Unknown Beginning

Part 15

Maybe if Riley hadn't been so preoccupied with confusion about the interaction with James in the locker room, she would have noticed something was going on with Kenny. Instead of spending Saturday night and Sunday with Riley, Kenny had left their dorm to hang out with a friend as soon as they got back from their game. Riley was suspicious at first when Kenny put on a full face of makeup and a tight short skirt but her suspicions were confirmed when Kenny texted to say she wouldn't be home that night. Kenny still wouldn't tell Riley who she was with other than 'a friend' so Riely was left wondering but she wasn't worried yet.

As the first full week of November continued on, Riley's situation with James was further complicated in her Psychology of Gender class on Thursday. No one on the team knew that Riley and James had a class together. They both had diligently avoided the other since Riley joined the hockey team and often chose seats on opposite sides of the classroom. Riley, as usual, sat at the front of the classroom while James was in the back. That was until their group project teams were announced with Riley and James together in a group of four. Riley was regretting including this topic in her top three when they had to pick from ten topics. Her top three choices out of the 'Gender and x' prompt had been Gender&Pornography, Gender&Gay Relationships/Marriage, and Gender&Politics. She hadn't been thinking of the fact that James was gay when she selected 'Gender&Gay Relationships' and that this fact may impact James' topic selection, so now they were both stuck in the same group.

Riley only had confirmation that James was gay because Kenny had told her that James had been dating Kristin, their volunteer equipment manager, since the beginning of the school year. Riley hadn't paid much attention to Kristin prior to this information but had noticed after that. Riley noted that Kristin was probably 5'2' like Kenny but where Kenny was petite overall with her lean build and small features, Kristin was softer throughout her body. