Page 29 of Pucking Grey

“How can I help you?” I ask through the crack.

“What’re you doing?” he asks.

My patience is short as I look around again for my brother. “Nothing.”

“You haven’t texted or called,” he mentions.

I cross my arms. “Yeah.”

“Are you coming to the party?”

“Yeah, but I can’t be seen with you.”

His expression hardens as he licks his lips. He looks up at Foster, glaring at the guy.

I explain, “My brother is coming, and I don’t think he likes you.”

“We’ll see,” Grey says and then he skates off.

I chase him as much as I can as I shout, “I can’t! It’s not happening!”

He ignores me as I turn around to look up at Sydney. She and Foster are laughing. I unfold my arms and walk back up to them.

When I meet Ryan at his truck like he texted me to, he comes running out in this cold weather and asks, “Are you drinking tonight, Mads?”

“Are you going to tell dad?” I ask because last year he decided to tell my dad, and my entire Christmas break turned into a lecture from the whole family. He swore he would never rat on me again.

Ryan smiles. “No, are you?”

I shake my head. “Definitely not.” And that’s why we are each other’s favorites.

On the drive over, Ryan plays our favorite childhood music to get us going. We sing along and dance until we reach Kappa Pi. We waltz straight to the liquor for our first drink. So many people stop to talk to Ryan. He’s mister popular, like always.

When the Honey Badgers arrive, I tell Ryan I’m going to use the bathroom. He barely cares because now he can catch up with Crew. He and Ryan are closer than Ryan is with either of our brothers.

I don’t even need to use the bathroom, but I take it anyway because it’s open. I need to make sure I look okay even though I didn’t see Grey walk into the house.

There’s a knock at my door the second I look at myself in the mirror. I flinch and say, “I’m in here.”

“I know,” Grey says on the other. My heart does a back flip into my stomach at the sound of his voice. He knocks again. And I open the door. He walks in and locks it behind him. I ignore him, looking at myself in the mirror. I apply my Chapstick and wipe something from the corner of my eye.

“Why doesn’t my brother like you?” I ask. My heart is fluttering, but I can’t let him know he makes me nervous.

Grey stands behind me, watching my lips. I glare at him in the mirror. He looks different standing next to me. I soften his sharp looks, I think. Maybe just a little. Seeing him from this perspective takes off my blinders. I can hold my own next him. We match.

“Why don’t you ask him?” he shoots back.

“I’m asking you.”

“I hooked up with Penelope.”

I’m silent as I stare at him in the mirror. And now I’m getting upset, imagining him and Penelope together. I turn around and shout, “Is there anyone that you haven’t hooked up with?”

“I’m not hooking up with you.”

“I bet you would in a heartbeat,” I scoff.

He shakes his head, arguing with me. I lift my hands to touch him, but he gently pushes them away.

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