Page 129 of The Penalty

THIRTY-FOUR

RHYS

I’m just starting to feel good about things. Teddy and I are great. He’s better with his team. I’m playing well. School is going well. My relationship with my brothers is going okay. Better with Owen than Oliver, but I’ll take it. So it was about time for the other shoe to drop.

Tobi: Let me guess you’re busy.

Tobi: Sometimes I don’t know why I bother.

I feel like a jackass. But the truth is I don’t even see Teddy as much as I want.

Rhys: I’m free for dinner if you want to meet me over here.

Tobi: Don’t you have team stuff?

I can hear the sneer in his message.

Rhys: I can skip the team dinner.

Tobi: Are you sure? Your team comes first.

I’m trying to offer an olive branch here, but he doesn’t seem to want to take it. It sucks to feel like I can’t manage all of the things in my life. Like I’m juggling too many balls and one of them is always going to be dropped.

How does anyone have enough time for college, hockey, friends, a boyfriend, and family?

I’ve been ignoring texts from my mother for the last month too. She’ll probably send the police for a welfare check any day now if I don’t reply. But I just don’t know what to say anymore.

Rhys: If you don’t want to see me. Just say that.

Tobi: What time?

We decide on a time, and I feel a little bit better. I don’t want to lose my best friend, but I don’t know how to keep him. He’s going to find out about Teddy eventually and then all of this will be for nothing. He’s never going to forgive me.

He shows up for dinner and I scan him into the cafeteria. We get our food in silence and then sit without saying a word.

It’s awkward as fuck.

Not The Enemy: Is Tobi mad at me?

Double Stuffed: is Tobi mad at u?

Not The Enemy: that’s what I just asked.

Double Stuffed: i’ asking 2.

I don’t know why I even tried. I stifle a laugh so Tobi doesn’t ask.

“What’s so amusing under the table?” Tobi asks.

Fail.

I click my phone screen off and put it on the table. “My brothers.”

“So that’s going well?”

I lift my shoulders. “Better I guess. I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“Do you think they’re using you?”

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