Page 118 of Icing Hearts

“Watch me.”

“Well, I won’t answer the phone. Can’t be on the phone with me all day if I don’t answer that morning.”

“Are you expecting me to believe that you won’t answer on my first day of school?”

Safe is a new state of being for me. But now I’m here, wrapped in Victory’s arms, encompassed by his broad body. So, I’m safe. As safe as I’ll ever be.

Letting go of my mask is a process. Tearing down the walls between us is a team effort. A worthy one. Now we’re fighting on the same side and presenting a united front.

“No. I’ll always answer.” I nestle deeper into his chest, and he squeezes me just a bit tighter.

My aunt has this old pickup truck that’s perfect for a warm night like tonight. We took it out to a lookout and have been stargazing among the mountains. Though, I’ve been stargazing in the reflection of Tory’s eyes.

The only real friend I’ve retained is Jack. The lunch girls fell away. So did Clover and Thomas, though we chitchat on social media. But Jack and I text almost every day. He’ll visit. We’ll make it happen.

“This year is gonna suck,” he tells me. The words swirl in the vast space just beyond our bodies.

“How many days?” I ask him.

“Two hundred ninety.”

“You know, that doesn’t even seem like a lot when you say it. Way less than a full year.”

“Oh, way less than a year. Plus, I already bought my ticket for Thanksgiving. That’s only eighty-nine days.”

“Double digits! And less than three months.”

“I already miss you, Clara. I miss you, and I haven’t left yet. How is it possible to long for someone already in your arms?”

“Preemptively, I suppose.”

“The glass really is half-empty.”

I run my knuckles along the sharpness of his jawline, careful to avoid the temporary covering over my tattoo.

He wanted to give me a ring. A big one.

I told him to wait until he signs his first NHL contract. Then, he can get me an even bigger one. One that’s as impractical as our love.

Which is why we got matching tattoos instead. A T on my left hand, between the two knuckles on my ring ringer. A C on his. Tory also got my name inked on his right wrist and the words I love you in my handwriting on his left. He said he wanted my name on the right, so everyone knows who he belongs to when he shakes their hand, and I love you for all the times we’ll miss saying it in person over the next ten months. A bit overboard. But that’s Tory. Once he gets set on something, there’s no stopping him.

The moon is behind a mountain peak at the moment, and I’m grateful the moon isn’t overpowering the glow of the stars. It reminds me of the night he took me out on his bike in April.

“I’m gonna miss you so much. Who will I flirt with now?”

“Hopefully still me.”

“I can’t believe it worked.”

“I can’t believe it’s finally real.” He steals a kiss, and my heart stills.

His grin spreads wider until it crinkles around his eyes.

“Tell me. What happens in June? Other than graduation. I’ve been wondering about your rib tattoo for a long while now.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out already. It’s the next NHL draft. The one I’ll be entering. I got it so far in advance, the day hadn’t been announced, so I just got the month and year. Still looks cool.”

“Very.”

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