21. Selene
21
SELENE
I plop down onto Hailey and Jade’s couch, sinking into the pile of plush pillows. Hailey walks into the room, and I immediately jump back up again. “Are you sure you don’t need any help with the snacks?”
She waves me off with a grin. “Nah, I've got it covered. You just relax and get ready for the game.” She disappears into the kitchen, leaving me to settle back onto the couch.
Jade emerges from her room, arms laden with Red Wolves merchandise. “I found the perfect gear for us to wear.” She softly tosses a t-shirt at me.
“You have a lot of Red Wolves gear.”
Jade snorts. “Wilder keeps finding a way to give me more shit. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know either.”
I hold up the t-shirt, a white shirt with a dark red wolf logo. “Pretty sure this counts as a bribe at this point.”
Jade shrugs, setting the rest of the gear on the coffee table. “If it is, it's the lamest bribe ever. It's not like I need seven different foam fingers.” She picks one up and waggles it in my direction with mock enthusiasm. “Go team!”
I laugh and slip the t-shirt over my head. It's a size too big, but the soft cotton feels comforting. “So you're not a fan?”
“I support them,” Jade says diplomatically, sitting down next to me. “But I'm not about to paint my face and scream at the TV or anything.”
“Yet,” Hailey calls from the kitchen, and I can hear the smirk in her voice. “I think Wilder is determined to turn her into the biggest Red Wolves fan there is.”
“Are you dating him?” I can’t help but ask.
Jade’s eyes widen for a second, before she relaxes. “Dating him? Who Wilder? No. Nooooo.”
I raise an eyebrow at Jade's exaggerated denial. “You sure? I mean, he is pretty cute. And all this free merch...”
Jade crosses her arms, leaning back into the couch with a huff. “We're just best friends, girl.” She gives me a pointed look, then softens. “Not that it would be a bad thing if we were, you know. He's a good guy. Well, for the most part.”
“But?” I prod gently.
Jade shrugs one shoulder. “But nothing. It's just... complicated when feelings get involved. Easier to keep things simple.”
I nod, understanding more than she knows. My own situation with Knox is anything but simple, especially with us having phone sex last night.
Hailey returns from the kitchen carrying a tray loaded with chips, dip, and various finger foods. “Alright, feast your eyes on this spread.” She sets it down on the coffee table and takes a step back, hands on her hips, as if admiring her own handiwork.
Jade wastes no time digging in, and I follow suit, though more cautiously. “This looks amazing, Hails.”
“Thanks,” she says, sitting down next to Jade. “So, are you excited for the game?”
I hesitate. “Yeah, totally,” I say. “Not really. Isla is way more into this type of thing than I am. And it’s too bad she’s at the game taking photos instead of here with us now.” Not to mention that her father is also the coach of the Red Wolves.
“She'll have amazing shots, I'm sure,” Hailey says with a shrug. “And don't worry, Selene. We'll ease you into it. Watching with friends is way more fun than doing it alone. And I’m saying that from experience because I wasn’t into this until Levi and I started dating.”
“That’s true. In fact, she didn’t like him just because of his celebrity status on campus,” Jade chimes in.
Hailey rolls her eyes, and I chuckle. I appreciate their optimism. It’s not that I dislike sports; it’s just that I don’t have the same passion for them. Well, I’ve never tried so maybe there will be something there.
I settle back into the couch cushions as Hailey flips on the TV, navigating to the sports channel broadcasting the game. The pre-game commentary drones on in the background as we chat and munch on snacks.
“So, Selene,” Jade says. “What's going on with you and Knox?”
I nearly choke on a tortilla chip. “What? Nothing. Why would you think there's something going on?”
Jade and Hailey exchange a knowing look. “Please,” Jade says. “The tension between you two is thicker than Hailey's seven-layer dip.”
“Is that rude? That sounds rude,” Hailey says. “She's not wrong though, Selene. You’ve never wanted to watch hockey with us before and with what Levi and Asher are saying about Knox…”
I feel my cheeks heat up. “It's... complicated,” I mumble, echoing Jade's earlier words about Wilder. “Wait a minute. Did Knox say something about me?”
Hailey and Jade exchange high-fives, and I realize I’ve been had. This was obviously a test, and I failed.
“Ah, so there is something to tell! Levi didn't give me details, but he said Knox has been acting 'off' lately. More distracted, more quiet than he normally is in practice, which says a lot apparently. And your name came up.”
My heart skips a beat. Knox has been thinking about me? Talking about me to his teammates? I try to play it cool. “That could mean anything,” I say with a wave of my hand.
Jade snorts. “Mmhmm. Sure, and I'm Beyoncé. Come on, spill the tea! What's the deal with you two?”
I sigh, fiddling with the hem of the Red Wolves t-shirt. “Honestly, I don't even know. We've been trying to repair things after everything went sideways between us. Things were going great. Well until last night...” I trail off, running a hand through my hair.
Hailey and Jade lean stare at me with wide eyes. “Last night?” Hailey prompts.
I take a deep breath. “We kind of... had phone sex?”
“What?!” Jade shrieks, nearly knocking over the bowl of chips. “How do you 'kind of' have phone sex?”
I bury my face in my hands, feeling the heat of my blush. “Okay, fine, we definitely had phone sex. It just sort of... happened.”
