“Is this about Matt Hudson?” Amy asks bluntly. Immediately, Nick sits up.
“What do you know about Matt Hudson?” In all his previous calls, he’s never named names, just telling her in the vaguest terms possible that there was a guy he was sort of hooking up with.
“I talked to Marco.”
“Motherfucker.”Is nothing sacred anymore?“So you know everything, then.”
“I don’t know,” Amy says evenly. “Why don’tyoutell me everything, and we can compare notes.”
“Fine. But I’m pissed at you for talking behind my back.”
“Whatever. Die mad. Now spill.”
Wanting to set the story straight from whatever Marco’s interpretation of events might be, Nick informs his sister ofeverything that’s happened since the season began. With Matt, with Connor, the whole mess tangled up in his brain that came to a head after the Orignaux game and led to him crying in his car.
When Amy sighs down the phone, it’s with such profound disappointment that he actually flinches.
“I love you, but you are so stupid sometimes,” she declares matter-of-factly. An incredulous snort escapes Nick.
“Wow, okay,” he mutters. “No need to get mean.” He’s trying his best here.
“This guylikesyou. For more than your dick—and,ew, I can’t believe you made me say that sentence. I hate you.”
“I didn’t make you say anything!” Nick yelps. He doesn’t want his baby sister thinking about his dick either.
“What’s stopping you from taking a chance, huh? From what you’ve said, even if he turns you down, he’s not the kind of asshole to tell anyone. You shoot your shot, the worst that happens is he says no and you have to stop sleeping with a guy who only wants you for sex anyway. Otherwise, congrats, you’ve got yourself a boyfriend.”
“It’s not that simple, Ames.”
“It could be,” she retorts. “You’re just scared.”
Wow, she’s really not pulling her punches today.
“I’m looking at pictures of this guy on Tumblr,” Amy says suddenly, because she’s still on Tumblr in the year 2022. “He’s prettier than Connor.”
“I’m telling Connor you said that.” He can’t, of course, because Connor doesn’t know about Matt.
“Tell him. He deserves it.” Her tone is unrepentant. “You’re in some of these pictures,” she adds, and his heart jumps. “Nothing bad. Just… you’re smiling, with him. Arealsmile. I’ve missed that.” She pauses. “I’ve missedyou.”
“You know you can come visit any time,” he says immediately, which is the easiest part of that to address.
“I wish I could but I’msuperbusy with school right now.”
“I know,” Nick says, sighing. “Whatever. Live your life. I don’t care.”
“Liar.” She sounds amused. “I’ll see you next month at the Jersey game,” Amy reminds him. “I’ve cleared my schedule. Mom’s said she can make it. She might even bring Trevor.”
“Oh, yay.”
“Be nice,” Amy scolds, as if she’s the elder of the two of them.
Their mom’s been seeing Trevor for two years now, so Nick probably isn’t getting rid of him at this point. “If he tries to get me to call himDadagain I’m gonna puke on his shoes.”
“You spend too much time with your cat if that’s your go-to threat,” is Amy’s dry response. “Anyway, I have to go, and so do you. Promise me you’ll try and be brave, okay? I love you.”
All of a sudden, a memory flashes through Nick’s head: himself at fifteen, with a chip on his shoulder the size of a puck, about to leave home for the hockey season. Amy, almost twelve and curled in like she’s trying to hide herself from the world, eyes filled with tears as she begs to go with him.“Promise me you’ll try and be brave, okay? I love you.”That’s what Nick had told her, hugging her tight and swearing that things would be okay in the end.
How the tables have turned.
