Page 38 of Always Been You

The game starts again, and I watch, but my mind is split between the game and what Zoey said about her thinking that Matt would be happy for Josh and me.

At the end of the second period, I stand and look at my friends. “I want some hot chocolate. Do you guys want some?”

“Sure, I’ll join you,” Hannah says as she stands up. “Zo, Liz you want some?”

They both nod, and Hannah and I make our way toward the front of the building and upstairs to the bar. I order four hot chocolates and we wait for the bartender to get them for us.

“Hey, so about all this stuff going on with Josh. I know we have razzed you about it, but we just want you to be happy and don’t want you to get hurt,” Hannah says with such a sincere look on her face. I reach and grab her hand that is sitting on the bar in front of her, and give it a quick squeeze.

“I know. This is all so new, like twenty-four hours new. I don’t want to rush anything and make it into more than it is. I want to enjoy what we have and see where it takes us. You know I love you girls for always being there for me. I don’t know what I would have done after the whole Drew fiasco if it wasn’t for you three. I love you.” I pull her into a hug, our bodies relax as we take in the familiarity and safety of it. I know that my friends only want the best for me.

“I love you too,” she says into my hair before pulling back from me, keeping her hands on my shoulders, and squeezing them. “We will always be here for you.”

“I know, I’ll always be here for you guys, too.”

The bartender delivers our drinks. I pay, and we head back down to the game. I pass a drink to Zoey and take my seat. Looking over to the bench and Josh sitting on the end, looking at me. ‘You okay?’ He mouths. I smile and nod, holding up my hot chocolate. He smiles back.

I turn back to the game. It’s still early in the third period and Josh jumps onto the ice. He skates to the other side of the ice, his stick connecting with a pass. He takes the puck to the end of the ice, passing it to Nick, who skates around the net and passes it back to Josh; he has it for 3 seconds before he fakes a shot to the right and sends a slap shot into the bottom left corner of the net. The girls and I jump up and cheer for them as Josh does the same thing as he did after his last goal.

There are five minutes left, the puck drops again, and we watch as the game ends, 2-0, all the players meet in the centre fist-bumping each other before they all skate off the ice to head to the dressing rooms. The girls and I head over to the dressing room door to talk to Matt and Josh before they head in.

“You guys have dinner?” I ask the three of them.

“Nope, have something in mind?” Liz asks.

“I have to wait for Josh, so I was thinking I’d head up to the bar while they shower and change.”

“Sounds good to me, Zo? Han?” they both nod.

“Well, if it isn’t our lucky charm!” I hear Matts’s voice as he approaches with the team. “I don’t think I have seen Josh go that hard in years.”

Josh shoulder bumps him. I think I see a slight blush on his cheeks, but that could be from the cold of the rink or the adrenaline of playing. “I play just fine, thanks asshat,” he says with a chuckle.

“I think it might have been your pre-game ritual,” Matt says, bumping him back.

Josh shakes his head at my brother and stops right in front of me.

“I’ll be quick, Olivia.”

“Don’t worry about it. The girls and I are going to head up to the bar. We haven’t had dinner yet. You want me to order you a burger and fries to be delivered in an hour?” I ask.

“That sounds great, thanks.”

“Get me one too, Liv. I’ll join you guys,” Matt says to me, but he’s looking at Zoey like he is trying to solve some kind of puzzle.

“Sounds good. I’ll see you both in an hour.” I look over at Josh. “You played great. I missed this.” I hip-bump him before walking away with the girls.

We head up to the bar and grab a spot at a huge high top. We each order a drink and look at the menu. I decide to get the same burger that I’m going to order for Josh and pick one for Matt.

I put my menu down and look at Zoey, who is sitting down across from me. Eliza is to her right and Hannah is to my left.

“Zoey, what is going on with you and my brother?” I ask her. Her jaw drops on the other side of her menu and Liz and Hannah look over at her.

“Nothing. Nothing is going on with Matt,” she rushes out.

“You know I wouldn’t care if you guys wanted to actually date? I just don’t want anything to be awkward. You know how important Matt and Gi are to me, and you girls are important to me, too. I like that we can all hang out together.”

“It’s all good, Liv. Nothing is going on with Matt.” She picks up her drink and takes a big sip of it.

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