Page 19 of Searching for Nova

I get up and look over at Jace. “Hey. We’re heading out.”

His mouth is attached to Liza’s as she straddles him. I doubt he heard me, or even cares that I’m leaving.

“Let’s go,” I say to Paris.

“You guys leaving?” Jace says as we head to the stairs.

I turn back. “Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’m not going to the rink.”

“Why?”

“Family shit. My grandma’s birthday is tomorrow and my mom’s throwing her a party. I won’t have time to get to the rink.”

“And I’m going later,” Kevin says, breaking from Bridget’s mouth. “Probably the afternoon.”

It’s hockey season, and Jace, Kevin, and I are all on the team. I’ve already got a scholarship to play hockey next year at the University of Wisconsin, but I still want to beat the shit out of every team we play this season, which is why I go to the gym and the ice rink almost every day. I have a skating coach to improve how I move on the ice, and on days we don’t meet, I practice on my own.

“Then I guess I’ll see you Monday,” I say.

“Yeah, see ya,” Jace says.

“Bye!” Liza says to Paris, giving her a wave. Liza and Paris aren’t really friends. They got to know each other when we all started hanging out, but they don’t do stuff together outside of the group.

“Are you still coming over in the morning?” Bridget asks Paris.

They became friends last year when they started doing makeup videos together online. They have about 6000 followers, which isn’t great, but they’re determined to grow their following this year and be social media stars.

“I’ll be there,” Paris says, glaring at me. “It’s not like I’ll be out late tonight.” She forces out a smile. “See you guys later.” And then she races up the stairs.

Kevin blows out a breath. “Fuck, you’re in deep shit. What the hell happened?”

“Nothing,” I say, which is true. It’s not like I said anything to piss her off. I just didn’t do what she wanted, which was enough for her to turn against me. I’m starting to realize how one-sided this relationship is. If Paris doesn’t get what she wants from me, she pouts and throws a fit, making me have to beg for her forgiveness. It’s bullshit, and I’m wondering why I’ve been putting up with it.

“Go to Jaselle’s tomorrow and get her something,” Bridget says. “It’s the fastest way to get her over whatever she’s mad about.”

There’s no way I’m buying Paris jewelry to make up for not having sex with her tonight. If I don’t feel like it, she should understand that or ask why, not that I’d tell her the reason, but it’d be nice if she actually pretended to care about me instead of making everything about her. Buying her jewelry would just be rewarding her little tantrum, which I’m not doing.

When I’m driving her home, she stares out the front window, twirling her hair around her finger. She hasn’t said anything since we left Jace’s house, which is fine with me. I’d rather have her sit there in silence than yell at me.

I pull up in front of her house, but she doesn’t get out. She takes her seatbelt off and turns to me. “Who is she?”

“What? Who?”

“The girl you’re seeing. Is she someone from school?”

“I’m not seeing anyone. Why the hell would you think that?”

“I’m not stupid, Easton,” she spits out, her eyes narrowed. “The only reason a guy turns down sex with his girlfriend is because he’s getting it somewhere else.”

I look her in the eye. “I don’t have someone else.”

“Then explain why you won’t have sex with me,” she says, raising her voice.

“I just didn’t feel like it tonight. I’ve got a lot going on. I told you things would change during hockey season.”

“Your games haven’t even started, and you already have a scholarship. You don’t need to be so obsessed with hockey that you don’t have time for your girlfriend.”

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