Page 53 of All That Glitters

“That’s an easy question for you to ask considering you got the internship.”

“Are we talking about that now?” I ask. “Or are you only going to bring it up when you want to hurt me?”

Frustration flashes in her eyes.

“I told you I was done.” Her voice is cold. Controlled. But I can hear the tremor beneath her facade.

Then be done! I want to shout, but instead I grit my teeth and let out a slow breath. This won’t help our situation. I need to be patient. Our friendship is worth too much for me to blow it all on an impulsive quip. I shake my head.

“It’s late. We should get some sleep,” I say.

She holds my gaze for a long moment, then nods.

“Yeah, we should.”

She turns to head toward her building, and I follow.

After a few steps in silence, Marigold mutters, “You don’t have to walk with me.”

“I want to,” I reply, hoping that she won’t argue this, too. I’m too tired to get in a ring with her again.

“I know you’re mad at me.”

I shrug. “So? That doesn’t change the fact that I care about you.”

We fall into silence again. The crisp February air has me tucking my hands into my hoodie pocket. I glance over and find that Marigold has her arms crossed to keep warm. I wish I could pull her close the way I did in the basement earlier. She didn’t seem to mind; in fact, at one point I thought she enjoyed it. The look in her eyes made me wish I had my journal with me. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe she just saw it all as a way to get her story.

With every step I take by her side, I remind myself that I have to play the long game. I can’t get greedy or impatient. I’ll lose her for good. And that’s something I can’t take. Not now that she’s given me a glimpse of hope for a future with her in it. Even if that future doesn’t look like what I’ve dreamt of.

By the time we get to her building, Marigold is shivering. I open the door for her and she hurries inside. I take a step into the lobby to warm up before I have to head back out. Marigold faces me, her expression unreadable, which is unusual for me.

“Thanks for coming, even if tonight was a bust.”

I give her a small smile, grateful for her words as they show another baby step.

“I had fun before we got kicked out.”

She laughs a little. “I don’t think I’d go back unless I was getting an article out of it. Too bloody for me.”

Is this an attempt at conversation? My chest warms and my smile grows.

“There’s plenty of fighting in the NHL, and you like that.”

Her nose scrunches up. “Yeah, but there’s more to the sport than just bashing skulls.”

I chuckle. “I think boxers would say the same about their sport. There’s a lot of finesse and technique involved.”

“All I saw tonight was a busted lip.”

“At least you didn’t see loose teeth,” I say, and laugh when her expression turns even more disgusted than before.

“I swear there’s a way to prevent that. I don’t think those guys wear their mouth guards properly.”

“Probably not,” I reply. “They’re terrible to wear while playing”

She points at me. “You better always keep yours in. No gap teeth for you.”

I grin, because if Marigold is bossing me around, that means she feels like she has a say in my life. And that’s perfectly fine with me. I’ll take a sassy, controlling Marigold over a cold, indifferent one any day of the week.