Page 21 of The Poster Boy
“Thanks, Cap.”
“You too, Vas.” Boone tossed another bag at him. He never went far without some kind of snack and he took a bag out for himself.
The last one off the ice. The last one to the dressing room. The weight room. The showers. The bus. Myers finally showed up, Coach hot on his heels, but grinning like it wasn’t a big deal. Myers took the available seat near the front, and I looked away, biting the bag of trail mix between my teeth to tear it open.
With Vas distracted, though, Boone was free to turn his attention to me.
“I thought I told you to sort your attitude.” Boone kept his voice low, but it wasn’t exactly a conversation I wanted to have on the bus.
“I did. Take it up with Myers. He called me an asshole.”
Boone let out a sigh. “Well, if the skate fits. Jesus Christ, Brooksie.”
Church popped his head up over the back of our seat. “What’s Brookbank in trouble for this time?” he asked.
It was Vasily who answered. “Being mean to Myers.” Upon seeing my shocked face, he simply shrugged. “Boone doesn’t whisper as quietly as you two think he does. And everyone can see the looks you toss the guy.”
Well,shit. Great. I shot Boone a dirty look, shoved myearbuds in my ears, and closed my eyes. Peace lasted about three seconds before Boone plucked the earbud out of the ear closest to him.
“Listen, Jay. I’m sorry.”
Slowly, I turned my head toward Boone. “You’re sorry that I’m an asshole?”
Boone grinned. “That too.”
“I really was going to make nice, you know. But he called me an asshole in front of Brayden, and it pissed me off.”
Boone laughed at me and dropped my earbud into my lap. “Everything pisses you off. Make nice with Myers.”
“Is that an order from my captain?”
Boone arched an eyebrow at me. “Does it have to be?”
I stuffed the earbud back in my ear, but before I turned my music on to ignore everyone, I looked at Boone. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Good boy, Brooksie.”
“I hate you.”
Boone laughed. “You try, but I’m impossible to hate.”
“I’ll just have to keep trying.”
“Oh, Brooksie, you’re so ornery. It’d be scary if it wasn’t so cute.”
Sick of Boone’s shit, I turned my music on and shut my eyes. In my head, I went over every moment of the game. I went over the chances we created and the saves Myers made. He was good. But Church was my friend, and I hated that he was off his game. I needed Church back in net and for things to go back to normal. Maybe then it would be easier to give Myers a break. In the meantime, I’d have to keep my head down and try not to let his existence annoy me.
Chapter 11
Marek
“Isaw your game the other night.”
Kelsey watched all of my games. It hadn’t always been like that between us. With five years up on me, she’d had her own life, and I’d had mine. We hadn’t been close until our parents disowned me, and I took refuge with her. I still carried guilt for the way I’d derailed her life, but admittedly her newfound happiness eased some of the lingering emotion.
Kelsey would kick my ass if she found out I still felt bad for intruding on her life. She’d never treated me like a burden or a bother. I’d never been anything else, but she acted like it was her sacred duty to help me in any way she could.
“How’d I do?”
