Page 11 of Time to Shine

“That’s cool. I’m banned from the PlayStation room.”

“Why?”

“Because I suck at video games. And Gio says I’m distracting. And, okay, one time—” he held up a finger “—once I spilled a can of Coke on the PlayStation.”

Landon could easily imagine all of that. “Ah.”

“I bought him a new PlayStation. He needs to let it go. We used to live together. Petey too. So. They probably got their fill of me.”

Landon didn’t reply, so Casey kept talking.

“We’re still friends. I’m not saying we’re not. We hang out all the time. Like, away from the rink I mean. Obviously we hang out all the time for hockey reasons. So what’s your deal?”

Landon had not been expecting the question and had no answer ready. “My deal?”

Casey grinned. “Yeah. Where’re you from? What are you into? You got a partner?”

Landon sat on his own bed, facing Casey. “I’m from Halifax. In Nova Scotia,” he clarified.

“Sweet,” Casey said. “Is that a cool place?”

“It’s okay. I’d never lived anywhere else until I played junior, so I don’t have a lot to compare it to.”

“I lived all sorts of places,” Casey said. “I was born in Toronto when Dad played there, so I’m technically Canadian, but I mostly grew up in Tampa. I did hockey camps and schools in Michigan and Wisconsin mostly, then ended up at Minnesota State for college. Then Calgary.”

Landon nodded, trying to keep up.

“Question two now,” Casey said. “What are you into?”

“Besides hockey?”

“Dude. Of course besides hockey.”

Landon struggled for a moment to think of one single thing. “I like to cook.”

Casey seemed to like that answer. He beamed and said, “Yeah? I fucking suck at cooking. What can you cook?”

“All sorts of stuff. I got into it after—” He paused, and redirected. “I like watching cooking shows and YouTube videos. It’s relaxing.”

“Do you read? You seem like someone who reads.”

Landon huffed out a surprised laugh. “What does that mean?”

“You seem smart. I dunno. You knew about dragon lizards, which, by the way, I googled the shit out of and they are fucking rad. Though I was hoping the bearded dragon would have more of a beard. So you don’t read?”

“I read,” Landon said, somewhat defensively. “Sometimes. I prefer watching videos. I retain information better that way.”

“Yeah, same. I’m shit at reading. Like, I can read, but it’s so fucking boring. My mind wanders.”

Landon hoped he wouldn’t regret asking this. “What are you into?”

“Oh, shit. I don’t know. Everything. Having fun, meeting people.”

Well. The meeting people thing probably explained why Hicks was here. Not the having fun part, though.

“You know those videos where they show you how something is made in a factory?” Casey asked.

“I think so.”

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