Page 134 of Most Valuable Players
I step up behind her. “What happened to the girl who didn’t like beer?”
“I guess she’s getting used to it.”
“I guess you are.” Her hair is braided in pigtails and I tug one end.
“Excuse me.” Dakota pokes her head between us. “I need my girl here for the next game. She’s our secret weapon.”
Ginny smiles as Dakota pulls her back toward the table.
“See you later, Genevieve.”
I head inside where Rauthruss is still dominating anyone who dares to take him on. He’s got a puck bunny on either side, but I swear the guy doesn’t even realize it. Or if he does, he’s really good at acting disinterested.
Jordan groans as he takes his turn losing. “I give up.”
I hold out my hand for the controller. “Don’t take it so hard. Any kid with a name like Rhett Roger Rauthruss would be good at video games.”
Rauthruss grunts a laugh. “He’s not wrong. Kids are assholes. At least until I got big enough they were scared to mock me.”
“That’s awful,” Jordan says. “Why would your parents name you that?”
Rauthruss stares blankly at him and doesn’t answer.
“Move over, freshman, let me show you how it’s done.”
An hour or two must pass while I refuse to give up my seat, waving off anyone else who wants a turn. “This is personal,” I tell them. “From one weird kid to another.”
The girl sitting next to me drapes her hand on my thigh. I have no idea how long she’s been there or how long she’s been touching me. I guess now I understand why Rauthruss was oblivious to the two hanging next to him earlier.
“You were a nerd?” she asks. “I don’t believe it.”
“Not a nerd just weird.” She looks at me unbelievingly, so I add, “Dead dad, non-functioning mom.”
The words have barely left my mouth before I regret them. I don’t talk about my family shit ever, but drunk Heath is a very sharing Heath. I don’t usually drink so much, but I ran out of beer several games ago and instead of getting up to get another, I switched to sharing gulps of the Mad Dog bottle Maverick is passing around.
I glance around and notice the party is starting to die down. Inside it’s me, Mav, Rauthruss, and the girls between us. Voices still carry from the deck outside.
“I’m gonna get some air.” Standing, I’m much more aware of how drunk I am. My legs feel a little too light and kind of wobbly.
The group outside is almost as small as the one inside. Adam and the girl he’s been seeing, Taryn, a few guys from the team, plus Reagan, Dakota, and Ginny.
Adam spots me first and his loud laughter barks into the night. “Gumby legs is back! Heath’s druuuunk.”
I lean against the railing beside Ginny. Her sweet smile hits me in the gut.
“Hi, Genevieve.”
“Hi, Heath,” she says, still smiling at me. “You look happy.”
“I feel pretty happy.”
“We should play sardines tonight,” Dakota says. “Is Maverick still inside?”
I nod. “Yep.”
“You guys in?” She looks around to everyone.
“What’s sardines?” Taryn asks.
