Chapter 8 Paige
Chapter 8
Paige
I was doing my best to watch Grayson play, but it was a little difficult to concentrate when Bonnie’s commentary was purely focused on each player’s ability to pucker up rather than their performance with the puck.
“Aren’t you supposed to be covering the game for the paper?” I asked.
“Nah, I assigned it to Abby. I knew this game was going to need my full attention for a different reason.” She was surveying the players closely, but she probably didn’t even know the score.
“And that reason is...” I already knew the answer.
“Damien Stone.” She grinned at me. “I’m trying to plan our best form of attack for the party tonight.”
“And that involves watching him skate?”
“The way a hockey player skates says a lot about their personality.”
“And what does Damien’s skating say about him?”
“He likes to take command of a situation.”
“You could probably say that about half the guys on the team.”
She shrugged and continued forming her game plan. “I think your best bet is to flirt with him tonight, and then lure him onto the dance floor, but let him think he’s taking the lead.”
“Flirting. Dancing. Okay,” I muttered. Why did that sound so simple, but also completely terrifying?
I was distracted by the action down on the ice, as a Jefferson High Giants player prepared to take a shot at the Devils’ goal. I held my breath as I realized our goalie, Elliot, was completely out of position. The Giants were certain to score. But Grayson appeared out of nowhere, swooping in front of the Jefferson player before he could swing his stick. Gray snatched the puck away, surprising his opponent so much the guy lost his balance and ended up sprawled on his stomach across the ice.
I applauded Grayson’s play along with all the other Devils fans in the building, but then instinctively moved to the edge of my seat as he made a pinpoint pass up the ice to Parker, who had a clear opportunity to score. When he flicked his wrists and sent the puck sailing into the top corner of Jefferson High’s net, everyone leaped to their feet and the noise of the crowd practically shook the arena. I was still watching Grayson, who modestly accepted the praise of nearby teammates, including a very relieved Elliot, while Parker celebrated wildly at the other end of the rink.
Bonnie couldn’t have looked more disinterested in the game as she gave a half-hearted clap at my side.
“You still want to go through with this, don’t you?” she asked as the applause died down and we lowered ourselves to our seats again.
I had no idea how she expected me to focus on this conversation and the game at the same time. “The kiss?” I asked.
“Obviously.”
“Uh, I think so?” I wasn’t feeling nearly as confident as I’d hoped. As much as I wanted my first kiss over and done with, it made me nervous to think of kissing anyone, especially someone like Damien. We hadn’t had much of a chance to talk this week, but whenever I’d seen him around school, he’d been confident and charming. He was the kind of guy that would make any girl go weak at the knees. Could he really be interested in someone like me?
“Because if you’re not sure about Damien, we can always try someone else,” Bonnie said, turning her eyes back to the Devils players. “Like, Elliot Ford has a really great ass,” she added, pointing to him.
“He’s a useless goalie, though,” I muttered. It seemed Grayson was out there saving his “great ass” at every turn today.
But Bonnie couldn’t be derailed. “And I hear Matt Cleaver is an amazing kisser, which is pretty important for the task at hand...”
“No way! Kissing Reed’s best friend would be too weird.”
“Okay, how about—”
“No, it has to be Damien,” I said before she could suggest more names. “I can’t risk another guy evaporating into thin air and, like you said, Grayson hasn’t yet had a chance to scare him off. Also, I know we were really little when Damien left town, but even then, I had a huge crush on him.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I thought he was super cute.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet. It’s like you guys are meant to be.”
“I’m not sure I’d go that far . . .”
“I would.” Bonnie tilted her head and batted her eyelashes. “Damien’s lips are your destiny. ”
I gave her a pointed look. It was a little hard to feel reassured when Damien had had girls flocking around him all week, and we’d exchanged only a few words. My stomach swirled with a mixture of anticipation and worry as I considered what I hoped to accomplish tonight.
