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Her head shoots up, startled. “Yeah?”
“Good luck.”
Instead of a thank you she scrunches her face and sticks her tongue out, making me laugh at her need to dislike me.
Chapter 10
Saffie
Thank god for the Sexton twins. Not that everyone on the team hasn’t been great but there’s nothing like boarding a bus and feeling everyone watching you, hoping you won’t sit next to them. I’m sure it’s completely in my head, but I still feel like a bug under a microscope. Head down, I am just about to slip into an empty seat behind Coach Hayes when I hear my name shouted from the back of the bus. Up on tiptoes, craning my neck, I see Millie standing on her seat waving like a mad woman. Relief washes over me. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like the odd one out. They haven’t treated me like the new girl since I started, but bus rides are different. Everyone is focused on the game coming up and they’ve been riding with the same chicks for a couple of years already. I was so preoccupied with Levi and getting him the paper, I never even thought to ask the twins if I could sit with them beforehand and didn’t want to just assume. I’m not used to feeling this off kilter and I know it’s more than just the bus ride. Landon and I keep seeming to miss each other’s calls and when we do talk it’s always cut short because he always has something going on or is on his way out or I'm on my way to class or practice. It’s the distance and I’m sure it’s nothing at all but I’m just not ready to delve any deeper than that right now. Not today. Side stepping down the aisle so I don’t bump anyone, I make it back to the twins —along with Lakyn and Kenna— and squeeze onto the seat Maeve pats next to her.
“We were afraid you were going to miss the bus,” Millie says, leaning over the back of her seat to talk to us.
“I had a class that I couldn’t miss.” This accelerated A&P class is no joke, even with Levi’s help.
“I heard you were at the rink today.” Maeve’s voice is twinged with curiosity.
“Oh please do not tell me you have already been lured in by one of the hockey boys.” Millie groans. “I had such high hopes for you.” Her head falls forward, red ponytail flopping dramatically.
“Ew no, you’re so crazy. I was just dropping off some papers that your brother needed for the tutor program.”
“Oh good! I was worried for a second there. Now that Maeve is part of the hockey hoochies club I can’t afford to lose any of my friends to it too.”
Maeve swats at her sister as Lakyn and Kenna giggle snort over Millie’s dramatics. “Tell me you’re not a hoochie for Benny so I can call you a liar!” Millie dares.
“Shhhhh! If daddy hears you I am going to tell him all about that frat party you snuck into the other night.”
Millie’s eyes go wide. “You wouldn’t!” She doesn’t sound very sure.
“If he overhears you talking about me and Benny I totally will.” Maeve schools her features into a stern glare, I’ve never seen her look so…tough. It’s almost comical because she’s so not. Maeve is soft spoken and laid back, very much like my cousin. Millie on the other hand…
“Ugh, finnnneee. I’ll be quiet. But seriously, Saffie, protect yourself at all costs. Those hockey boys have a way about them that makes smart girls act stupid.” That last parting shot was totally for her sister who flipped her off amid our snickering. These girls really are so much fun. They make me miss the easy friendships I left behind at St. Claire.
“Speaking of Benny, “Lakyn cuts in, “Is he coming up for the game?”
“He said he would try but that it all depended on if they scheduled another practice or not.” Maeve shrugs. “We’ll see.”
“Oooh, maybe he’ll bring some of the guys up with him,” Kenna adds. “Why is it that all the hot guys like, know each other?”
“You say that like it's a bad thing,” Lakyn says puffing out a little laugh. “At least if they stick together we don’t have to look so hard for them.”
We all laugh and nod our agreement. She makes a solid point.
“What about you, Saf? You got your eye on anyone? What your man doesn’t know won’t hurt himmmm.” Millie sing songs, waggling her perfectly sculpted copper color brows at me.
“Nope. I plan on staying faithful and giving this long-distance thing a shot. I mean, it’s not forever and we are both so busy with school and sports anyway.” I don’t bother mentioning that we haven’t even had time to talk lately.
“Do you really believe that he’ll behave? You know how guys are, out of sight out of mind,” Kenna says, a sympathetic look on her pretty face.
“I totally do! Lan loves me, he would never cheat on me.” I truly believe that or I wouldn’t bother trying. Regardless of how often we get to talk or not. I trust him.
“Well knock on wood girl, because you just jinxed the shit out of yourself,” Millie says knocking softly on the top of my head.
Before I can reply Coach stands up at the front of the bus, raising his hands to silence the chattering that has gotten louder by the second.
“Ladies.” He booms over the noise. Immediately everyone quiets. “Thank you. We have a couple of hours before we get to the hotel, let’s keep the noise level a little below window shattering and get comfy.” He smiles good-naturedly, like a man used to dealing with twenty plus girls at once, all the time. “You know the rules, no flashing cars, that goes for boobs, butts or any kind of sign language.” His brows raise, disappearing under the brim of his FU Fire hat, as he looks around the bus at each of us. Driving his point home. “If you snap gram, insta chat, Twitter book, Ticky Toky, what-the-hell-ever, make sure you do it responsibly. Remember that anything on the internet stays there and will get you in a shitload of trouble if it is inappropriate or paints you or FU in a bad light. Be smart ladies.” This is met with giggles over the butchering of every social media platform he’s probably ever heard of. “Stay put and rest up, we’ll be there soon enough.” With a nod he goes back to his seat behind the bus driver and we’re off.
My stomach lurches right along with the bus. I haven’t felt this nervous before a game in forever. I close my eyes and lean my head back just listening to the conversation around me. This will be the first game I’ve played without my dad being there to cheer me on. I know it's the real reason I’m so out of sorts and nervous. I glance at my phone for the millionth time today looking for the text he would be sending me before an away game. Knowing it won’t come but still hoping it will. My mom sent me one earlier wishing me luck and telling me she loved me but, it's not the same. The girls are talking amongst themselves laughing at something Kenna is saying. With them preoccupied I open the messages on my phone and scroll to the one I’m looking for. My hands tremble a bit as I click on the name Big Papa.
