According to Plan

Chapter 4: Screw You and Your Giraffeness

After they dropped her brother off for warm-up, she told her sister what had happened. Alli decided this situation called for ice cream, so they now sat in the rink's parking lot, each with a cup of cotton candy ice cream.

"This seriously sucks," Alli said as Rose regarded the ice cream on her nose. "I know he's probably happy with the team, but still."

Rose shrugged. "He seemed to have a lot of mixed emotions when he spoke to me. I don't know. He wasn't happy with the coach, but he wouldn't talk much about it. Said he hates talking about work outside of work."

"Pretentious." Alli shrugged back. "But, it is what it is."

They sat, listening to music, finishing off their ice cream. Alli finished way before she did, so she scrolled through her phone.

"Oh. Here is the press release." Alli said, tapping away on her screen - that was cracked, yet again.

She wondered if this was how she was going to be when she graduates from high school. Probably.

"Uh..." She said, glancing over at Rose. "Do you know who we got in the other trade we made today?"

"There was another trade?" Rose furrowed her brow. She assumed Jake was just traded for a bunch of picks because her phone had been dead quiet, except for Jake's call earlier, then a snap of him getting Timmies at the Innisfil On The Road. If someone else had joined, she felt like someone would have said something, especially Nic, because that kid basically knew everyone. He was one of the only guys on the team who was actually from Summerbrough, so it made sense. He knew everyone in the city, and everyone knew him. She knew that from the multiple times she had been asked about the Summerbrough sweater she wore. The conversation usually led to Nic in one way or another.

"Yeah, we got a goalie." Alli continued. "From Foxside."

Rose nearly snorted ice cream out of her nose.

"Please tell me that it was someone of their prospects," Rose said. "Please."

Alli stayed silent.

"You are telling me my new coworker is that bastard that lives next door?" Rose scrubbed at her face. "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Alli just started at her apologetically when a knock came on her side of the window, causing both of them to scream.

"What the fuck?" Alli said, rolling down the window so that Jake could stick his head in.

"I could hear the two of you yelling as soon as I got out of the car." He smirked and leaned down to kiss Rose's cheek. "How are you?"

"Better now that you are here." She beamed. No matter what she told herself, her heart still fluttered every time she saw him. It was hard to remind herself they wouldn't make a cute couple when he was staring at her, brown eyes wide.

"Why are you here?" Alli asked, unlocking the door so he could sit in the back.

"Rose was sad, so I came to cheer her up." He said, holding up a bag. "I brought chicken nuggets."

"Wow, get you a man," Alli said, shaking her head. "Come on, and the game is gonna start soon."

*****

After the game, Jake and Rose sat on her deck, swinging on the little swing they had just put out, wrapped in a blanket.

"When do you have to be back home?" Rose asked, her head on his shoulder. He was kicking at the ground, rocking them gently.

"Not till tomorrow, at least." He said. "I told my parents I am staying here tonight."

"My mom is going to kill you." She said, looking up at him.