Page 55 of Line Change

Pope’s grip tightens on the edge of the board.

I keep smiling for the camera. “We all get hungry.”

“And his phone apps?”

“He sends me restaurants.”

Bobby looks at Pope, then back at me. The room quiets while he works through it.

I already see Pope at the rink every day. Then he leaves and keeps showing up on my phone. Half the time, he ends up in my apartment. Wanting all of it to keep happening is extremely fucking inconvenient.

Pope’s shoulder goes rigid against mine. I leave mine where it is.

Finally, Bobby raises the marker like he’s delivering a verdict.

“You two are cheating.”

The room erupts.

I laugh with everyone else. We kind of are cheating. Half our answers came from all the time Pope and I spend alone.

What would these assholes say if they knew the rest?

Pope’s shoulder stays pressed to mine while they yell.

“How?” Caleb asks when the room settles enough for anyone to hear him.

Bobby waves the marker between Pope and me. “Look at them.”

That starts everyone again. The producer motions for the camera operator to keep rolling while Bobby tries to make his case. Nobody lets him get more than five words out before shouting him down.

Pope lowers the scoring board. “You got one point.”

“Because I respect my linemates’ privacy.”

Anton comes halfway out of his stall. “You went through my bag yesterday.”

“I thought you had my charger.”

“It was plugged into the wall.”

A laugh gets out of Pope before he can stop it. His shoulder loosens against mine, and I’m grinning before Bobby starts arguing that an open bag isn’t private.

“Perfect,” the producer says. She lets the camera run until Bobby notices, then points at it. “And cut.”

The ring light goes dark. Bobby immediately turns to her.

“Rematch.”

She checks the cards still in her hand. “We have five lightning-round questions.”

Pope stays on the stool. He looks at me while Bobby wipes the scores off the board.

“One round,” he says.

Bobby shoves a marker into my hand. Pope’s knee bumps mine under the boards.

“You in?” he asks.