Page 12 of Pucking Grey

“Oh,” I snap my fingers. “That watch party, right?”

“Yeah,” he smiles. And I smile too because having Crew around makes me feel at ease. He’s like my brother. “I invited the team. I need to run to the store and was hoping you’d come with?”

I stumble on my words, imagining the hockey team inside my living room. Matt… Greyson… Greyson doesn’t come to these kinds of things, does he? I nod. “Yeah, I’ll come with. Not a problem.”

He pats my shoulder. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Crew walks away, leaving me to my imagination of what will unfold tonight. I head to the campus gym after grabbing a quick bite. I head for the treadmill and power it up to walk.

“Jeans, huh?”

I look over to my left. Greyson is starting the treadmill next to mine, drenched in sweat.

“I wasn’t planning to come here,” I admit, looking straight ahead. I don’t need to see Greyson’s dewy complexion. “But I need to clear my head, so here I am.”

“After last night?” He whistles.

“Yeah,” I pick up the speed on my treadmill as he starts running. “Where did you disappear off to, Greyson? What is her name?”

He runs with a stupid smirk on his face, but I only see that in my peripherals because I’m purposely not looking at him.

“Why do you care?” he asks.

“Because my new boyfriend is cheating on me already.” My eyes dart to his. He’s sprinting and panting. His chest is rising and dropping far too quickly with parted lips. Dark gray eyes bore into mine, so unamused. I stare forward and say, “I guess I shouldn’t care.”

“You shouldn’t,” he gleams. “Because what I do doesn’t concern you.”

I shut off my treadmill. My pace slows to a stop. “Why are you so difficult?”

He jumps onto the side of the treadmill to quit the sprint. The machine rolls quickly under him. “I’m difficult? You won’t even give me your phone number.”

“We don’t need to text,” I say.

His lips press together in disappointment. “If you’re my girlfriend, I should probably have your number, and we should probably hang out.”

I smile, countering his suggestion. “You shouldn’t be sleeping or kissing or touching someone else if you’re going to call me your girlfriend,” I whisper.

Greyson smiles. “I don’t follow rules. I make the rules.”

I turn the treadmill back on, deciding to remain unbothered by Greyson and the rulebook he lives by. I start power walking. “So, if that’s the case, Mr. Cress, how are we going to make Matt jealous? Isn’t it the whole point?”

He jumps back on the treadmill belt, his legs instantly catching up to speed. “Don’t worry. I know what to do.”

I press the treadmill to go a little faster due to my impatience with Greyson. The mystery he leaves hanging in the air is like he’s holding something above my head and I can’t quite reach it. I wish he would be more forthcoming, none of this unknown bullshit.

“I want to get back at him for what he did,” I mutter, not wanting to be in the dark about what Greyson has planned.

“You’re going to,” Greyson reassures me. When he’s done sprinting, he slows it down to a walk. He gives himself a minute to cool down. “So, why don’t you come to the gym more often?” he asks.

“And be bothered by you?” I snark but he smiles. “No, thanks.”

“Matt’s here.”

I shoot my eyes around the gym.

“Well, don’t look frantic. Jesus,” he scoffs. “He’s just back there.”

My heart is racing as I continue my power walk. Greyson is making an annoyed face with a half smile. He loves to mess with me. I inhale, trying to catch my breath.

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