CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
KAYLAH
I think I’m finally all out of deep breaths to take.
Instead, I try to focus my attention on imagining everyone in the room naked. All that does is paint a strange and funny image in my mind and now I’m trying hard to contain my laughter.
“What are you thinking about?” Julius whispers from beside me, the picture of calmness, a stark contrast to the room filling up every second as people take their seats and cameras click around us.
“I was trying to imagine everyone naked,” I say.
“How’s that going?”
“Immature as fuck.”
“I thought as much. You’ve got this, Captain. But just give me the signal if you need assistance.”
“You too, Captain.”
“Kaylah, over here,” a reporter asks. I try not to dwell on the amount of cameras in my face, or on the amount of eyes on me, by thinking of how proud I am of myself for doing this instead.
It’s a good option, especially as imagining them naked didn’t work out.
“This was a new team, an experiment Coach Campbell thought up. How do you think your performance has been overall at the start of the season in comparison to how it would have been if things stayed the same?”
Satisfied with the response that comes to mind I say, “I think it was an interesting experiment that Coach Campbell decided to run with, but I’m glad he did.
I think he saw a value in combining our talents, which turned out well because we all complement each other in different ways.
The season is currently going really well and I can only imagine we’re going to continue on that trajectory, so I think Coach Campbell had the right vision. ”
We get through several more questions, and I listen intently for the last one that’s directed to Julius.
“Julius, you were Captain of what was known as a sinking ship last year.” I watch as Julius fights to roll his eyes.
I know hearing about the team’s performance last year is a sore spot for him.
“Do you think sharing the responsibility of Captain this year has played a part in the overall success of your new team?” the reporter finishes.
“That’s a good question, and I would say yeah.
” His quick response makes it impossible for me to hide the smile on my face.
“The team wasn’t meshing well last year, and a good part of that was because of me and, admittedly, how I was taking on my duties as Captain.
Just like Kaylah said about the team we have now, her and I complement each other as well and we’ve managed to utilise both our weaknesses and strengths to our advantage. ”
We see Coach after the press conference, and just knowing he’s Julius’s dad makes me understand why his stern face is so permanent.
It also has me feeling awkward that I have all of this information about him and his other family, while all he talks about is his current family.
I try to put it out of the way to respond to his, “Great job, guys,” he says to us.
“Thanks, Coach,” I say.
I gaze at Julius and remind myself that maybe I need to be more self aware sometimes because my feelings are nothing compared to his on the matter.
He nods his thanks at Coach, but they’ve never been the best of friends so none of his words or actions towards him ever appear to get Coach suspicious of him.
“So, just one thing,” he continues. Oh no. “I know I said I wanted you guys to be aligned with each other, but are you aware that didn’t mean—“
“Oh, gosh, Coach,” I wince.
“It’s fine, because we’re not talking about this, Coach,” Julius says, slipping his fingers into mine. “All you need to know is that the team is doing great.“
This is what he means about us understanding each other. I’m quick to notice Julius’s nose flaring as he speaks, but no one else would gage that he’s angry.
“Good, but just don’t give me anything to worry about. Be sure to keep any problems you have off the ice.”
“We will,” I say.
“My daughter told me you guys are new friends,” he directs to me.
“Yeah, I like her.”
“That’s good. That’s good.” He nods. Seems like you two will get along well. And who knows, you might even be able to convince her to switch to Hockey.”
“I think she’s pretty set on Basketball.”
Should I have said think? Maybe I should have given less room for argument.
“She says that, but it’s never too late. I’ve always wanted my child doing Hockey.”
I’ve never been so thankful for Nathan and his big mouth to interrupt the moment by shouting about the party we’re apparently having at our house later.
* * *
The sound of a balloon pops, but Daniel’s voice still pierces through the air.
He raises a glass. “Here’s to us in a good fucking position mid season!”
Loud cheering erupts around the room.
“Here’s to scoring so many fucking goals!” he says.
The cheering continues.
“Here’s to respecting our fucking Captains!
People pat both me and Julius on the back.
“Here’s to having a great fucking night!”
“Woo. Party in my house,” I say despondently while raising my glass at. Feeling comfort in the fingers linked with mine, I turn to face my man. “That guy does not run out of fucks to give, nor does he run out of energy to keep throwing these damn parties, clearly,” I say fondly of my housemate.
Reigan, one of the guys from our team stops in front of us.
I stifle my laughter at Julius’s face. It’s clear he still remembers how jealous of him he was when Reigan and I spoke at our first party.
He knows he never had anything to worry about, but he told me himself that everything felt more intense for him because of how bad he wanted all of me.
“Well done Captains, you guys have both done great so far this season,” Reigan says, a knowing look in his eyes as he scans us both.
