60. He’s a jock?!
SIXTY
HE’S A JOCK?!
“Yo!”
I frown at the boards and return my focus to the game.
“YO!”
“Yooooooooo!”
Gritting my teeth, I ignore Pecan.
“DUDE!”
As a puck hurls its way down the ice, with one of the forwards racing toward me, I drop on one knee and bat it aside with my pad. The other guy manages to tuck it around my skate, but I kick it away.
Breathing heavily, adrenaline already rushing my way, I hear, “brO!”
Ignoring the annoying motherfucker who’s become one of my best friends, I manage to catch the puck with my glove and take it out of play just to give myself a break.
Heart pounding, I contemplate hurling it at Pecan. Instead, I grab my water bottle, skate out of the crease, and approach him by the boards.
I don’t answer. I squirt him.
“Whoa! What the hell?!”
“My god, Pecan, do you know how fucking irritating you are?! Jesus Christ. You’re lucky you’re not swallowing this goddamn—”
“CALLAN?!”
Frowning, I slide up my mask and scowl at him. “What?! WHAT?! If you ask me for help with an essay right now, I’ll kill you!”
He gawks at me. “You’re playing hockey.”
“Yes, I know.”
“You’re in nets!”
“Yes, dammit. What about it?”
He splutters, “I literally told you that Jonas Smith, our third-line goalie, broke his shoulder in a car crash last week and that we need someone to fill in our roster and you never said a fucking word!”
“Why would I?”
“YOU’RE A GOALIE!”
“I’M NOT!”
“Is there a reason you two are shouting at each other?”
I scowl at Zach who, of course, steps into the argument looking like the coolest fucking kid in school. I’d hate him if I hadn’t grown as close to him as this overgrown toddler in front of me. “This asshole started yelling at me when the game was in play!”
Pecan scowls back. “YOU’RE A GOALIE. YOU’RE PLAYING HOCKEY, AND YOU NEVER TOLD US!”
Zach shrugs. “He’s not wrong, Callan. Why’d you keep it a secret, huh?”
“It isn’t a secret. It’s the intramural league, not the NHL!”
“Korhonen! We’re ready, man!”
At the sound of my name, I grimace. “I’m busy.”
“But—”
“No. I’ll help you tomorrow with an essay, Pecan.”
“LISTEN TO ME. This isn’t about computer science! You need to try out!”
Agitated, I snarl, “Try out for what?!”
“The team!”
“Which team? I’m already—”
“I think he means the Dukes.” Zach snorts when I glower at him. “Hey, if Pecan thinks you’re good enough to try out, then you must be.”
I will not blush.
I will not.
“I’m just dicking around out here.”
Dicking is the word. My brother plays for the New York Stars, for God’s sake. I’m in the college version of a beer league!
“No, you’re not. That save? That was fucking legend.” Pecan does this little jab/uppercut/jab combo. “Try out, man. Please!”
I toss my water bottle at him. “Pecan, I’m not good enough to try out.”
Zach leans against the board. “Sounds like someone has self-esteem issues, Pecan.”
My erstwhile student gains an unholy gleam to his eye. “You know what this means?”
Because I’m corralling toddlers, plural, now, I sigh. Nobody told me that having friends was exhausting. “What?”
“EPIC. ROAD. TRIP. ALERT!”
I gape at him as he bounces on his toes. “Pecan, I’m not trying out.”
“Sure you are.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“Korhonen! Aren’t you listening? We’re ready to play!”
“I’m not, Pecan.”
“I hear a ‘yes.’ Don’t you, Zach?”
“I do, actually.”
“I’m fucking not!”
“Lex will think you’re hot.”
I pause.
Tilt my head to the side.
Consider the idea.
“You think so?”
Pecan purrs, “100%. All chicks love a hockey player.”
I know, statistically, he’s incorrect. Hailey dumped him, after all. But… even Ovi got married to a model.
I purse my lips. “What if your new coach thinks I’m crap? That won’t look good either.”
“I’m telling you he won’t. Look, I’m not promising you’ll ever start a game or make it onto the ice outside of practice, but he won’t turn you down.” His eyebrows waggle. “All girls love a jock.”
My mouth rounds.
Me?
A… jock?
Callan’s story is coming next in the Oakwood College series!!!
Are you ready for Chaos Malinois x Hacker x Baby Cowboy Goalie?!
I don’t think you are…
Victoria’s story is coming July 2026 - where you find out what really happened to Derek Dyers…
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