I glanced at the scoreboard, briefly hoping it might have changed while I wasn’t looking. Maybe the Devils were losing and their victory party would have to be called off. But I had no such luck. As if to rub salt in the wound, Reed scored a goal just a moment later, putting the Devils ahead by three points. The game was almost over, so there was no chance for the other team now.
The crowd exploded into cheers and whistles as they celebrated the goal. For once, I was struggling to match their enthusiasm. There was no way tonight’s party would be cancelled now, which meant my plans with Damien would be going ahead too. I knew I needed to get my first kiss over with, but it all felt like it was happening way too fast.
“Now, make sure you remember to bring mints tonight,” Bonnie said.
“Okay.”
“And are you sure you don’t want me to watch you kissing your hand first so I can give you some pointers?”
“Bonnie!” She’d said it quite loudly, just as the cheers from the crowd were dying down, and the girl in front of us turned to shoot us a curious look.
“I’m kidding, obviously,” Bonnie clarified, although I wasn’t too sure. My embarrassment only worsened when the guy next to the girl turned around too. He was pretty good-looking, and Bonnie must have agreed because she threw an arm around my shoulder. “My girl Paige is looking for someone to kiss tonight. Want to volunteer? ”
The guy started to smile, like he might be interested, but the girl beside him threw me a furious look and then forcefully turned his face back toward the ice. I sank into my seat.
“I think that’s his girlfriend, Bon.”
“Yes, well, she should be willing to sacrifice him for just one night. This is practically a medical emergency. You could die with untouched lips if we don’t sort this situation out soon.”
She was being far too dramatic. “I’m not going to die with untouched lips .”
The siren rang, sounding the end of the game, and the crowd cheered again. As usual, the Devils had won. I smiled down at Grayson as he made his way from the rink. He was always so strong and powerful. But lately, when each game ended, it was as if I could see how heavily his exhaustion was weighing him down. I hoped he was okay.
His eyes lifted to mine as he stepped off the ice. No matter where I sat in the crowd during his games, he somehow always managed to know exactly where I was. I lifted my hands and clapped just for him. His lips curved just a fraction before he continued to the locker room.
I sighed as I lowered my hands. He’d been a little distant this week and it seemed like something was bothering him. I wondered if I’d upset him by asking him to back off, or if perhaps having me live with his family was just too much. I could be a lot to handle 24/7, though given how much time he spent training, we honestly hadn’t seen that much of each other .
He might just be worrying about hockey and his knee. He spent a lot of time icing it each night, and signing day was only a week away. I knew his future coach from Ryker University was coming to the game that day too. He was probably pretty nervous about it. My boy problems were likely the least of his worries.
I realized Bonnie was still talking and I turned to her. “What did you say?” I’d completely tuned out while watching Grayson. Thankfully, the crowd had been quite loud, so I hoped Bonnie would assume that was the reason I hadn’t heard her.
She smirked as if she knew exactly who’d distracted me. “I said I need to go find Abby. I want to check on her game notes before she writes it up. She’s sitting somewhere up the back, so it’s probably easier if I just meet you by the exit.”
“Okay. Well, make sure she includes that great block Grayson made at the end of the first period when we were only winning by one. And the time he saved Elliot’s ass. Oh, and did you know that last goal was Reed’s twentieth for the season?”
Bonnie raised an eyebrow at me. “Anything else?”
“Uh, yeah, the coaches need to make better use of their line changes in the third period, and that penalty against Parker in the second was an awful call by the referee. But I don’t know if you’re allowed to say that, are you?”
She laughed. “I swear, Paige, you should be the one writing about these games for me.”
“Uh, no. I’m a terrible writer.” I shook my head. “Probably best I leave that to the experts. I’ll see you soon. ”
I started making my way down the bleachers before she could pursue the idea any further. She must have been joking anyway. I’d never been very good at writing anything longer than a text message. Every essay I turned in came back covered in red marks. I just struggled to organize my thoughts and could never seem to get them down in a way that made sense. It was so frustrating, and the thought of doing it voluntarily, particularly when there would be a strict deadline and other students might actually read it, was pretty much my worst nightmare.
