Page 76 of Rookie Moves

“I didn’t hear from them at all after we won the Frozen Four. Not even a text to say ‘well done, son.’ Nothing. Yet they’re coming to my graduation, where I’ll get a degree in a major I didn’t even want to study.”

My chest aches at the thought of not hearing from my parents, to not hear how proud they are of me. I don’t understand how Tyler’s parents can be so unsupportive of him.

“Did you hear from your brother after the game?” I ask, hoping his brother at least said something.

“Yeah, Joey called me as soon as I got back to the house on Monday. Said he went to the bar to watch it with his friends.” He coughs out a quiet laugh, but it’s devoid of humor. “I feel like a dick for wishing he could’ve been like that when I was younger, when I should be grateful he’s supportive now.”

I skid my feet across the asphalt to bring my swing to a stop.

“You’re not a dick, or an asshole, or ungrateful, or anything along those lines for wishing you had the support from your family about something that meant a lot to you.”

He’s silent, bringing his own swing to a stop. Without a word, he stands and grabs the bag of food on the ground and sets off toward the middle of the park.

Panic surges through me. Have I upset him? Did I say the wrong thing?

I stare at him. I haven’t moved from my place on the swing, but he must realize I’m not following because he stops and turns around.

“You coming?” he asks.

I quickly get to my feet and follow him to a spot on the grass. He dumps the bag on the ground and pulls out a bag of chips. He grabs a handful and shoves them into his mouth before offering the bag to me. Sitting down next to him, I take a few chips and watch him curiously, trying to get a read on him.

There’s a stiffness to his shoulders that I’ve only ever seen during a game. Like his body is programmed into defense mode.

He lets out a breath that’s more like a sigh and falls back, moving his hands behind his head as he stares up at the sky. I take my cue to lie down next to him. The sun set hours ago, but the sky is still a mix of warm purples and pinks.

“I have a question for you,” I say after a few minutes.

“Yeah? What’s that?”

I roll my head to the side to look at him. “You said while we were in Tampa that you don’t really know who you are, so I want to know… If you had the chance to erase everything, all the expectations and decisions that were made for you, and you had the opportunity to do anything at all, what would you do?”

Tyler hums, not taking his eyes off the sky, like he’s trying to find the answer in the clouds.

“Like, what makes you happy?” I add. “What has brought you joy over the years? There must have been something that made a fire burn inside you.”

His mouth twists in contemplative thought.

“I’d probably do something in music.”

My eyes widen slightly in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. I used to play in a band in high school. It was nothing serious, just a few shows the drama and music department would put on. But I enjoyed it.”

“Did you play guitar?”

“Yeah, and I sang.”

A small gasp escapes me as my jaw drops. “You can sing? How did I not know this?”

He laughs quietly and moves onto his side, bending his elbow to rest his head in his hand. His entire face softens when he looks at me.

“It’s not something that comes up in conversation, and I’m not the kind of guy to break out into song in the middle of the locker room.”

I snort. “I’m sure a few of the others would have joined in.”

“Maybe,” he says with a smile and rests his other hand on my neck.

I relax under his touch, the feel of his hand warm and comforting.