Page 7 of Deking
Kyle is parading the girl across campus too. I don’t know how Lyla doesn’t know it yet. She has to, right?
Anger still flows through my blood when I think about what Kyle is doing. I always knew he was an idiot, but I didn’t think he would do something to risk him losing Lyla. She is literally the best thing that has ever happened to him. He would be a fool to let her go.
I don’t want to see her hurt, but lord knows I have been praying they would break up for three years.
“Hey, I think the counter is clean.” Kellan breaks me from my thoughts.
I look down and see I’ve been scrubbing the same place for longer than necessary.
“Yeah, sorry,” I mumble.
“You nervous about the first game? We got this in the bag. This is our year to be the heroes. All the younger guys are looking up to us,” he tells me.
“I know we have it. I’m not worried about the game. Although it is a little bittersweet to think that this will be our last opener with the Wolves,” I admit.
“Well, we will have many more openers with our professional teams. Don’t let it get you too down.”
This is why he is our captain. He knows how to talk to people. I didn’t need the pep talk, but one of the younger players would have eaten this shit up.
“Where are Calvin and Jason?” I change the subject.
“Calvin is getting the beer. Jason is grabbing the snacks,” Kellan informs me.
“Good. Let’s finish getting the house ready then.”
Kellan laughs. “Yes, sir. You’d think you are the captain.”
He leaves the room and gets back to his task while I finish setting up the kitchen. Not too long after I finish, Calvin and Jason come back with the items.
Jason comes to my side. “I’m excited. This is my first college party.”
I pat him on the shoulder. Jason Pender is a good kid. He is a promising goalie like I was when I was his age. Since this summer when I met him, I’ve taken him under my wing and decided to help cultivate him into the man I know he can be. He has the skills on the ice, but that’s not what is most difficult when switching to college hockey.
No, the most difficult part is maturing. Kellan has experience with that. His freshman year, he was an egotistical asshole.
I don’t want the same to happen to Jason. I want him to flourish here. Learn the life lessons that you are supposed to learn in college.
“Don’t drink too much. We might not have practice tomorrow with the team, but you and I will be on the ice. Understood?” I nudge his shoulder.
“Yes. I won’t get blackout drunk. Honestly, I want to remember tonight. This feels like a core memory.”
I smile to myself thinking about my first party. It’s something you never truly forget.
The doorbell rings, signaling the start to the party.
“Well, you better get the door then, freshman,” I tease him.
He is bouncing like an energetic puppy as he heads out of the kitchen toward the door.
I watch as people start to file in. I can’t focus on it though. Not when my thoughts are plagued by Lyla.
I need to see her.
I’m about to push off the counter to find a way to see her when I see him.
Kyle is here, and he isn’t alone.
Only, it’s not Lyla on his arm. It’s the same cheerleader that he was making out with at the rally. That only has my anger building.