It’s the same knowing look Coach Campbell had been giving us for a few weeks up until our last meeting with him. If I wasn’t certain he knew about our relationship prior to that conversation, it was awkward enough that it left no doubt in mind about his knowledge of it afterwards.
I snap out of my thoughts to deliver a, “Thank you,” to Reigan who then sidles away.
“When do you think people found out about us?” I ask Julius.
He scoffs. “Have you seen who we live with? I bet one of them told all of them early on.”
“Do you think they’ve known since the beginning?” Noticing that Daniel is walking towards us, I direct my next question to him. “Hey, everyone knows about us being together, right?”
“Is water wet?” he says with a raised brow, then lets out a telling laugh. “Come on, guys. I’ve known about it since that whole seven minutes thing when it was clear you were doing your thing in there.”
That’s slightly mortifying, but I’ll let it be, I guess.
“And you told everyone when?” Julius asks.
“I refuse the right to answer that,” he says with a straight face and crossed arms.
This guy never has a serious moment in his life, and I know he’s not about to start now, so I’m ready to throw a joke at him, but my train of thought is interrupted by a new addition to our group.
Taking admiration of the braids flowing all the way down her back first, I lay my eyes on the girl standing in front of me.
Her smooth brown skin glistens in the room, matching her sleek voice as she says, “Hi. I just wanted to say I’ve been watching all your games and you guys have done so well this year. ”
“Thank you,” I I don’t recognise her at all, but I only really know people from the team and my course.
“It was so sad to hear what happened to Sierra, and…well, you as well, Kaylah,” she says.
I narrow my eyes. “What’s your name, sorry?”
“I’m Camille. I’m a Journalism student, actually.”
“Oh, no,” Daniel is quick to say, and I take back the thing about him never being serious. His face is completely straight as he says, “No. No to Journalism students.”
I don’t miss the eye roll from Camille. “We get that a lot so I’m not offended. Say no all you want, but I promise you that’s not gonna stop me from getting my paper done.”
“And what is your paper about?” Julius asks.
“The dangers of Hockey on students, and I’ll be looking into whether there’s a difference in the pressure Black students face in particular.
I’ll be starting it after the Christmas break, but it seems as if there will be a lot to cover, such as your expulsion, Kaylah, the Sierra debacle and the failure of the team last year because of…
well, you,” she says to Julius who glared at her.
“We’re not gonna talk to you about anything you’re trying to research,” Daniel says.
Wow, he’s really passionate about this.
“Well, obviously not. I wouldn’t expect you to. I’m getting my information from other reliable sources. But I just wanted to let you know in advance, because I like to be upfront and honest.”
In the midst of me trying to stop myself from becoming too overwhelmed at this overload of information right now, a question comes to mind. “How do you know about my expulsion?”
I’m pretty sure it was just the Hockey team that heard me talking with Sierra that day, and I didn’t think any of them would go rushing to tell anyone else about it.
“I told you I had other reliable sources. Don’t worry, this paper is going to tell the story in your favour.”
I have so many other questions for her, but a large group cuts into the middle of us, and by the time they’re gone, so is she. I look around anyway, hoping to catch her somewhere around the room.
“Fuck, where did she go?” I say.
“It’s cool,” Daniel says with a sigh. “ I know no one on the team will speak to her so how reliable can those sources really be? But I’m gonna ask around about her, see who she’s been talking to.
You guys know I know everyone here.” It’s true.
“That’s why it pays to be friendly, guys.
” He smiles to accentuate his words, but there’s something off about it.
“I’ll make sure none of that shit goes in the paper. ”
“Thanks, Daniel,” I say, hoping he’ll get to the bottom of those sources.
“I trust that he’ll sort it,” Julius says, pulling me softly towards him. He looks around the room, then takes my hand into his. “Come here,” he says, but I already know where we’re going.
I have no doubt he took the key to the store room earlier on because he knew we would need a moment in here tonight, and when we enter into the room enmeshed with darkness I don’t complain as memories come flooding back of the last time we were cooped up in here together.
“Oh, we’re here again?” I tease.
“It’s a good spot for when there are parties.”
“And these people love to party.”
“They do.”
Our hands are linked tightly together and our eyes find each other with ease just as they did last time. It’s the perfect moment for him to say, “Couldn’t have done any of this without you, Captain.”
I let out a breath. “Couldn’t have done any of this without you, Captain.”
We watch each other for a moment, the party going on outside this room but in here, time stands still.
“And to think Coach put us together because we were too miserable for his likings,” he finally says to break the silence, and I let out a loud laugh, because Coach was correct with his assumption.
Yet it all worked out in the end for the whole team.