Page 6 of In the Net
“Probably has something to do with your sixth sense for detecting any opportunity to knock me down a peg.”
She tilts a shoulder. “If I don’t do it, who will?”
My brows crease as Harper reminds me that ever since freshman year here at Brumehill College, she’s made it her personal mission to criticize, undermine, or insult me at any opportunity. I don’t know when exactly she developed this grudge against me that sure as hell didn’t exist when we were growing up together, or if she plans on ever relinquishing it, but …
“My class is this way,” she says, taking a sharp left. “Catch you later, unfortunately.”
I breathe a quiet laugh as I watch her blazing hair bounce as she picks up her pace and disappears into the stream of students walking between classes.
Yeah, we’ll catch each other later, alright. That’s one thing we can’t seem to avoid.
I try to shake off thoughts of Harper and head home. A wistful feeling slices through me when I cross the street, approaching the big, Victorian-style house where top players from the Brumehill Black Bears hockey team live off campus.
Ever since this semester started, there’s been a bittersweet air hanging over the place, at least for me. Because four of the guys I’ve lived with in this house for the last couple years moved out after graduating last semester.
Hudson, Tuck, Rhys, and Lane have all left Cedar Shade for their various professional teams, and fuck if I don’t miss them.
Don’t get me wrong. My new roommates are great. There’s Jamie and Carter, guys who I’ve known for a while already, and two new players who Coach Torres scouted as major transfers this year. I’m already enjoying living with this new group, but I’ll never stop missing the old crew who felt like family to me.
Still do, really. We keep in touch through our group chat that’s constantly active, but of course it’s nothing like living together was for the last two years.
When I step inside, I see across the living room that the door to the backyard is open. I can hear some of the guys out there. I let my bookbag slide off my shoulder onto the floor and step out to join them.
Carter, Jamie, and our new goalie, Felix Marshall, are hanging out. Felix has his shirt off and is leaning back in a reclining chair, soaking up the rays with a big pair of sunglasses on.
Every time I see Felix, I chuckle, because he’s the total opposite of our former goalie, Hudson Voss. While Hudson isgrumpy and no-nonsense, Felix is laid-back and goofy. He’s a life-of-the-party kind of guy, and it seems like he can’t step outside without making a new friend. He sure as hell can’t step outside without picking up a few girls’ numbers.
Jamie and Carter are at the side of the yard underneath the shade of the big tree whose branches arc over the fence. Carter’s trying to teach Jamie how to play hacky sack. It’s amusing enough watching Jamie flail his legs around hopelessly, but what really catches my attention is the conversation they’re having.
“Have you noticed the new girl working at Last Word?” Jamie asks, referencing the big bookstore-slash-coffee shop in downtown Cedar Shade.
“New girl?” Carter asks, running to kick the hacky sack that Jamie’s awkward leg-flailing launched way off course. “Don’t think I have. Why?”
Jamie shrugs, his shoulders stiffening a little, his tell-tale indication of shyness. “No reason. Just asking.”
Felix sits up, lifting his sunglasses to look at Jamie. “You have a thing for her?” he asks with interest.
By now, Felix has found out that Jamie still has his V-card, and he’s taken a keen interest in the romantic prospects of the new first-line defenseman.
Jamie’s cheeks turn pink. “Nah. No thing. Just noticed her and wondered if anyone else did.”
Carter laughs, shaking his head. “Sure, dude,” he says.
“I’ll give you some book recs, Jamie,” I say, announcing my presence as I stroll into the backyard. “You’ll have excuses to keep stopping by to pick them up whenever she’s on shift. Just don’t tell her where you’re getting the recommendations from, because then she’ll lose any interest in you and come looking for me because of my stellar taste in literature.”
“Yo, Sebastian,” Felix greets me, sitting up to exchange the special housemate handshake that he insisted we all learn.“Now that you’re here, you can add your perspective on a very important topic we were discussing earlier.”
I sit down on the grass, feeling the warmth of the sun on the back of my neck. “Shoot,” I say.
“Alright,” Felix continues, “say there’s this really ugly guy. Like really ugly. Not just ugly, but his hygiene isterrible.”
I tilt an eyebrow in amusement. “Yeah?”
“And you have a choice. You have to either give him a blowjob, or a certain number of handjobs.”
My lips twitch. “A certain number, huh?”
“Yeah. Obviously, you’d rather give him one handjob than one blowjob. But what’s the number of handjobs where you’d finally say, fuck it, I’ll just give him the blowjob. Ten? Twenty? More?”