Jade rests a hand on my knee. “And how do you feel about it?”
I peek out from between my fingers. “Confused mostly. I mean, it was amazing. Like, mind-blowingly hot. But now I don't know what it means. For us, for our friendship, situationship, or whatever this is.”
Jade nods. “The dreaded 'what are we' question. I've been there.”
“With Wilder?” I ask, hoping to deflect some of the attention.
Jade narrows her eyes at me. “Nice try, but we're not talking about me right now. This is about you and Knox.”
I groan, leaning back against the couch. “I don't know what to do. I don't want to make things weird, but I also can't stop thinking about him. And now, knowing that he's been thinking about me too...”
“All you can do is talk to him, Selene. Figure out where you both stand. It's clear there's something between you two, but you'll never know what it could be if you don't communicate,” Hailey adds on.
I nod slowly, knowing she's right. “Yeah, I guess so. But also, I don’t want to even go down that road.”
The conversation is interrupted by the roar of the crowd on the TV as the game begins. I'm grateful for the distraction, not quite ready to dive deeper into my feelings for Knox.
We watch as the players take their positions on the ice, the camera panning across the Red Wolves lineup. When it lands on Knox, I feel my breath catch. He looks focused, intense, his dark eyes narrowed in concentration.
The referee drops the puck and the game begins. I try to follow along, but my eyes keep drifting back to Knox when he’s within the view of the camera.
“Damn, he's good,” Jade comments, echoing my thoughts. “No wonder you're into him.”
I elbow her lightly but can't suppress a smile. “Shut up and watch the game.”
As the first period unfolds, the Red Wolves struggle against their opponents. The other team is aggressive, slamming our players into the boards at every opportunity. I wince as Knox takes a particularly hard hit, but he shakes it off. I’m glad it seems as if his shoulder is fine.
Jade and Hailey cheer as the Red Wolves manage to clear the puck out of their defensive zone. “Come on, boys!” Jade shouts, clapping her hands. “Let's go!”
I lean forward, my eyes glued to the screen as Knox races down the ice. He weaves past a defender, the puck seeming connected to his stick like a magnet. With a quick move, he slips the puck between the goalie's pads and into the net.
The room erupts in cheers as the Red Wolves celebrate the goal. Jade high-fives Hailey, then turns to me with a grin. “Did you see that? Your boy just scored!”
I can't help but smile, feeling a flicker of pride. “He's not my boy,” I protest weakly.
Hailey rolls her eyes. “Sure. Just freaking admit it at this point, Selene. You’re into him.”
I open my mouth to deny it, but the words won't come. Because the truth is, I am into Knox. More than I want to admit, even to myself.
As the game continues, I find myself getting more and more invested. I cheer when the Red Wolves score again, and groan when the other team manages to tie the game up. By the time the third period starts, I'm on the edge of my seat, my heart pounding.
As the clock ticks down, the intensity on the ice increases tenfold. Both teams are desperate for the next goal that will more than likely mean they are the winner of the game. Knox seems to be everywhere at once, and I’m impressed even more by his athletic ability.
With less than two minutes left, Knox gains possession of the puck and he charges forward. Two players on the opposite team are on him, but he spins away from them, maintaining control of the puck.
I'm gripping the couch cushions so tightly my knuckles turn white. Jade is screaming at the TV, urging Knox on, while Hailey has a hand over her mouth.
Knox skates across the blue line, his movements confident and controlled. Even though I barely understand the rules, I’m freaking out internally. His stick is raised, his body angled toward the goal, and the camera zooms in like it’s anticipating something big is about to happen.
I hold my breath because I’m afraid to move even slightly.
He looks like he’s going to shoot, every muscle in his body coiled, but then, at the last possible second, he shifts. His shoulder dips and the goalie reacts instantly, dropping down to block the shot that never comes.
For a second, I think he’s lost his chance, but then he’s gliding around the goalie, faster than I can process. The puck slides into the net, and I leap off the couch. The cheers from the crowd on the screen are deafening, but I swear I’m louder.
“Oh my god, he did it!” I scream, my voice blending with Jade and Hailey's as we all jump up and down, hugging each other.
The buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the game. The Red Wolves have won, 3-2, thanks to Knox's last-second goal. On the screen, the team swarms him.
“That was amazing,” Hailey says. “Holy hell.”
I'm still staring at the screen, my heart racing as I watch Knox remove his helmet. His dark hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat, but he's grinning from ear to ear. The camera lingers on him as he accepts congratulations from his teammates.
Suddenly, his head turns, and he looks directly into the camera. For a moment, it feels like he's looking right at me. Like he knows I'm watching.
Then the moment passes, and I sink back onto the couch. I’m feeling dazed and slightly lightheaded.
Jade joins me again, nudging me with her elbow. “So, still think hockey's not your thing?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Okay, fine. I admit it. That was... intense. And kind of thrilling.”
“Mmhmm. And I'm sure it had nothing to do with a certain dark-haired, brooding winger,” she teases, waggling her eyebrows at me.
I grab a pillow and hit her with it, but I'm smiling. “Shut up. I can appreciate a good game without it being about Knox.”
“But it doesn't hurt that he's the one scoring the winning goal, right?” Hailey raises an eyebrow at me.
I give her a grin. “You’re right. It doesn’t.”