Page 108 of Broken Hearts
“I’m stronger than you think.” My phone pings again. “My family is waiting for me. Do you still want to meet them?”
“If you still want me to, yeah. I’d love to.”
My family adores Rhett. No surprise there. My sister grins so big when he asks her about her team’s hockey season, and seeing my sister so excited wins over my mom. My dad is the last one to crumble, but when he finds out Rhett is from Minnesota, my dad welcomes him like a fellow neighbor.
“I have to go get ready and warm up. I’ll see you guys after the competition.” I get hugs from all of my family members, and then Rhett walks with me toward the locker room.
“Will I see you after?”
“My flight is at four.”
So, no.
“Will I hear from you?”
“Yeah.” He hugs me. “My phone is destroyed so it might take a few days to get a new one.”
“Okay.”
His mouth covers mine and I live in the seconds before he pulls away. “Later, angel.”
With a broken heart, I walk into the locker room. Josie is sitting on the bench lacing her skates.
“Hey.” Her face falls when she gets a good look at me. “What’s wrong?”
Instead of answering, I sit next to her and lean my head on her shoulder. “Life isn’t fair.”
“No, it definitely isn’t. Anything I can do? Do I need to dick punch someone to even the karma scales?”
My laugh is short and clipped. “No, sadly it doesn’t have a revenge solution.”
“Pity.” She smiles. “Skate it out?”
“Absolutely.”
And that’s what I do. Those moments just before I skate always go by in a blur. Music, applause, the chill in the air. It isn’t until my name is called that I snap to attention. I take the ice and I skate for Rhett. I skate for my family.
But most of all, I skate for me.
* * *
Spendingtime with my family is nice, but my mind continually returns to Rhett. I replay the past week wondering if there are things I could have done differently to have changed the outcome.
They don’t ask why Rhett doesn’t come with us, but my sister notices I’m not my usual self.
“Do you still want to go out later? If you’re not up for it—”
“Of course.” I force some enthusiasm into my smile. “Rhett’s roommates are having people over and we can crash in his room.”
“Okay.” She squeals.
“But, no drinking. I promised mom and dad.”
Allison rolls her eyes. “I don’t drink. Beer is gross.”
It’s a chill night at the apartment. Some of the hockey team is over playing Xbox and the rest of us are sitting outside on the deck.
Allison is quiet, but the giant grin on her face hasn’t faltered since we walked in.
