Chapter 34 #2
The clumsy brunette holds up her hand. “Oh, I wouldn’t. They’ll give your seats away. I’ll help her.” I hear her say as I shuffle out of our row and up the steps.
“Don’t worry,” she cries beside me. “I know a great trick that’ll get that all dried up in no time. And if not, we’ve got spares.”
I frown. “Spare Knights jerseys? Here?”
“Oh yeah. Think we even have an Andrews one. I’ll buy it.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine. I just don’t want it to stain.”
“Oh you’re good. Just don’t let that sit overnight.” She holds the bathroom door open for me.
I race to wash the sweet soda off the jersey and breathe a sigh of relief when I see the dryers.
“Oh girl, that’s not going to work.” She stops a random girl in the bathroom and gives her a credit card. “Get me a number nineteen, stat. They should be up front.”
The girl scans me and nods. “On it.”
“You,” she points to another girl. “Keep everyone out.”
“Thanks for your help,” I whisper in a panic.
“Uh, I was zero help. But you’re welcome.”
“May as well use the restroom while I wait.”
She smiles. “Good idea. Give me that. I’ll keep holding it under the dryer.”
I pause, staring at her. “Um, that’s okay.”
“No one’s coming in here. You can take it off.”
I exhale and glance down at the little heart by the hem. “Alright.” Then lift it over my head and hand it to her.
I do my business in one of the stalls and hear someone come inside. “Got it.”
“Awesome.” The girl who ruined my jersey squeals. “Ah, perfect. Hey hun, I’m tossing it over the door for you.”
Before I can answer, bright red fabric comes flying over the stall door, and I catch it.
“Wait a minute. This is a Titans jersey.”
I hear nothing but giggles and the door swinging open, then shut.
Silence.
No. Oh no.
I rush out in my bra and leggings, my heart thundering out of control. I feel sick and it’s not the lingering smell of urine. I feel like I’m living another high school nightmare.
I want to go after them. To be stronger than the girl who cowers and walks away quietly. But I’ll only make a spectacle of myself.
I stare at the jersey in front of me. But it’s a blur.
Swallowing hard, I put it on, feeling cold under it, wash my face, and stare at the mirror. Contemplating my options.
There are no options.
This was so important to him. The text, which is probably too late now. The jersey. Me sitting front row during one of the most important games before winter break.
My hands are shaky. My breath ragged.
I feel like someone just popped my balloon.
I step into a stall and pull myself together. Closing my eyes, I think of everything good. Everything real.
Which is so hard when I feel like I just walked myself ten steps back.
I focus on Kane.
How I feel about him. I love him. Love how safe he’s made me feel. Love how he instantly understood me. Stood by me. Protected me.
Took a chance on me.
And I’m about to break his heart. Even if I can explain it later… this is going to crush him.
I return to my seat with my head held as high as I can manage. My leggings still wet at the crotch.
Tisch’s eyes are wide when she sees me. “What happened?”
“I think I was tricked.”
Tisch looks at the number on the jersey, turning pale. Then looks at where the guys were hanging around earlier.
“Fuck,” she hisses.
“What?”
“Isla, I’m so sorry.” Her eyes pool, and it’s so out of character for her that it scares me. “This is my brother’s jersey.”
I stare at her and barely look down. What difference does it make whose jersey it is? It’s not Kane’s. “What does that mean?”
“It means this wasn’t about you, honey. This was revenge on the rival captain—using his girlfriend.”
I shake my head. “And I just let them do it.”
The lights dim, warmup starting. The Titans come out first.
“Quick,” Tisch tugs my arm. “Let’s change. We’ll slip away to the bathroom and come back before he sees you.”
I let a single tear fall and hate myself for it. “I’m not going back in there.”
“It’s okay. You’ll be with me.”
Someone taps my shoulder. Oh great. It’s Blondie and her friends. “Isla?” she says softly.
I swipe my face, sniffle, and turn back. “Yeah?”
“Courtney’s wearing a number nineteen, she’ll give you her jersey.”
“Yeah, I mean, I’m wearing a tank top underneath. But…” she shrugs. “That wasn’t cool.” Courtney offers dryly.
“Thank you. It’s alright. I wouldn’t make anyone wear these colors.”
The visiting tunnel opens.
The roar from our section swells instantly, blue and white jerseys rising to their feet around us as our team pours onto the ice.
I almost forget the last twenty minutes when I see him. He looks pumped for this. And a little disappointed too.
I gasp. Shadow…
My man glides through the opening with the same effortless confidence he always carries onto the ice. Despite the insecurities he still battles every day. The doubt.
His stick drags lazily behind him while he scans the arena.
He skates this way. His lips already tugging into a smile as he scans our area.
Our eyes meet, and his face falls. His skates scrape against the ice as he slows to a stop.
The puck drifting toward him slides untouched between his skates.
Greyson says something as he passes.
Kane doesn’t react. Eyes dropping to my chest.
A knot forms in my stomach, but I push through it. Inhaling deep as I hold his eyes. My lips just barely stretching into a small smile.
He doesn’t give me anything. No grin. No wink. It’s like he’s looking through me instead of at me.
The knot pulls tighter.
“What is he doing?” Tisch murmurs beside me.
Around him, warmups continue as if nothing’s happened. Pucks whistle across the ice. Goalies stretch in their creases. Music pounds through the speakers. It’s loud in my ears…and quiet at the same time.
I’m struggling to breathe. Rationalizing with myself for the sake of one breath.
I’ll explain it. He’ll understand. It’s just clothing.
I attempt to mouth ‘I’m sorry’. But nothing comes out.
The muscle of his jaw hardens and his gaze falls from mine. It slides across the ice and lands on the rival team, circling through their own warmups.
One player slows.
His name matches the one on my back, and the number on my front.
He looks directly at Kane. Then over at me and Tisch. A grin spreads across his face.
“Oh shit,” I hear her say beside me.
Before I can figure out what I’m missing, Kane pushes off so hard, a spray of ice kicks up behind him.