Great goal! You were amazing tonight
I’m really sorry
Have I been happy? No. But my situation won’t change if I’m awful to the people around me. While I like solitude, I also love those idiots—my idiots. I love my sister and niece, and I miss hanging out at dives with my friends. I don’t want to push them away. I want them around.
The period ends and I know realistically he won’t check his phone, but part of me hopes he does. I hope he knows I’m watching. My fingers play in the fabric of the jersey. It fits great.
I swipe a tear before it falls.
Being an asshole won’t help me play again; I know that. My knee is killing me today, and I’m so tired of it. The sadness in me is burrowed so deep I don’t know how to escape its thorns, and my mind has been my own worst enemy. I want to get better. I do, right? My career is over. There’s nothing I can do about it, but hurting the people around me isn’t helping either.
My mind goes back to Felix’s bruises, and I think about him as the clock runs out. He brought nothing with him, as if he’d left abruptly. And those bruises up his side... Then my sister’s words pop into my brain.“He needs this too.”Does she know something I don’t know?
I’m not sure what happened, but I have an idea. If I’m right, shit do I have a lot to make up for. I think of Felix’srule and shame hits me right in the gut. I screamed at him. I nearly broke my door off its hinges when I banged it open. I’m not a violent guy, I’m really not, but if I’m right, I’ll need to be extra careful around him.
I think about the next steps I need to take, but there’s something I want to do first. An apology maybe. An apology and maybe a peace offering, and a favor.
I find another name in my contacts and text it.
Grey:
Hey. When you get some time, will you take me shopping?
During the second break I grab some water and drink it with my leg propped back up. I have painkillers, which I try and take sparingly, but I take two tonight to dull this ache. Maybe I’ll actually get some sleep. I watch them all come back on the ice, and I see Atlas point his stick up at the stadium. I don’t know if it’s for me, but I pretend it is.
They win by three and I’m so proud of them all. They’re almost there. They’ll make the playoffs, I know it.
I’m getting ready for bed when a text comes in, and I expect Atlas but instead it’s Andre.
Andre:
Shopping???? Okay intrigued. I’ll be by tomorrow morning after I take your ass to the doctors, because yes, Grey!!!!! I know you’ve skipped PT, and you will make some damn appointments while we’re out!!!!!!! Kisses, you grumpy bitch xoxo
Dammit! Fine.
Grey:
Fine. See you at ten.Thanks
Andre:
Can I tell Oli, or is this a secret mission????
I smile at that.
Grey:
Secret mission
Andre:
I set my phone aside. I’ll try to talk to Atlas again tomorrow. I need to make this right.
With everyone.
SEVEN
Grey
