"Best friends forever" is such bullshit because I had a best friend, but he sure as hell isn't forever. Then why is the universe making him my project partner now? And why is he so hot and beautiful... just why?
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I have this routine, or you can say a superstition of sorts, before every game. I eat one and a half grilled cheese sandwiches with a little ketchup on the same blue plate, sitting on the floor. I did this last year when we lost the first 5 games of the series, and after this, we kept winning. I have kept this tradition, even if we lose or win. We athletes are crazy for things like this, and you can say I am a truly crazy athlete.
Just as I was about to get up and put my plate in the sink, I heard my dad calling for me from the living room.
"Yeah?" I enter the living room and lean on the entrance.
"Have you thought about college yet?" He closes his laptop and looks up to talk to me.
It's always the same conversation with him. Either we talk about this or about how hockey is not a career. No, wait— he talks, never me. I don't remember the last time we had a proper conversation without either of us being tense.
"I'm still a junior in high school. I think I have time," I say, trying not to sound tired of this.
"Yes, but you have to prepare a list of colleges you want to go to, your priorities, your backups. Then you can prepare your essays accordingly. You need summer for that," he leans forward, putting his elbows on his thighs. So this is serious.
"I don't get it. You know I can do big in hockey. Some scouts and teams want me straight out of high school. I do have a career goal, Dad." I am so done with this conversation.
He continues in his irritatingly calm and understanding voice, "Yes, but we also need to talk about how you can—"
"I have a game tonight, Dad. Let's not talk about this, please. I don't need the negativity. We'll talk later," I say, interrupting him and turning around towards my room.
We almost lost today. I was so out of my mind due to my conversation with my dad. This was the second game of the series, and losing would have been bad. But Beau came in and saved the day in the last 10 seconds. Literally, we won by one goal; otherwise, it would have been a tie, and ties are basically a loss.
Thank God for Beau!
I get to the locker room to get sweat-free, and I see Kaiden approaching me.
"Hey, Hendricks, don't beat yourself up for today. We won at the end of the day; everybody has a bad one. Don't worry about it." He pats my shoulder and goes towards the shower. He is right; we all have bad days, but I'm still thinking about it as I get out of the locker room, and a small body crashes towards me.
"You were so amazing, Mason! You just went zup zup. I had Si to tell me where you went; you were so fast!" It wasn't a good game, but it's good to hear this from my little brother; it lightens my mood immediately.
"Not because you were fast, but because he had his face buried in popcorn and soda half the time." I look up and see Silas behind Koty. He picked up Koty for the game.
"Thanks for picking him up, man." I nod to him.
"It was because of you I picked him up; otherwise, I didn't want to deal with this spoiled as- butt." Koty gives Silas a stinky eye, getting worked up by his teasing.
The whole team was out of the locker room, and Kaiden and Beau came to greet Koty. I do think Koty is closer friends with them than me. It's my fault; I am all closed-door.
And then I see someone I haven't let myself think about this whole weekend. She's wearing her usual cap, but today her cherry hairs are falling on her shoulders, all straight and soft, and...
Ugh...stop, Mason!
"Good game, Hendricks! You kicked all butts there." I can smell her vanilla scent from here; it's strong but not too overpowering. Why am I paying this much attention to her scent? "Don't you think, Koty?"
"Yeah!" Koty says shyly, and he's never shy.
"So, you guys up for the party?" Silas moves towards Noa and slings his arm around her shoulder, which I don't like even a little bit.
"No, we have plans," I answer pettily, which I shouldn't because it shouldn't matter to me, but it does. But... why?
"Well, you guys have fun! And don't you ever forget me, Koty," Noa says sternly to Koty, making stinky eyes towards him.
"No, I won't. You are too pretty to forget!" I'll give 10/10 for flirting. Too pretty to forget, huh? Well, she is.....
"Aww, thanks! I'll see you around! Bye!" We all say our goodbyes and go our separate ways.
