AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh really? From who?”
“Is it me?” a loud voice boomed behind me, and suddenly arms surrounded me, picking me up and twirling me around.
I knew that damn voice.
“Tyler, put me down,” I protested. The last thing I needed was more gossip about me flying around.
Tyler complied, and Josh stared at him, starstruck.
“You’re Tyler Owens, right? From the Volcanoes. You’re a great player, man.”
Tyler grinned. “Thanks, dude, that’s always nice to hear. Lily never says it, like, ever.”
“Bug doesn’t really follow hockey,” Josh said.
Tyler frowned at him. “Bug?”
“Oh, it’s her nickname here,” Josh said, backpedaling.
Tyler looked at me. “Well, I guess Hade Harbor miscreants aren’t as creative as they like to think they are, right, Lil?”
“It’s fine, it doesn’t bother me. I’m used to it.”
“It doesn’t bother you, or you’re used to it?” Tyler pressed.
“I don’t care, seriously. Anyway, I need to go and see my dad real quick. Good luck tonight,” I said to Tyler and spun on my heel, crashing straight into an unforgivably hard body.
Cayden towered over me, a specter in black. He didn’t even sway when I bounced off him, reminding me of the first time we’d met and how he’d knocked me on my ass in the parking lot without even lifting a finger.
Tyler whistled loudly. “If it isn’t the star player himself, Cayden West. We’re more than ready for you this year. Your team might have changed, but that’s not going to help you,” he goaded.
Cayden was completely silent.
I glanced up at him. He stared at Tyler with a vaguely menacing look.
I stepped out of his shadow, and the movement drew his eye. He seemed anxious, a line pinching tightly between his eyebrows. His shoulders were bunched, and his lips were thin. When, exactly, I’d learned to decipher Cayden’s emotions just from his posture, I had no idea, but it couldn’t be a good thing.
“See you later,” I called in Tyler and Josh’s direction.
“Let’s hang after the game, Lil.” Tyler grinned at me.
I didn’t dare look at Cayden again as I left.
I hurried to my dad’s office and knocked.
“Come in!” His voice sounded harried.
I poked my head around the door. “Mom’s running late, and you’re not answering your phone. She says good luck.”
My dad grinned to himself and nodded. “Okay, now I can concentrate.”
“You’re crazy with all these superstitions and rituals.”
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, and besides, I know you have your own little rituals on test days. Different pencils with different levels of sharpness, and whatnot.”
I nodded, admitting that much was true.
“I’ll see you in there, Lilypad.”
