Page 15 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

I hesitate.

This feels different than telling my mom. Still weird, still… private, but not wrong per se.

I glance around, making sure no one’s paying attention, then lean closer. “I got my period.”

They both freeze for a second.

Then Tessa’s eyes go wide. “Wait. Like actually?”

I nod, heat crawling up my neck.

Becca grins. “Welcome to the club.”

“It’s not a club,” I mutter.

“It is,” Tessa says. “Just a sucky one.”

I laugh a little because she’s not wrong, and not at all like I expected, especially the cramps.

“Does it hurt?” Becca asks.

“Yeah. Kind of.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t go away,” Tessa says. “You just get used to it. Sort of.”

“Sort of?” I repeat.

She shrugs. “Okay, you don’t. But you deal.”

Becca nudges me. “Also, this means you’re trying out for field hockey.”

“Field hockey has nothing to do with⁠—”

“Yes, it does,” Tessa says. “Because we’re doing it. And you’re doing it with us. We’re all ladies now, and ladies stick together.”

I completely miss the logic in that, which is probably because it lacks it completely as I look out at the field, at the boys all warming up, trying not to think about that lady part…

Jason’s loud, hyping everyone up like always. Jasper’s moving too fast for anyone to keep up with. Ryan’s steady, controlled, and alert. Alex’s quieter, but sharp, and throws passes.

They look… older out there. They’re freshmen, high schoolers.

“So?” Becca nudges me. “Hockey?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Jason scores first and makes a whole thing out of it, arms up, yelling like the game’s already over. Jasper follows, weaving through defenders like they’re nothing. Ry’s arm is amazing; he sets everything up without even looking like he’s trying and always passes perfectly. Always in the right place. And Alex, he’s so fast! He scores too.

We win. Of course we do.

The crowd’s loud. Everyone’s clapping. Tessa bumps my shoulder. Becca’s already talking about how good they all looked.

I clap, and I smile as I look for my parents.

Mom’s on the sidelines, with Dad, completely wrapped up in him. In them. In this.

I hug my arms around myself.

After the game, I’ll tell her about field hockey, and after that, the other thing.