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Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Don’t look back.
My steps get faster and faster with each one I take as I near the locker room. My hands wring my stick, and I am a second away from smashing it into the wall when Burnsy steps in.
“Why don’t we save that one for today, huh?” He grabs it, and I let him take it from me.
“Thanks,” whistles through my clenched teeth.
“If it makes you feel better, I ignored her question too,” Burnsy says as we get inside of the locker room.
Fuck.
“Don’t do that,” I snap, surprising even myself.
She doesn’t deserve my defense right now. He holds his hands up in surrender, remaining silent, and I fill the void, still annoyingly protective of her.
“She can handle me not answering questions for her videos, but I don’t want the entire team to do it, and then she gets fired. Yeah, I don’t want to fucking see her right now, but she’s damn good at her job, and I don’t want to fuck that up for her.”
JD pats my back as he steps around me. “You’re a good guy, Reed. Better than me.”
“Eww, don’t make this moment sentimental by using my real name, Jensen,” I correct him.
“Is Bitch better?” Costy jokes, stripping his pads off.
“I swear to God, Costy, I will make you mine if you don’t watch your mouth,” I say with a straight face, although both of us know I’m playing around, just like he is.
“Message received.” Costy laughs.
We all go about doing our own thing, cooling off physically, but also mentally for me. After a quick shower, I’m finally ready to head out.
I need to give my mom a call. I’ve been avoiding calling her this past week because of Charlotte dumping me, but I can’t do that forever. To be honest, I miss talking to her and my sister. We’ve always been really close, talking almost daily, if not a couple of times a week at minimum. Regardless, this call is overdue.
I’m going back to my place tonight. I think Jensen is getting a little tired of having a roommate. I can’t blame him; living alone is pretty great. You can walk around naked and not worry about seeing someone. Once you have that freedom in your own place, it’s hard to give that up.
I wait until I get back to my black Chevy pickup to call my mom, and she answers on the first ring.
“Reed, about time you called your mother,” she says endearingly.
“Hey, Mom.” I chuckle, unable to resist a smile that tugs at my lips from her sass.
“How have you been? Busy week? I saw you guys beat the Wild. It was a good game!” she cheers.
I love my mom, and she’s always been one of my biggest supporters, but to her, every game I play is a good game. That’s okay, but I laugh a little every time she says it because nothing in her mind would be a bad game unless I were to get hurt.
“Yeah…” I trail off, not wanting to say the inevitable.
“You’re quiet,” she says, calling me out.
Time to rip the ol’ Band-Aid off.
“Charlotte ended things.”
“What?” she shrieks. “Honey, what happened?!”
I sigh. “I don’t know, Mom. I thought we were in a really good place. But maybe I was missing something or blind to something. I really don’t know. I wish I did.” The backs of my eyes burn, but I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting the tears that want to form. “She said she’s done, and I don’t think there’s anything I can or want to do.”
“Well, don’t say that, sweetie. Do you love her?” she asks me, as if there is any answer possible other than yes.
“Of course I do.” I slam my eyes closed and rock my head against the headrest of my seat.
