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REED
“Fuck, Flynn. What happened between practice and now?”
With his back against the front door of his apartment, Flynn says, “I told Melanie I would be back at noon. I wanted to surprise her with flowers. You know, be a gentleman. I snuck in quietly… fuck. She was in bed with another guy.”
It doesn’t surprise me, everyone warned him to stay away from her. Melanie’s not only a puck bunny but a cleat chaser of every variety—football, baseball, soccer.
“Let’s get you inside.”
“We’ve been exclusive for two weeks. She fucked me last night, and she’s grinding on another cocksucker today?” He shakes his head as I help him to his feet.
Flynn and I are linemates. We play on the left and right wings of Dawes, the center. We spend the majority of practice working together. Coach substitutes us all at the same time, giving the first string a break. And there are two lines behind us that get little playing time.
I was supposed to move in with Flynn at the beginning of the fall semester, but Janik decided to stay for his Covid year at the last minute.
Grabbing a bottle of bourbon from the cabinet, I pour us two shots. “All right, man, we’re drinking to being single.”
“Aww fuck, man.”
“Listen to me. You are not taking Melanie back. I’ll twist your balls so tight, you’ll wish you were dead.”
There’s a knock on the door. “Oh, what’s up, guys?” Dawes lives next door. It’s basically an apartment complex where all the hockey guys live. “I’m bored. I hate when we don’t have a Saturday night game; it makes Sunday seem so long.”
Flynn slurs, “Come drink with us.”
“Don’t mind if I do. It’s been a shit day.” Dawes runs his hand over his jaw before looking at me. “Why are you fucking smiling? You never smile unless you’re already drunk,” he says to me.
“It feels good to be on the other side of brooding, for once. Cheers.”
Dawes takes the bottle, lifts it to his mouth, and swallows about two shots worth of the amber liquid, causing me to ask, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing, except Christina just took a knife and stuck it so far into me that I’m bleeding out.”
“And this is why we call you Drama Dawes.” I chuckle and squeeze his shoulder. “Tell us so we can commiserate with you.”
I met Christina once when she came in November for one of our games. Dawes is from North Carolina, and she goes to Duke. She’s studying diplomatic relations and let’s just say, not my type.
“We’ve been together since we were thirteen, and now, she wants…” He pauses and uses air quotes. “A breather.”
Flynn says, “Fuck girls.” As they toast and clink their glasses, I’m left unnoticed, so I discreetly take the bottle from Dawes and pour myself another drink. “And fuck basketball players.”
“Melanie was with a basketball player?” I ask. “Did you kick his ass?”
There’s no love lost between the hockey and basketball teams. Our seasons run parallel and on this campus, they’re treated like damn superheroes. These apartments were originally built for the basketball team, but now, they have a shiny, new modern building that includes every amenity you can imagine, including a freaking chef. So, we’re in their hand-me-downs when they’ve only won two more games than they’ve lost, while we are undefeated.
“Yep.”
After listening to Dawes and Flynn’s heartbreaks, I say, “Let’s go to McShane’s.”
McShane’s is the bar where I met Brooke, but she obviously doesn’t remember since she’s never brought it up. It’s where we go after home games and whenever we need to let loose. I check my phone, and its late afternoon. We’re wasted already, so I know I can’t drive. Even drunk, my situation is always foremost in my mind, so I text my roommate.
Me:Hey, can you pick me up at the hockey plex? Drunk and can’t drive.
Hagan:Adalee and I are at the movies. Let me see if Logan and Hap are home.
Me:Don’t bother her.
Hagan:Logan’s on his way.
