”

“He seems to be enjoying it. He said the other day it’s nice to have something to look forward to that isn’t hockey related.”

You can’t miss the smirk on Mr Holloway’s face as he holds the door open for me.

“I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact he gets to spend time with you.”

I’m hoping he doesn’t notice the hitch in my step as I try to play it cool. Jalen and I have hung out once. It’s one thing for our friends to know about it but telling our families seems like a kind of big step.

“Wh..what do you mean?” I think I know what he means. And it’s a good thing I do because he gets pulled away before he has a chance to answer me.

“Hey Matt, do you have a second?” The question belongs to Coach Martin, Westvale’s Men’s Swimming and Diving coach. The urge to give this man a hug is overwhelming.

“I have to make my way to the ice.” The tension in my shoulders eases as I mentally note to never to complain about being unlucky again. I can barely talk about my emotions to my sister. Asking me to open up to my athletic director—and Jalen’s uncle— is my own personal death sentence.

Riley and I take the stairs so we are at ice level and take our spot on the carpet behind the petite woman preparing to sing the national anthem.

A deep voice cuts through the sounds of a rowdy stadium and it’s calling my name. The familiar voice wakes the butterflies that have been making themselves at home in my belly. I look in the opposite direction to a man skating my way. As always, I fail at playing coy and make eye contact with Jalen. He snags his spot for the national anthem, and that spot is right next to me.

“Hey,” I say, unlike my run in with Jalen’s uncle, I was fully prepared to see him today. “I saw your uncle walking in today,” I tell him. The extra height his skates add to his six-foot-five frame has me hitching my head back, just so I can meet his eyes. “He asked me about how you’re enjoying your time at the shelter.”

His answer to his uncle’s question comes without a second of hesitation. “I like it a lot more on days that you are there.”

I can feel my face heat as he echoes his uncle’s sentiment. I switch Riley’s leash to my other hand so I can run my clammy hand down my leggings. Why am I so damn nervous around this man?

“But tomorrow,” he starts, his voice hesitant so it takes me a second to realize he’s talking to me. “So… umm, I think Marcus already talked to Indy, but we wanted to do a movie night tomorrow night.”

I tamper the urge to make fun of the pink blotches taking over his caramel-colored cheeks, and when he looks down before meeting my eyes. It’s weird to see a man who usually exudes so much confidence be so unsure of himself. I find it flattering that I can throw Jalen off his game.

“I’ll be there. What’s your favorite candy?” I ask because you can’t have a movie night without something sweet.

“When popcorn’s involved, there needs to be Bunch-A-Crunch. That shit goes right in with the popcorn,” he tells me before he skates to take his place for the puck drop.

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