She sighed. "What can I say? My brother plays, and I was forced to go to all his games. I just don't get how you can like it."
Tolliver threw me a smile and waved to me from the ice.
"Well, that's how." I waved back. "Also just so you know, Tolliver came to my orchestra concert the other night."
Her eyes went round. "He did?"
"Yes, and it was only classical music. The pieces were gorgeous. I was first chair as usual. Anyway, he cheered the loudest too. I could literally hear him above everyone else."
"Seriously?"
"The conductor gave him a dirty look once when Tolliver wouldn't sit down."
Elle laughed. "That's hilarious."
"It really is," Hazel said. "Good on Tolliver."
Sitting down and turning to face her for a moment, I felt my brow furrow.
"Does this have anything to do with Hudson?" I asked. "I saw you two talking earlier."
Hazel scoffed. "Hewas talking while I walked away."
"Yeah, that's what I meant."
"He just makes me so mad," she said.
"Which is different from any other day how?" Elle said then grinned and held up her hands. "Sorry, Hud's always getting on someone's nerves. I have to live with the guy. I get it."
Hazel crossed her arms. "I wish he'd just ignore me."
"Do you though?" I said.
I didn't back down from her glare.
"I'm only saying maybe there's more to him than meets the eye."
Hudson knocked someone into the boards, hard, and before he skated off, he blew Hazel a kiss.
"Doubtful," she said. "Seriously, doubtful."
As she and Elle continued their conversation, I went back to watching the game. Three minutes later, Hudson scored a goal with some help from Tolliver, and as he came to the bench, he beamed up at me.
"What are you smiling at?" his coach/father said.
"My girlfriend, Coach," he said.
There was a mutter of something that sounded like "Keep your head in the game," but I saw his dad hide a small smile. Tolliver simply stared at me a moment.
Then he said, loud enough for the whole bench to hear, "Love you."
"Jeez, love you too," Hudson said. "No need to shout."
"Not you," Tolliver said, looking at me expectantly.
"Love you," I said back.
"What?"
