Page 104 of Goalkeeper
Jake:Once mom tells you, book your train tickets. I’ll pick you up at the station.
Paige:Sounds good. Are you bringing a date? Because I’d rather hang out with you than watch some girl fawn all over you.
Jake:Nah, I’m too busy to date. How about you? Are you terrorizing the male population of Moo U?
I’m not quite sure how to answer that, and I just flooded my cuticle with top coat, so I need to grab an orange stick to fix it.
Jake:Paige?
Jake:???
Jake:Whose ass do I need to kick?
Paige:Calm down. I’m giving myself a pedi and I needed to fix something. Anyway...maybe…
Paige:And that’s a maybe on the plus one, not a maybe on you kicking anyone’s ass. Besides, you want to be a plastic surgeon. Don’t you have to, like, insure your hands or some shit?
Jake:I’d make it work. Who is he? Do I know him? I bet my friends do.
Paige:Nope. Not telling. It’s not even a thing. And he might be busy that weekend.
Paige:Emma needs me. Gotta go. Love you!
Jake:Baby sisters are THE WORST. 0/10 Would NOT recommend.
I laugh when I see Jake’s last text. But I don’t know if Spencer is free that weekend. I think his season starts soon. And even if he is free, I’m not sure I’d subject him to a weekend with my family. I mean, we’ve kissed a couple of times. But kisses do not a relationship make. And he runs pretty hot and cold, although things have definitely been on the warmer end of the spectrum lately. I guess I’ll wait and see.
Just as I finish up my last top coat, Emma knocks and simultaneously opens my door. I keep telling her that’s not how knocking works, but she doesn’t believe me.
“Do you feel like going to the hockey house? Meysy just texted and I might head over there for a bit. Since your crush lives there, I thought I’d check.”
“Oh my god, Emma. We are not in middle school and he is not my crush.”
“Okay, whatever. You coming?”
I don’t even hesitate. I just gently slide my feet into flip-flops, grab my phone, and head for the door. “Yep.”
Spencer
I hear a tentative tap on my door, which is odd. No one in this house knocks. And no one in this house does anything gently.
“Come in,” I call from my bed. I’m supposed to be reading a couple chapters for Anthro, but I’m watching some footage my dad sent me.
I don’t know who I was expecting, but it sure as hell wasn’t Paige. We talked last night after practice, and I sent her a text this morning telling her to have a good day, but we didn’t make any plans. Still, I’m not complaining.
“Hey, come on in.” I sit up and smooth my comforter out.
“Hi. Emma was on her way over, so I thought I’d tag-along.”
“I’m so glad you did. But seriously, come on in.” I stand and gesture to my desk chair, wondering if she’d be more comfortable there.
“Nope. I’m not coming in. You’re coming out.”
“What?”
“Well, down, really.”
“I’m confused,” I tell her, running my hands through my hair and wondering if I should put a hat on. I must look a wreck. Practice was good, but long, and I’ve been lounging here, pretending to study Anthro while actually studying hockey for the last hour.
