Page 98 of The Puckable Playbook

“I’m not walking into that one.” I worry over my lip, watching Zaiah skate off the ice, head hung low. I want to chase after him. I want to shake him a bit, give him a pep talk, and smack his ass.

Though, I kind of just like his ass, so maybe that part’s for personal reasons.

“He’s having a tough game,” Mrs. James says, standing. “Does anyone want anything?”

“I’ll come with you,” Zaiah’s dad offers, and they walk off together.

“Seriously, though.” Izzy groans, kicking at the chair in front of her.

I give the cowbell a slight ring-a-ling and then set it down. Nothing seems to be helping him, anyway. “I think it’s my fault.”

“What? Did you guys fight before the game or something? The last two games? Please tell me you didn’t break up. I’ll cry. I swear I will.”

I shake my head, laughing at her dramatics. “We didn’t break up.”

She hits me with her shoulder. “Well?”

“I don’t know if I should say. Zaiah didn’t want me to say anything.”

“You’re pregnant.”

My mouth gapes open. “Pregnant? What the fuck is wrong with you? Do Ilookpregnant?”

“No!” she exclaims. “I’m sorry. Mom always says I watch too much TV, and this felt like the right part in the script for a bomb to drop.”

I would laugh if I wasn’t currently choking on my own air. “Oh my God, Izzy. I swear. Life isn’t a script. If it was, everyone would have a happy ending.”

“If you were pregnant, it would be a happy ending.”

I give her theare you crazy?look. “I have goals and they aren’t kids right now. Why are we talking about this?”

“I meant that if he did…” she waves her hand around the proximity of my lower half, “impregnate you, that would mean you’d be a permanent fixture in my life, and I like the sound of that.”

“Aww.” I move to hug her, and she gives me a squeeze. “That’s really sweet, and we can be friends no matter what, but please don’t put out that energy. I’m a senior in college, Iz.”

She pats my back. “Noted.” Sitting back, she frowns out at the ice. “But you still have to tell me the other thing.”

My mind is torn. I do a quick pros and cons list, but I selfishly move forward because I don’t have a lot of people to talk to about this. Plus, I never liked the idea of keeping it a secret from his family. They would want to know. “So, a couple weeks ago, Zaiahand I made this amazing video—a highlight reel of sorts. Then we sat down and emailed pretty much every AHL team, asking them to take a look.”

“Really? Wow. Good for Zaiah.”

“Yeah, except…I think it’s put him in his head. Or at least the lack of response has. He checks the video all the time. We uploaded it to YouTube with a private link so you can see how many people have watched it, and he has absolutely zero views.”

“Ahh.” She sits back, dribbling her fingers on the armrest. “He’s pouting.”

I shrug. “Kind of, I guess? He’s definitely in his head about it. Please don’t say anything. He didn’t want you guys to know. I keep reminding him that tryouts are still months away. The teams are winding down their current season, so they’re probably not even looking at emails right now. The fact that there’s no response yet doesn’t mean anything.”

“Coming to Warner killed Zaiah’s confidence. He was the hotshot in his leagues. Warner promised him the world only to be overlooked, and now he’s got nothing.”

“Did he used to talk about playing professionally all the time?”

“All. The. Time.”

My stomach flips. Regret courses through me as I think about the article I secretly wrote and sent out that’s most likely now sitting in some magazine’s slush pile.

For the best, probably, but when I was doing research for Zaiah on how to make it to the NHL without being drafted, I got carried away and kept digging. People who don’t give up—people like my father—they’re a special breed. They hear no and instead of walking away, they dig their heels in.

The article idea wouldn’t leave me alone, and after Zaiah and I made the video, I started to work. Not the same piece I promised him for the college paper, but another one. “The Sportof Dreaming.” I wrote about the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I got quotes from current pro players in various sports. It all came together with shocking speed, and honestly, Zaiah going after his dreams motivated me. I sent it out to a bunch of magazines. My first piece, on an editor’s desk.

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