Page 56 of Forbidden Puck
“Okay, okay—wait, you mean you actually heard them fucking?! Because Radar seems to think that you slept through it …”
“How could I sleep throughthat? Her screams were just awful. Like a thousand wolves being burned alive.”
Lance practically fell out of his chair. “Ohhh my God! A thousand wolves—aaah! I would've loved to have heard that!”
“You laugh, but I was worried. I actually came out to check on them and make sure everyone was alright.”
Lance's eyes grew as big as plates. “You what???”
“I mean, what if someone was having a medical emergency? I had to make sure.”
“Well, what'd you see?” Lance asked.
“Um.” I covered my mouth and snickered. “Well, I saw Radar, butt-naked and covered with sweat, jack-hammering away on some blonde chick on the red leather couch that wejustpicked out.”
Radar turned as red as a tomato, but Lance beamed with delight.
“So you actually caught them in the act?! I am laughing my fucking ass off right now! Dude! Figures some shit like this would go down the one night I'm not here! Can you believe he fucked that girl on the new couch? I told him he owes me five grand. Look at how red Radar is—you can tell he's ashamed of himself, haa!”
“How do you thinkshefeels? She's probably reallyregretting her life choices today,” I said, “especially once she realizes she left her panties here and everything. How embarrassing for her.”
“So you saw the panties in the living room, too?! Dude, Radar, you really fucked up, bud!” Lance howled, pointing a finger right in Radar's face. “But don't worry, Ella, I doubt she'll be missing those panti—”
“That's enough,” Radar roared, and the room fell suddenly quiet and tense.
Lance leaned back in his chair. “Jeez. Hey, sorry bud. Just playin' around, that's all.”
Radar checked his watch. “Look. We need to get going or we're going to be late.”
“Right, right.” Lance rose from his chair. “Lemme grab my shit.”
Lance went off to his room. I started to walk away too, but Radar spun me around with his hand on my shoulder.
“What the hell was all that?” he growled at me quietly.
“Huh? I'm just doing what you asked. You wanted me to lie for you, right?”
“Not likethat!The more ridiculous details you add, the less believable it is!”
I rolled my eyes. “So now you're telling mehowI should lie.”
“Ella, please! Be reasonable!”
Lance stepped back into the room, ready to go. He raised a suspicious eyebrow at the two of us. “What's up, you guys?”
“Radar was just apologizing for his behavior last night.” I strutted away. “You two have fun at your morning skate.”
Chapter 18
Morning Skate
Radar
The water taxi chugged towards Boston, but I kept my eye trained on our building. Somewhere in there, Ella was busy hating my guts.
And even if I wasn't happy with her little stunt at breakfast, I knew why she'd done it. I'd made her lie. The one thing she built her personal code around … and I'd made her trash it. Just for me.
I wished I didn't have to go to morning skate. I wished I could call in sick, but that never goes over well with your teammates or your coaches. All I wanted more than anything right now was to be back in that building.Alonewith Ella, so I could really try to … I dunno. Talk about last night? Explain myself?
