Page 11 of Puck Your Feelings
From across the aisle, I hear Groover poorly disguise a laugh as a cough. Mateo is very deliberately staring out his window.
"You know what? Fine. Read your book. I hope it's very boring and tax-related and perfectly on-brand for you."
"It's Cormac McCarthy."
"I don't know who that is, and I don't care."
"Clearly."
I yank out my own phone and scrolling through Twitter—because I hate myself, apparently—when the bus lurches forward. The movement jostles my shoulder against Kane's, and he shifts away like I'm contagious.
"Sorry," I mutter.
"It's fine."
We lapse into silence. Kane opens his book. I stare at my phone. The bus rolls out of the parking lot and onto the highway, and I can already tell this is going to be the longest twelve hours of my life.
***
WE'RE AN HOUR in when Groover leans across the aisle. "How's the honeymoon going?"
"Fuck off," I say without heat.
"Is that any way to talk to your best friend?"
"You're not my best friend. You're the guy who convinced me to do that ice bucket challenge in January."
"That was character building."
Mateo pipes up from beside him. "I saw the video. That was hypothermia building."
"Thank you, Mateo. Voice of reason."
Kane still hasn't looked up from his book, but I catch the tiniest twitch at the corner of his mouth. Is he... amused?
Nah. Impossible. The Hockey Robot doesn't experience human emotions like amusement.
"So, Kane," Groover continues, because he has no sense of self-preservation. "How are you liking Chicago so far?"
Kane finally glances up. "It's fine."
"Fine," Groover repeats. "Wow. Don't overwhelm us with enthusiasm."
"I've been here less than twenty-four hours. I haven't formed extensive opinions yet."
"See?" I gesture at Kane. "This is what I'm talking about. Who says 'extensive opinions' in casual conversation?"
"People with vocabularies beyond single syllables," Kane replies without missing a beat.
Mateo makes a sound like a kettle whistling. Groover is grinning like Christmas came early.
"Okay, okay," Groover says, holding up his hands. "I'm just trying to facilitate team bonding here."
"By starting fights?" I ask.
"I didn't start anything. You two are doing this all on your own." He settles back into his seat. "It's like watching two cats in a bag."
"I'm not a cat," Kane says.
