Page 122 of Unmasking Love
"Has he done the splits for you?" Ivanna asks me and I cough on my drink.
"Ohmigosh! No!"
"Too bad, although I guess it's easier if the girl is the one doing the splits." Ivanna’s eyes lift up like she’s scientifically studying acrobatics.
"Yeah, I guess so," I agree as I watch Aiden on his knees as he sticks each leg out and kicks them up towards his shoulders as he holds himself up on the ice. My pussy clenches and I cross my legs. I see Ivanna smile slyly and I slap her on the arm with the back of my hand. "Shut up."
***
The Renegades scored to tie the game and a minute of play later they iced the puck which brought on the first TV timeout in the third period. Usually the hype team plays some sort of celebrity lookalike game with the audience but instead Aiden's team photo appears on the jumbotron and I look at Ivanna wondering what is going on.
"Renegades!” The PA Announcer calls out. “Join me in celebrating a record-tying performance from our netminder, Aiden Youngren! With his primary assist earlier tonight he became the second goalie in history to have 145 in his career!"
The crowd starts clapping, we do too, and I watch as Aiden tips his mask up on the top of his head and does a quick little lap around the center of the ice holding his stick high in recognition of the fans saluting him.
"Well, that is exciting!" Ivanna yells over the noise of the crowd.
"Yeah! I had no idea!"
"You didn't?" She asks and turns to me.
"No, he never mentioned anything about it."
"Huh." She shrugs.
But I don't like the sound of this.
"What? Should I have known about this?"
"Oh, no sweetie, no.” She reaches out and pats my arm. “I'm just surprised because Vlad has been talking about how they're keeping track of his primary assists in the locker room and they all knew he was only two away from leading the record. It’s not something that typically gets tracked for goalies but they’re keeping count. I guess coach Bradford designed a few plays to help him get more."
I don't even know what a primary assist is but hell if I'm going to admit that to Ivanna when she basically just told me I'm the only one who doesn't know what a big deal this is.
Why didn't he tell me?
Is he hiding his success or doesn’t think I’m worth sharing this with?
Is that what he’s been hiding?
My cheeks hurt from forcing my smile and I watch as Aiden skates back out to the net in front of us.
He doesn't look my way.
Panic rises in my throat.
Is he disappointed that I didn't know? That I didn't do something special to celebrate? That I didn't wish him good luck getting the record when I left for work this morning?
I rack my brain trying to find the signs I missed. I go back all the way to Halloween when we first hooked up.
I count silently on my fingers in my lap.
November, December, January, February.
Four months ago.
I feel sick.
It's happening again. I've exhausted all my relationship value and after four months it's over.
