Page 52 of Famous Last Words
Jace arches a questioning brow, and I don’t miss the curious smirk that ghosts his lips, and awesome. Homeboy probably thinks I’m gay now.
Me: No, I’m not gay. What??
Keller: Sorry. You lost me.
Me: Obviously…
Keller: So, you were seeing someone?
Me: Yes. I was seeing someone. FEMALE. I’d never been serious with anyone before. It’s hard to get serious with someone when you’re a professional hockey player. But we were dating for a while, and I really thought she might’ve been the one. Hell, I’d even planned on taking her home to meet Ma.
Keller: What happened?
My jaw clenches as anger courses through me at the memory.
Me: She hooked up with Ben while I was in Boston. Turns out she was nothing but a fucking puck bunny in disguise. And I was the stupid ass who’d been too blind to see it.
Keller: And Ben Harris was your friend?
Me: Yeah. We lived together for our first two years at the Lions. He became one of my best friends.
Keller: I’m sorry that happened to you. And at a time when you were going through so much with your mom.
As much as the memory of Ben and Macy’s betrayal still stings, it’s actually good to get it off my chest for once. Like a weight being lifted.
Me: I tried to keep it together as long as I could through the playoffs. But then afterwards, without the distraction of hockey, it all became too much. Between all the stuff with my ma, and Ben and Macy, I don’t know… I guess I just went a little off the rails.
Keller: The drinking and the drugs?
Me: Drinking, yes. Drugs, absolutely not. Hell, I’ve never even smoked a joint.
Keller: But what about the picture of you with the cocaine?
Keller: Sorry. That was rude. I know you probably don’t want to talk about it.
I drag a hand over my face with a hard exhale. That fucking photograph. I swear, it’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life.I take a deep breath, contemplating myself for a moment.
Me: Lola Grey took that photo of me.
Keller: Shut up!
I really consider my next move. Telling Fran about Ben and Macy is one thing. Admitting the truth about Lola is something else entirely. But maybe this is what I need. To tell someone the truth once and for all…
Me: I started hanging out with Lola after we met in LA at a mutual friend’s birthday. She seemed fun at first. But I didn’t realize until I was in too deep that she had some serious issues. When I found out she was into drugs and shit, I tried to end it with her, but then she threatened to kill herself.
Keller: Oh my God.
Me: Yeah, so I stayed with her that night, slept on the couch, just to make sure she didn’t hurt herself. The next day, a photo of me passed out with a bag of fucking coke was splashed all over social media.
Keller: Why would she do that?
Me: She said if I didn’t want her, she was going to make me regret it by making my life a living hell. And she succeeded. The media had a fucking field day. I mean, sure, I lost a few million dollar sponsorship deals, but worst of all, it broke Ma’s heart. I had to try and convince her I wasn’t turning into my father.
Keller: And then you had to go back and play hockey again.
Me: Being forced to line up on the ice with Ben after what he did and try to pretend like everything was fine. I just couldn’t do it. It almost felt like it was all his fault. Like if it hadn’t been for the shit he pulled with Macy, then maybe none of that shit would have happened, you know?
Keller: That was the catalyst.
