Page 99 of The Alternate Captain
What sort of boundaries?
Kelly
Sexual boundaries.
Johnny
Should I be worried? I guess if you suggest something and it’s a hard no, I’ll tell you—how’s that?
Kelly
Sounds good.
Johnny
Would you like to come over later? Since your room is Baltic.
Kelly
It’s not that cold.
Johnny
I could use the ice your window collects to skate on.
I’ll drop in a key on my way to the rink. You can let yourself in when we know everyone will be out. Apartment 801.
And… let’s explore my boundaries.
Well, that gets me excited. And really fucking anxious.
But an hour later, a small envelope with my name written in black ink slides through the letterbox of our front door.
I stare at Tomfor at least half a minute before I realise where I know him from. He’s beaming, almost in tears, as he steps onto the red carpet to collect my jersey.
“Great game, Johnny,” he says, keeping hold of my hand for a little too long as I shake it, then I pull my jersey off and hold it out for him.
“Thanks.”
“Kelly says ‘hi’,” he says, then he leaves the ice, my jersey clutched to his chest, into a crowd of people.
Still avoiding eye contact, my sister gives me the signal that it’s time for the post-game awards.
I feel sick with guilt. Throwing her under a bus to protect myself—I mean, I’m a complete and utter dick. Why Kelly gave me a second chance is beyond me.
I turn and skate back to the rest of the guys, taking a quick glance around the crowd, wondering if Kelly is actually here. And if she is, the likelihood of spotting her is pretty much non-existent. But I’m focused on checking anyway whilst I complete a victory lap with the guys, holding my stick in the airin appreciation for the fans before tossing it over the glass to a kid sitting on his dad’s shoulders.
That’s when I spot Sarah; eyes locked on mine as she stands a few rows up from ice level. For the love of Christ, why won’t she leave me alone?
“Is that who I think it is?” Ryan asks as he skates alongside me. I don’t even need to answer. “Well, you’re having a great day, right, bud?”
We get the hell off the ice and the elated mood I was in from our win is extinguished as soon as Bettsy walks into the dressing room after me.
“What was that about earlier?”
I didn’t get much of a chance to talk with him before the game, so it figures that he’d want to talk to me the first chance he got. And all I can think is that I’m standing here, lying to his face to save myself. Because that’s who I am right now. And, like the coward I am, I pull the reason I’ve been running with right out of my ass.
“Nothing, man. I figured you’d be the best guy to pair with Yatesy. Give you a chance to show him how it’s done.”
