Page 101 of The Alternate Captain
Then it gets worse.
“If you’d done as you were told and had those extra lessons...”
My jaw drops. “Are you serious right now?”
“Yes, I am. Because you could have done better.”
“And you wanted me to suck my coach’s dick for the privilege? You’re crazy.”
“It wasn’t like that,” Dad says.
But I’m done with this conversation. I can feel myself tensing up with frustration.
Just once, I’d love for my dad to tell me he’s proud of me and that he enjoyed my game, without making it all about him.
I move around to the front of my car and reach for the door handle. “I’ve got to go.”
And I’m hoping beyond all hope that Kelly did actually go to my place, because she’s like a single flame, burning bright in my world of darkness.
I thought I’d feelawkward waiting in Johnny’s place, but I don’t. It feels homely and cosy, and I can’t wait to see him.
I’m half-tempted to look around, nose through his cupboards and drawers and whatever, but I’m also scared about getting caught. I’d be so pissed off if someone went snooping around my stuff.
I do, however, get out my sheet music and work my way through it while I wait. And I check the score of his game every so often just in case I need to prepare myself for a loss.
It’s almost half ten by the time I hear the door rattling as someone opens it from the other side, and Johnny comes into view, carrying his gear and wearing a suit that practically makes my eyes pop out of my head.
“Did you win?” I ask, knowing full well that they did.
“We sure did. The next game is a Challenge Cup game but—what? Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks, moving to where I’m sitting on his sofa.
He squats down next to me, putting his elbows on the arm.
“I just think... you look really good in a suit, Johnny.”
He laughs, right to his eyes, making the cobalt sparkle.
“I’m actually so glad to see you,” he says, tilting his head to the side as he looks at me.
“Yeah? Did you have a good day?”
He stands up and loses his suit jacket. He’s wearing a crisp merlot-coloured button-up shirt that hugs every single muscle he has. It makes me wonder if I should start going to the gym or something.
“Honestly? No. I don’t even know where to start, or if I even want to talk about it. But by any luck, my dad will be going home tomorrow.” He moves towards the kitchen beforeturning his head back towards me. “Hey, do you want a drink or something, beautiful?”
My heart pumps wildly in my chest and I can’t even will myself to speak, so I shake my head.
He steps into the kitchen area and brings back a bottle of water, setting it on the table before taking a seat next to me.
“Your friend Tom won the ‘Shirt Off His Back’ prize—and guess whose jersey he took home?”
“You’re kidding?” I ask, widening my eyes.
“Nah. He was like a kid at Christmas.”
“I told you he’s a fan,” I say.
“What’re you up to anyway?” he says, looking at the papers I’ve got on my lap. I fill him in about the tour and prep that I have to do beforehand. And before I know it, we’re sitting right up close to each other, and Johnny is playing with a tress of my hair while he listens to me talk.
