Hockey has always been my dad’s thing, and it was something I desperately wanted to be a part of until I realized it was hopeless to try.
Now with Jack, I’m knee deep in it, and somehow, Dad has no fucking clue.
“Do you really think Coach’ll be that upset about it?” Jack asks, sniffling as he crosses his arms over his chest, bringing my attention once again to the delicate silver hanging around his neck.
“I’ve honestly tried to not think about it, but I don’t think Dad would be as mad if it were anyone else on the team. But you’re you, so I’d put money on it.”
“What does it matter that it’s me?”
I exhale a quiet laugh, tapping my fingers on my thigh. “Come on, pretty boy. Do you really need me to stroke your ego by pointing out you were the third overall draft pick two years ago, and you’re his star playerandteam captain? I shouldn’t be anywhere near you.”
He coughs into his elbow, sniffling a few times before responding, struggling to keep his blue eyes open. “There’s nothing wrong with our friendship.”
I can’t ignore the tightening in my chest at the wordfriendship. That’s all we’ll ever be.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” I say, but I don’t think I am.
“Sometimes I wish it was just about the game. No money, no draft—just skating and playing hockey. It’s all I thought I wanted,” Jack mumbles, and I’m not sure what he means by it. Has what he wanted changed?
I want to ask, but I’m pretty sure Jack’s fallen asleep.
I’m in so far over my fucking head.
He’s wormed his way into my life like a parasite, and now I don’t know what to do without him. He’s gone above and beyond to prove he isn’t anything like Bradley, and whether Jack knows it or not, he’s helping to mend the pieces of myself I thought couldn’t be put together again.
I step out of the bathroom for a moment, listening to hear if he moves, but now I’m noticing what a disaster his normally clean room is.
Jack’s clothes from practice are on the floor by the bed, the dresser drawers are half-open, and his blankets are strewn everywhere from tossing and turning. I try my best to straighten things up, wishing I knew where his spare sheets were so I could change them. I’m sure his bed is exactly where he’ll head once he’s awake and out of the tub.
When I check on Jack, I’m relieved but a little concerned he hasn’t moved, so I hover for a moment, waiting until I see his chest rise and fall again. Jack looks so peaceful, and he probably needed the rest, especially with the season in full swing.
If I were smart, I’d start distancing myself before this all ends in disaster, but maybe I just like playing with fire.
If he stays in the tub too long, it’ll end up hurting more than it could help. I’m about to nudge Jack when Dylan walks into the room without knocking, typing on his phone. “Schultz, are you still one of the living dead, or can I tell Coach you’re feeling better? He just called to remind us to keep all our sink cabinets open to keep the pipes from freezing and asked.”
Ouch, Dad called them before me?Why don’t you just stab me next time, Dylan?“He’s sleeping,” I answer, and he looks confused.
“Um, where?”
“The tub,” I say, and Dylan walks closer to peer around me, finding Jack asleep surrounded by a mountain of bubbles.
“He’s not actually asleep like that, is he?” Dylan asks, looking at me in disbelief.
“Yep.”
He scratches the back of his neck. “Shit, we were hoping after sleeping all morning, he’d start to feeling better.”
“I was just about to wake him up if you want to ask how he’s feeling after?” I ask, and Dylan’s dark eyes teem with what I can only assume is mischief, smirking.
“If you pass up the opportunity to draw a penis on his face, I’ll be extremely disappointed,” he jokes, and my jaw drops.
“He’s sick!”
Dylan rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “So? Jack once put pink hair dye in Coop’s shampoo bottles, and he had to bleach his hair to try and dye it back to his normal color. Ended up turning orange, so then he buzzed it. Coop was more pissed off than usual for weeks.”
“Jack wouldn’t do that,” I argue, but I’m not sure why Dylan would lie about this.
“Oh, he totally did. This is harmless in the grand scheme of things.”
