“I just wanted to check in with Ryan. Since you’re convinced that we need his permission to see me.” I open my mouth to talk, but she steps on the ice and skates towards me, smirking. “Seriously. Jen told me you and Ryan were here. I thought I’d come and see if you wanted to skate. Imiss you, Lee. I don’t want it to be just about the fooling around, you know? We used to have so much fun together.” She pauses. “Look, I know you want Ryan to be okay with us, and I know we don’t need his permission, but it’s all good.”
I grab her hand and pull her in. Kissing her, not giving a crap if anyone is watching—because I choose her, and hopefully that means I can choose hockeytoo.
Vicky
Johnny looks like he’s not slept properly in days, which is how long he’s been avoiding me. Phone calls unanswered, text messages not returned, and he wasn’t answering his door. Yesterday, I caved and found his key, but the fucker changed the lock.
He was late for practice. He’s dragging his feet as he skates, and his momentum looks non-existent. I glance at the clock, figuring out how long I must wait until I can reasonably go downstairs and corner him. They have ten minutes left before they hit the showers.
“And he’s not said anything to you?” I ask Kirsty from where I stand at the window. I’ve learnt that she and Johnny are friends and, even though it felt weird at first, it makes sense.
I’m looking down at the ice, watching Liam this time. He’s bouncing a puck on the end of his stick.
“No, but you should probably talk to him if you’re worried,” she says.
“Of course, I’m worried! Have you seen the state of him?”
Kirsty joins me at the window next to Jen’s empty desk, and we watch for a few moments. “He must have told Liam, though. Or Ryan,” she says after a few moments.
Johnny now stands at the point with his stick twirling in his hand. He’s wallowing his feet back and forth. I’m trying to see if he’s shaved, but I can’t quite make out that level of detail.
Kirsty heads back to her desk, and I carry on watching the drills on the ice. My eyes are drifting between Liam and Johnny. I need to tell Johnny about us. Even if we haven’t put a label on it, I still don’t feel comfortable hiding it from him.
“Vicky, are you going to answer that?”
“What?”
“Jenna’s desk phone,” Kirsty says. It’s not until it rings off and starts trilling again that I even notice it was making a noise.
“Hello?” I lean over her desk and pick up the receiver, stretching the phone cord as far as it’ll go so I can keep an eye on Johnny.
“Vicky, it’s me.”
“Jen? Why are you ringing your own phone? Where are you?”
“I need a favour,” she says.
“Can it wait? Johnny’s—”
“Vicky. Listen carefully. I’m at the registrar’s office near the central library, and they have a cancellation. I need you to get Ryan and get his ass down here in half an hour. Half an hour, Vicky. Eleven-thirty. Please tell me you can do that?” I stare ahead in complete disbelief, not even sure what I’m hearing. Jen rushes me, making me realise now isn’t the time to ask questions. “I don’t care if you have to disrupt practice, but he needs to be here. I’ll explain all later.”
The line goes dead, and I slam the receiver down. Not bothering to grab my jacket, I start towards the door before turning back to pick up one thing I know I can’t go without: my camera. The corridor to the stairs is empty, but unfortunately, the GM is exiting his office.
“Ah, Vicky. Just the person—I was hoping to catch you.” I come to a halt right in front of him, wobbling on my heels as I stop. “Are you okay? In a hurry?”
I falter as I try to think of something to say. I can almost hear the clock ticking, taunting me.
“Um, yeah. I’m sorry… it’s women’s things, you know,” I say. I discovered from a young age that men hate this. Random men, that is.
The GM opens his mouth as if to speak, but he stares at me completely dumbfounded. Then he nods, moving aside to let me pass. I’m off again, only slowing down to take the stairs down to the lobby.
I power walk through to the bar, then towards the doors to the ice, and I fling them open with a sense of purpose to see the ice deserted. Empty.
Fuck.
I speed towards the tunnels, but as I turn the corner, I come face to face with Coach.
“Vicky, a word,” he says, as if he’s been waiting for me. This is beyond frustrating.
