Page 9 of All Too Well
It’s better than having to write about Lachlan the child-saving hero.
“Oh, honey, you thought the baseball team in New York was a football team and that there were innings in the hockey game.”
“How was I supposed to know it was quarters?” I ask, confused.
She slaps her forehead. “Periods. They have periods, not quarters.”
Right. I swear they explained that at the game the other night. I went because it was free. The paper has tickets or something, and they gave them to Aiden, who gave them to Caroline.
I had no idea how freaking cold it was going to be in the arena. That was an unpleasant surprise. Although itisice hockey.Still, one would think the part where fans are would be comfortable and I wouldn’t need a damn coat.
“At least I learned all about icing.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yes, every penalty called you just yelled ... icing.”
I shrug. “Well, they called it a lot.”
“And do you even know what it is now?”
She thinks she’s so smug. I totally know what it is. “It’s when the ball?—”
“Puck.”
“Goes past that line back by the guy in the cage?—”
“Net,” Caroline says with a sigh. “For fuck’s sake this conversation is painful.”
“Right. And the other players are too slow to get to the other line. Was it red? Or blue? Anyway, it’s a line and they weren’t there.”
Caroline lifts her head to the ceiling before looking back at me. “You are the absolute last person in the entire world who should write about sports.”
“Not the point. I wanted this assignment. It’s finally my chance to prove that I’m a capable and intelligent journalist who can handle any type of story that hits my desk. I graduated summa cum laude from NYU, and I’m going to go to Ember Falls, get what I need, and write a killer article.”
When I got this job, I had a plan to get some bylines and then work for a much more reputable publication. It’s not that this place is bad, per se, just not exactly respected as a newspaper.
Still, I had bills, and my father refused to give me any assistance after school. So here I am, making a living.
Caroline smiles. “I know you will.”
I let out a long sigh and lean against the cubicle wall. “I’m going to do amazing, right?”
“You’re going to do better than that. What’s your plan?”
“First, I need to research his football career, because all I know about him is as my brother’s best friend. Is there, like, a football for dummies?”
“Yes, but even that might be too advanced for you.”
I stick my tongue out at her. “Shut up.”
“Well, have fun in Ember Falls.”
“Yeah, I will have the most fun ever.”
And isn’t that the understatement of the year?
three
Lachlan
