I feel like I’m fraying at the edges while I wait for our midterm to be graded, but I keep reminding myself that if I scored poorly, I can do test corrections.
At least Coach B didn’t ask me how she’s doing. I’m not sure what I would have said if he had.
After getting dressed, Alondra’s bag tucked on the top shelf of my stall taunts me. She had me set it out a few days ago for her, and it took everything in me not to get here early to watch her not skate. Al can deny it all she wants, but clearly she’s just as much of a junkie for ice time as the rest of us, but I’ve been trying to respect the boundary she set.
I’m pretty much failing at trying to get her out of my head, and I don’t know what to do about it.
Johnny asked about her after she left, but I shut it down fast by explaining Al’s my tutor, and he didn’t say anything else.
My dark sweater is warm, but I still pull my team jacket over it to keep out some of the chill on my walk to the library where I’m supposed to be meeting Al. I should have borrowed Nate’s blow-dryer because the towel I used to dry my hair didn’t do much, but I’m already running late. The last thing I want to do is piss Alondra off by making her think I don’t respect her time. The wind is brutal today, and pretty soon I’ll have to start taking the underground tunnels between buildings when there’s too much snow to clear all the sidewalks, but it makes me feel claustrophobic.
I replay the voice memo she sent me yesterday, listening for where she said she’d be sitting before recording a quick one back to her. “Sorry, running late, but I should be there in a few. See you soon,” I say, picking up my pace as the wind bites at my face.
I’ve never been more happy to be at the library than when I step through the doors and make my way toward the second floor where Al said she’d be.
Something in my chest settles when I see her sitting at a table in the back with two coffees in front of her, and I slide into the chair opposite her.
“For me? You shouldn’t have,” I say, shrugging out of my jacket to wrap my hands around the warm cup.
“It’s just coffee, don’t make a big deal about it,” Alondra says, twisting a long dark curl around her finger, but her hazel eyes are twinkling today. Goddamn, sometimes it’s really hard to pretend she’s not beautiful. “How was practice?”
It catches me by surprise she’s asking about hockey, since any time I broach the topic of her coming to a game, Al can’t run in the other direction fast enough. “We had off-ice conditioning today,” I say, and she grimaces.
“Gross. I’ve started going to the gym in the mornings and my ass is paying for it,” Alondra says, taking a sip of her coffee.
She makes it too easy to flirt with her.
“You need some help with massaging it? I’ve been told my hands are pretty magical, darlin’.” I smirk at Al, and she rolls her eyes, tempting me to ask her if she wants them to get stuck in the back of her head.
“Dylan’s already volunteered, so yours aren’t needed,” she replies, tipping her pretty pink lips into a smile, and mine drops.
When did Dylan run into Al? Why didn’t he say anything?
“I wouldn’t let Dylan’s hands touch me with a ten-foot pole, but your loss,” I say, trying to let it roll off my back as I take a sip of my coffee. It helps warm me from the inside out, especially when I taste the sweetness of the caramel and the notes of vanilla in it.She remembered my coffee order.
A laugh sputters from Al, and she crosses her arms over her chest. “You say it like you’re any better?” Alondra scolds, and I lean back in my chair.
“I’m happy to confirm I always wrap it before I tap it,” I say, but I know Dylan does too. His family is loaded, and his parents have told him on more than one occasion that they’re not ready for grandchildren. Regardless of how much he gets around, he’s careful.
Unfortunately for me, I’ve been getting pretty familiar with my hand. I haven’t been interested in anyone for a couple of weeks now, and my roommates haven’t failed to notice either.
“Good for you,” she says, but I don’t feel any better thinking about Dylan putting his hands all over Alondra’s ass.
“I’m just saying be careful.” I take another sip of my coffee, and Alondra rolls her eyes again. “You know if you keep doing that, they’re gonna get stuck in the back of your head,” I say, and she rolls them again to prove a point.
“Then stop saying stupid shit if you don’t want me to roll them,” she retorts, tapping her purple nails on the table, and my traitorous mind imagines what they would feel like clawing at my back and what they would look like wrapped around my cock.Shit, maybe I can’t just be friends with a girl.
“I didn’t say anything stupid. I told you to be careful if you’re going to mess around with Dylan,” I say, trying not to vomit as I do. I can be attracted to her and be her friend.
“It was stupid because I’m not going to mess around with Dylan. I said he offered to give me a massage which is literally no different from what you offered to do. So can we agree what you said was stupid, or do I need to roll my eyes again?” Alondra asks, raising an eyebrow at me.
“It is different,” I say, but I honestly don’t know how it is.
“Shut up and drink your bougie coffee.”
My jaw falls open because Alondra never ceases to surprise me. “You know, you’re kind of bossy.” I laugh under my breath, watching as Alondra plays with a curl.
“I think you like it, or maybe you’d stop picking fights with me,” Alondra says, and she’s not wrong. Fighting with Al feels like foreplay, but it’s wrong because it can’t happen. Fuck, it feels good, though.
