When practice ends, the guys skate off laughing and shoving each other.
Jake lingers, pulling off his helmet and running a hand through his hair.
He looks up at me again.
This time, he smiles.
My chest aches.
On the drive home, I’m quieter than usual.
“You okay?” Jake asks after a few minutes.
“Yeah,” I say automatically.
He glances at me. “That wasn’t convincing.”
I stare out the window. “I’m fine.”
Silence stretches.
He tries again. “Is this about your sister?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
I shrug.
He exhales through his nose, patient but not letting it go. “Tal.”
My throat tightens.
“I just…” I trail off.
He waits.
I hate that he’s so good at that.
“I just sometimes forget,” I say carefully.
“Forget what?”
“That this isn’t… permanent.”
The words hang between us.
Jake’s jaw tightens slightly.
“What isn’t permanent?”
“This,” I say, gesturing vaguely between us. “Living together. Spending our weekends together. Everything.”
He doesn’t say anything.
My chest starts to hurt, but I try to play it cool.
I force a small shrug.