The crowd was still making their way from the building as I waited for Bonnie. She didn’t normally catch a ride with me, but we were planning to get ready for tonight’s party together. She was desperate to avoid her house right now, so I’d suggested she come to the Darlings’.
She usually used her baby sister as her excuse for escaping her house, but in this instance, I was wondering if it was more her own curiosity than the newborn’s colic that had her jumping at the chance to come over. She was probably hoping to prove or disprove one of the many rumors that circulated about Gray and his brothers.
My theory was only confirmed when we eventually arrived at the Darlings’ house, and she immediately started asking questions.
“Can you give me a tour?”
“Is this where they eat?”
“Mind if I take a look in the bathroom?”
“Where’s the basement?”
I ignored each of her queries and pushed her toward the stairs. The house was oddly quiet. The boys had headed straight to Matt’s place after the game, and I was guessing the rest of the family were still out. “No snooping, Bonnie.”
She gasped and placed a hand against her chest. “I would never snoop.”
“Snoop is practically your middle name.”
“Come on, Paige. Please?” she persisted. “It’s not snooping, it’s just a little healthy poking about. I can’t have my best friend staying in a house that has a meth lab in the basement...”
“Oh my god. That rumor is ridiculous! The Darlings don’t even have a basement.”
“Backyard shed?”
I gave her a stern look. “This isn’t really about my health and safety, is it?”
“Okay, fine.” Bonnie threw her hands in the air. “It’s public-interest journalism, Paige. The people deserve to know the truth about their idols.”
“You know better than to listen to rumors about Gray and his brothers. Pretty much none of them are true.”
“Which means some are . . .”
“If you want the truth, just ask Gray. You hang out with him all the time.”
“No, I hang out with you, and Grayson suffers my presence. He’s not my biggest fan.”
“That’s just Gray being Gray. He likes you. He’s just not great at showing it.”
“Uh-huh.” She seemed far from convinced, but I knew it was pointless to try and tell her otherwise. The only thing that might change her mind was if Grayson said the words himself, but even then she’d be skeptical.
“Whatever,” she muttered. “Just let me get this straight. You’re telling me, I’m not allowed to raid the boys’ underwear drawers to find out if they prefer boxers or briefs?”
“Definitely not. I thought you said this was public interest.” I laughed.
“I think you’re underestimating how interested in these boys the public are.”
“Look, let’s just go get dressed for tonight.”
She reluctantly agreed but didn’t stop asking what was in each room we passed, or from slowing down whenever there was an open door she could look through.
Just as we reached Cammie’s room, I received a text from Grayson.
Gray: Are you still at the rink?
Me: No, I’m home now. Bonnie and I are getting ready for tonight. Apparently, what I wear to Matt’s party is a big deal.
Gray: Just wear what you had on at the game. You looked perfect.
Me: I was wearing your jersey.
Gray: Like I said . . . perfect.
I rolled my eyes. Wearing his jersey to the party would be a bad idea. Especially if I wanted to make a move on Damien. I needed to look hot tonight, and I certainly wasn’t going to catch his attention with another guy’s name and number on my back.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure looking hot was something I was capable of. The clothes in my closet were entirely chosen based on vibes. Nothing particularly matched, and I normally chose my outfit for the day based on how I was feeling. And, right now, I felt like I should be donning my biggest winter coat, a massive fuzzy scarf and a pom-pom hat. I was nervous, and that made me want to cover myself in as many layers as possible. Tonight, it seemed, I was going to have to step beyond my comfort zone in more ways than one.
“Wow, so this is Cammie Darling’s room,” Bonnie said. “It’s not nearly as menacing as I expected. Where’s the coffin she sleeps in each night?”
“That’s not very—”
“Actually, I keep my coffin in the attic.” I jumped with surprise as Cammie walked through the door behind me. I had no idea she was home. “I like to stay close to my pet bats.”
“Oh, uh, Cammie . . .” Bonnie stuttered. “I didn’t mean . . .”
