Zach: Maybe Alec forgot that part along with how to keep the puck out of our D-zone
Alec: Shut up. This year’s our year, I can feel it. But Coach Ridley has been talking about ways of getting more people from the school in the stands and I’ve figured out how to make it happen
Dyers: Hit us with your logic, oh great one
Alec: Fuck off, Derek.
Alec: You heard that viral trend that’s going around? The ‘kiss your best friend and see how they react’ sound?
Mason: What about it?
Gregg: Please don’t tell me you want us to do that?
Alec: It’s a GREAT idea.
Alec: I’ve been following the comms’ accounts for the Stars and the Mounties. They’re all doing shit like this. Questions and answers. Favorite candy.
Alec: All it’ll take is ONE video popping off
Dyers: Funny how you came up with this grand plan when you lost out on the draft lol
Alec: Fuck off
Dyers: Just saying
Alec: Well, don’t. I want all of us to take part. Send your videos over to me when they’re done and I’ll upload them
Zach: What if we don’t want to take part?
Alec: It’s compulsory. You wanna be on the team, you have to be a team player
EIGHT
BRING THE THUNDER
THREE WEEKS LATER
‘Invite only’night changed things between us.
Not just because I jerked off to her picture or because I happened to hear that I’m only ‘best friend’ material.
But Denny changed.
Or maybe it’s me—maybe I reallyamthe problem.
I’m not sure which, but things have been awkward and things are never awkward with us.
And I hate it.
It was less awkward when I was back in Canada, for Christ’s sake, and my captain’s not making shit any easier either, with his social media BS and?—
“What’s with the thunder?”
I blink at D when she slides into the booth next to me at Dopie's, our hangout spot.
Studying the fries in a basket, I ask, “What thunder?”
Okay, so maybe it’s hard looking her in the eyes now.
