With our arms wrapped around one another’s shoulders, we move from side to side in rhythm while the arena chants. Then we begin to skate in a circle in one direction several times, then switch to the other direction as the announcer finishes all his shit and the arena empties out of fans.
Once we’ve finished the traditional circles, we skate over to the box that has been set up and filled with T-shirts and stuffed animals inside. Grabbing a shirt and a teddy bear, I skate over to my usual side of the ice and begin chucking them to the kids in the audience who are still hanging around.
They know the score.
When all the freebies are handed out to fans, we skate back to the locker room and start to get ready to really celebrate. To truly celebrate. Which used to be my absolute favorite part of the game.
Not anymore. Not for the past two years.
Everything, even winning this game, has a lackluster undertone to it.
I’m happy we won, pleased as punch that we made it to the playoffs, and I’m even looking forward to having fun tonight. But at the same time, I’m going through the motions, and I have been for two years straight.
Since Wrenly Foster completely ghosted me after our one amazing night together.
The best sex I ever had.
I can’t get her out of my head.
I’m not sure why she’s taken such a hold of me, but Wrenly Foster unknowingly owns me. Mind, body, and soul. When she first started ignoring my messages, I figured she was just busy with her classes or something.
It’s not like I really knew much about her other than she was a freshman at the local university, her name, and what she felt like when I slid my cock inside of her—which was heaven.
But as the weeks passed and my messages went unanswered, I eventually stopped reaching out. Not because I wanted to but more because I didn’t want to freak her out. I could have hired someone to look for her, but that would have been way too fucking weird.
Eventually, she blocked me on social media. So I couldn’t contact her if I wanted to unless I hired someone to find her. But her point was made, and she wanted nothing to do with me.
I don’t regret much in my life, but I regret letting that shit go between us because here I am two years later, feeling hollow inside and wishing I knew how to find her. One night with Wrenly ruined me, tore me the fuck up inside, and left me raw.
I’ve never felt this way in my whole life.
Finishing my shower, I wrap my towel around my waist as I head back to my locker and begin to dress. I need to push thoughts of Wrenly out of my head to bury them for the night. There will be women waiting for us outside of the arena. There always are, and I could have the pick of them if I wanted—and I have.
But I don’t want them anymore.
I haven’t for a while.
When Wrenly first blocked me, I went a little crazy. I tried to fuck her out of my mind, but it didn’t work, and eventually, it just became monotonous—repetitive and boring. Something I never thought possible. Sex boring? How? But it was. No matter whose eyes I looked into, they weren’t hers.
“You wanna head out toMidnight Hourto celebrate?” Daniel asks.
I knew that’s where they’d all want to go. As much as I want to say yes, I also want to just go home and sleep. I’ve been wallowing in my own self-pity for a while now. Begging off going out with everyone so many times that I can read the concern on their faces when they look at me.
“Yeah, that sounds good,” I lie.
A few minutes later, we are all heading out of the locker room and on our way to the club to party. Even Luke and Clara, who have been wrapped up in their love bubble recently, join the whole group.
WRENLY
The East Texas sky is gorgeous as the sun rises. It’s my favorite time of day, and for the past fourteen months, I’ve been able to see it every single day. I stand on my dad’s back deck, watching the sun rise over the hill in the distance.
Closing my eyes, I allow the air of a fresh new day to wash over me in hopes that it will somehow miraculously heal me.
“You have wasted a lot of time, Wrenny,” my father murmurs.
Turning my head, I watch as he steps out of the house through the sliding glass door, his eyes focused past me and toward the rising sun as well. This is something we have in common, him and me.
We enjoy sunrises over sunsets. Unsweetened tea over sweet. Vanilla over chocolate. Steak over chicken. And peace over drama. Avoidance over confrontation. The last has caused me some serious anxiety over the past few years.