“Yeah, you did,” Cammie replied, walking past us to grab her headphones off her desk. “Sounds like you’ve been listening to too much town gossip. I would have expected more from the editor of the school paper. Maybe you should try thinking for yourself next time. ”
My eyes went wide, and I turned to Bonnie to find her looking even more shocked than I felt. I had never seen her speechless. Questioning Bonnie’s journalistic integrity was just about the worst possible way someone could insult her. Cammie disappeared from the room without another word, and I quickly followed after her, leaving Bonnie still standing dumbstruck.
“Cammie, wait,” I said as I caught up to her in the corridor. “Sorry about my friend.”
But she grinned in reply. “You kidding? I’ve been itching to put someone in their place all day. That was fun.”
“It—it was?”
“Yeah, catching people gossiping about me might be my favorite pastime.”
“Oh, okay.”
“I know it’s weird.” She shrugged. “But, the way I figure it, if people stop gossiping about me, it means I’ve gotten boring. Anyway, I’m off to the rink to meet Eric.”
“Is that your new skating partner?” She went through so many, it could be difficult to keep track of them sometimes. “How’s it going?”
“Not well. He’s refusing to agree on a soundtrack for our next program. And I’m not skating to Carmen or Swan Lake again.” She shuddered to show her disgust. “I’ll convince him eventually. One way or another. Wish me luck.”
She headed off down the hallway before I could respond to her slightly ominous closing comment. Cammie Darling was certainly one of a kind. I could see why she scared people so easily, but I envied her confidence. I also felt pretty lucky I’d never managed to end up on her bad side .
When I returned to her room, Bonnie looked as though she’d recovered slightly, but she was still clearly fretting.
“Did I just make an enemy of Cammie Darling?”
“I think you’d have to do more than that to achieve enemy status,” I replied with a laugh. “And to be honest, I don’t think a little quip about a coffin even ranks as offensive to Cammie. She was just messing with you.”
“If you say so,” Bonnie mumbled. “But we’re getting ready at my house next time—crying baby or not.”
I nodded, but turned away when I found myself smiling. It had been kind of fun watching Bonnie squirm under Cammie’s wrath. To get us back on track, I started rifling through my bag and retrieved the outfit I’d been thinking of wearing tonight: one of my favorite plaid skirts and a navy top that matched it nicely.
“Cute,” Bonnie said when I held it up, although her frown revealed her true feelings even before she added, “If you’re a grandmother.”
I glanced down at the outfit in my hands. “Hey, I really like it.”
“I’m sure everyone does, down at the nursing home.”
I hoped she was just trying to be funny. “But I always wear stuff like this.”
“Which is probably why you keep getting mistaken for the school librarian.”
“That was one time!” I corrected her, though that didn’t make me feel much better. “If this isn’t enough to impress Damien, then perhaps he isn’t the one for me. ”
“You’re not looking to marry the guy. You just need to kiss him.” When she caught my determined expression, she released a pained sigh. “I guess with your hair and makeup done it could work...”
“Great.” I let out a breath. I wasn’t sure why I was being so stubborn about the clothes. I guess I didn’t like trying to be something I wasn’t. I wanted someone to kiss me because they liked me just as I was.
Bonnie helped me with my hair and makeup, and once she was done, I went into the bathroom to check it out. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed as I stared at my reflection. She’d done a good job on my makeup. I looked cute enough, but in a forgettable sort of way. I was still just me. No amount of mascara or eyeshadow was ever going to transform me into some siren goddess that would make all the boys at school fall before me. And while I’d never really been insecure about my looks, a flicker of uncertainty rushed though me. I must be one of only a few seniors who had never been kissed. Perhaps even the only one. What if it wasn’t simply my surly best friend that sent guys running? What if the problem was me?
I squared my shoulders as I dismissed the thought. I had to believe that tonight would be different. Grayson had backed off, and the perfect guy had appeared right on cue. I wasn’t sure if I believed in fate, but every sign was pointing toward the fact that the stars had finally aligned. I just had to hope that meant my bad run with boys was over, and everything was about to change for the better .