Page 16 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

I don’t. Because even after the game, it’s all noise.

They’re all talking at once, shoving each other, replaying everything. My mom’s right there with them, asking questions, touching shoulders, smiling like she can’t get enough.

I stand just outside of it. Waiting. There’s no space. No opening. And then I see it out of the corner of my eye. Jasper coming, and I’m too slow to get away from his sweaty hug this time.

“You’re so gross.” I laugh as I try to wiggle away, but Jason is now there too, and they have me boxed in. All I can do is laugh and let the inevitable happen.

“You wanna ride back with me, kiddo?” Dad asks, stepping up next to me.

“Yeah,” I say.

“We’re going to be starving when we get there,” Jason says.

I roll my eyes. “When are you not?”

Dad and I head to the truck. On our way out of the parking lot, he asks about school, about my classes, and when I mention field hockey —just toss it out there— he looks at me like I just told him something important.

“You should try out,” he says.

“I don’t know.”

“Why not?”

I shrug. “Just… I don’t know.”

“I think you should,” he says. “You’d be good at it. You’re good at everything you set your mind to, baby girl.”

At home, he sits at the table and points to the folder. “They need signing?”

“Same thing every year.” I nod.

He signs my form without hesitation. “Here?”

“Yeah.”

“And this one?”

“Same.”

He signs them all.

“Thanks,” I say.

“Of course.”

“Do the boys have any?” he asks.

I reach over and grab the pile. “Probably all of these.”

As he signs them, I preheat the oven and take the casserole out of the fridge.

They’re not home yet.

“Million-dollar spaghetti?” Dad asks, standing.

“It looks so good, I could eat it cold.” I place it in the oven, close the door, and set the timer for twenty minutes.

He makes a face, and I laugh as I head over to grab my Teen Beat magazine.