Page 33 of Best Things in Life

“What are you doing here in the house with the family?”

“I’m a family friend. Why shouldn’t I be here? I knew Zia Rosaria. You’re a shit for not being here yesterday.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit—you’re here to take Sarina, to show me up—”

“And what if I am?”

“What about hockey? Isn’t that your priority? You left her for hockey and you don’t deserve her back.”

“Hockey is no longer my top priority.” I say the words that would have been blasphemy not long ago. “Not when it comes to Sarina.” I finally admit what I’ve been feeling and the truth of it lightens me. I take a deep breath, the boa constrictor that had been inhabiting my chest now gone.

“So that’s it? Now you’re telling me you’re fighting me for Sarina? Are you some kind of fucked-up asshole? That’s against every sense of decency, the bro code—because she’s mine—”

“Maybe you should ask her about that,” I say. He clenches his fists and gets in my space and I’m not sure if he’s planning to hit me, but I can’t let that happen.

“Not in here—are you crazy?”

“You’re a fucking bastard.”

“I don’t care. Haven’t you ever heard the saying all’s fair in love and war? Well it’s true. Believe it.”

Sarina opens the door then and finds us in a silent staring contest, though I step back and try to relax my stance, but it’s nearly impossible with all the adrenaline pumped up, readying for a fight. Her eyes ping-pong between us, accusing us equally because we should have waited until later, shouldn’t have started this in her house, on this occasion, but that train has charged out of that station for good.

“Food’s ready. Come and eat.” She heaves a deep breath and lowers her voice. “And I expect you both to behave until this is over.” She orders us like she’s Coach and if we don’t behave there will be severe consequences—far worse than being benched.

Bigs smiles at her, going to her side, not mad at Sarina, as if she’s blameless because he doesn’t know we spent the night together. He’s enraged with me because I went against the bro code. But if he needs the bro code to keep Sarina then he has nothing. But he believes what’s between me and Sarina is one-sided because he’s not going to believe otherwise, doesn’t want to believe otherwise, until she tells him. Fuck.

I wonder fleetingly if he’ll ever forgive me and I doubt it. But the stabbing sensation I feel over that is minor compared to how I’d feel if Sarina choose him over me.

We get through the meal and pleasantries, the only relief from the purgatory being when Joe and I trade Rosaria stories. She loved dropping in at Uncle Joe’s restaurant and always came in through the kitchen.

When most people are gone and it’s late in the day and Bigs is looking at his watch because he wants to get back tonight to be ready for our early morning skate, I follow him and Sarina outside after he’s said goodbye to her parents.

“Where are you going, Nate Garino?” Mrs. Torini says as I’m about to step out the back door.

“I’ll be back,” I say. She shakes her head, staring at me, telling me with her eyes not to break her baby’s heart. “It’ll be all right. I promise.” But I don’t wait for her blessing or permission because I meant it when I said all’s fair in love. Besides, I know deep down Mrs. Torini knows who her daughter belongs with.

I catch up to Bigs and Sarina standing next to his car that’s parked down the street. It’s dark and quiet and I suck in a deep breath of the cool fall air slightly tinged with city smells. But my lungs are familiar with the dirty scent and absorb it.

She’s standing a foot away from Bigs on the sidewalk and he’s standing against his car.

“I don’t understand why you don’t just come back with me tonight,” he says.

“She can ride with me back to campus tomorrow,” I say, intruding in their conversation. Sarina spins around as I come up next to her, standing shoulder-to-almost-shoulder. Her eyes beg me to leave it alone, but I shake my head. “It’s time.” I put an arm around her shoulder and let out a relieved breath when she lets me. Thank fuck she didn’t change her mind, that I didn’t imagine she’s giving me a second chance. Maybe.

“Get your hands off her,” Bigs growls as he moves in and shoves me away from Sarina. I step away because I don’t want her to get in the middle of it.

“It’s over, Bigs,” I say. “Sarina and I spent the night together last night.”

“You fucking bastard.” He takes a swing, but I dodge him.

“Nothing happened,” Sarina says, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from me. She glares at me, but I’m committed to full disclosure of the raw truth and there’s no going back.

“Not that we didn’t want to—” I say.

He lunges at me, jerking free from Sarina’s strong grip and throws a roundhouse punch at my head, grazing my chin as I jump back. Sarina charges between us.

“This isn’t happening. Not here, not now.” She gulps down her outrage and says, “Please.”