Page 44 of Goalie interference

Thayer hesitated for a second, searching my face with a flare of something I didn’t recognize in his eyes before looking past me to Reed and shaking his head. “Tommy. You’re in.”

All the noise–the fan screaming, players bickering, staff shoveling ice– it all turned to a screech in my head. Everything was loud and aggressive–my skin heating up and pressure in my head building like I was one step from blowing up.

Thayer sent Tommy in and had to stay for him, but I sure fucking didn’t.

I barreled right past him, ignoring every call of my name as I stomped down the tunnel, back into our locker room.

We had a deal–I was just stupid enough to think he meant it!

I trusted every word out of his mouth because what?

Because he helped with my leg?

Because I liked him?

Because he was hot?

Because my bi-awakening centered on him?

He painted such a pretty picture of life with him that I didn't even consider the possibility that it was a lie. I didn’t think about how too good to be true it was–I thought he cared about me and saw me–understood me.

Maybe parts of it were real, but all it did was give him access to more of me than he deserved.

“Ash!” Thayer called out, stopping me just as I was stomping out of the locker room–out of the rink. “You need to see one of the medics–they need to watch you–”

“Fuck off,” I spat, shouldering past him, into the hallway.

“Ash!” he said harshly.

When I turned back around, his hand was fisted at his side, flexing like he was fighting the urge to grab me. “Calm. Down. Go see a medic–we’ll talk after the game–”

“Fuck. Off,” I said back, mocking his annoying-ass calm. “We had a deal–I upheld my end. You lied to me. You said you’d trust me–”

“Stop–”

“No–you stop–stop all of it,” I shouted. “You don't get to do that to me and act like I’m the one out of line here–go fuck yourself, Thayer.”

“You didn’t see your head hit that ice, Ash–I did!” He yelled back, stepping closer to me and breathing hard, almost fanning my face now with our proximity. “I watched every second of that–”

“Don’t act like you care now.”

Thayer reached out to grab me, but I stepped back, clearing his reach. I watched him realize what he did–broke our boundary, right after breaking his promise to me.

Breaking things left and right because they only mattered to him when they benefited him.

Anger was still driving me, but stomping out of there, I felt the lump in my throat and the wobble in my chin. I was so pissed and scorching the earth with every step I took, but at the same time, as soon as I was in my car, I coughed out a cry.

Anger was one thing, but I'd never felt what heartbreak actually was like before.

Chapter 22

Thayer

None of it felt good.

Denying Ash, arguing with him, hearing how hurt he was–but neither did watching him get hurt.

Watching his head bounce on that ice–I wanted to throw up.