"I—" I looked around the room. Jenkins had finished his story and was now eating again. Chappy was doing something with his gear. "I just want to be clear," I said, "that I am announcing something significant right now. This is a significant personal announcement. I am in a relationship with Nathan Cross who is—"
"Too good for you," someone muttered. I was fairly certain it was Knox.
"Did I hear someone say ‘extremely handsome’? Yes, yes he is. Thank you. I would appreciate—"
Knox looked up. "What do you want, Morrison, a fucking parade?"
"No. But I deserve some kind of reaction, don’t I?" I asked. "I want people to seem surprised. I want—"
"He came over the boards before the whistle finished," Knox said. "In Toronto. For you. What did you think that was?"
The locker room kept going around me.
The boards. Nathan's hands on them. The crowd roaring and Nathan not noticing or not caring.
"Right," I said.
"Damn right," Knox said, and went back to his phone.
"Be jealous," I said, to the room, to all of them, to the complete lack of reaction I was receiving. "He's incredibly handsome. He has very nice eyes. He—"
Knox threw a skate at me.
I caught it.
"Thank you," I said. "Finally. A reaction."
"Get the hell out of my locker room," Knox said.
"It's everyone's locker room—"
"Morrison."
"Leaving," I said.
In the corridor I took out my phone.
I told the team, I texted Nathan.
He responded while I was still walking.
Nathan:How did that go?
Me:Knox threw a skate @ me.
A pause.
Nathan:Is that good or bad?
Me:good. Def good
Nathan:I see.
Me:and plus also everyone knew since Toronto!!!!
Nathan:Yes.
I stared at my phone.
