Page 151 of Hockey Halloween
I blink and look around. Lana and Mats are dancing. She’s still perfectly costumed, but he’s shed his jacket and vest and looks much more comfortable. Sinc is easy to spot because of his shark costume, talking to a few of our teammates. Either his dream girl didn’t make an appearance, or she rejected him again. But maybe he’ll get another chance—like I did.
Maya and Eden return. She smiles at me, and I feel a rush of warmth inside. First I liked her, then I hated her, and now…I don’t even know how I feel. All I know is that I want more Maya in my life, but that’s not possible.
Suddenly, this party feels like too much. “Hey, you want to take off?” I ask her.
Bergy drapes an arm around Eden’s shoulder. “Great idea! Let’s all go to our place—lots of privacy there. Have you been to a hockey house before?”
A secretive look passes between Eden and Maya, and Eden shakes her head slightly. Shit. Is Bergy going to strike outagain?
“I was thinking we could get something to eat. Somewhere quieter,” I suggest. We’re yelling over the music here, which gets old quickly.
Maya nods. “Is anything still open?”
“H.O.S.?” Bergy asks, and I agree. We find our coats and head out.
The streets are busy for this late at night. We pass a guy dressed normally except he’s wearing a rubber horse head. Two women dressed as cats, one tabby and one black, rush past us.
Maya watches the cats arguing and smiles. “What I love about Hallowe’en is that it feels like you’re part of some weird indie movie.”
I nod. That’s what I like too, the surreal quality of a night where a horse in a windbreaker is completely normal.
We walk a few blocks past the manicured main street into a more deserted area.
Eden shivers. “I’ve never even been here. Is it safe?”
“This is St. Viola,” I scoff. “Everywhere is safe.”
But I get what she means. This is not the touristy part of town; there’s an auto body shop and some random industrial stuff on this block. On one corner, a dimly lit awning announces House of Sandwich.
We go up to the counter to order. All of us order the hot beef commercial, which is the best thing on the wall-mounted menu. We snag a four-top in the corner. We’re the only ones in costumes; everyone else seems straight off a night shift.
Eden looks around. “It’s like the set of a retro movie.”
She’s right. The signage is ancient, and the tables and chairs are bolted to the floor like a food court.
“It’s straight out ofFast Times at Ridgemont High.” Maya runs her hand over the chipped laminate table. “I like it. It feels authentic.”
I nod. She’s not a princess; she likes real-life experiences. We chat about random stuff until our orders are up, then fetch the trays. Steaming plates of roast beef on white bread with gravy and mashed potatoes—the perfect late-night snack.
“RIP my diet.” Eden sighs, then digs in. “Yum. I’ll have to come back here when I get the late-night munchies. As long as I have hulking escorts.”
“You can always call me. Day or night,” says Bergy with an eyebrow waggle. He has zero chill. I’m no expert on relationships, but nobody likes things that come too easy. Except maybe Bergy himself.
I look across the table at Maya. “So, what are you doing now if you’re not going to school?”
“I’m living at home and working at a bridal salon,” she says.
That seems like a waste. Maya was smart and driven back in high school. Not that everyone has to go to college, but I think she’dlike it. Here I get to play hockey and have fun, plus put off my career decisions for a while.
She beams at me. “Congratulations. You pass.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Was there a test?”
“Usually, as soon as I say the words ‘bridal salon,’ guys flee as fast as humanly possible. But you’re still here.”
I laugh. “I know you’re not like that.” Quite the opposite, Maya was always elusive. I never knew where I stood with her—which is exactly where our problems started. I shake off my concerns. I already said I can’t do a long-distance thing, and I’m not going to rethink that now.
Eden points her fork at me. “Karl, help me convince Maya to come to Monarch. I’ve been telling her how great the film studies program here is.”
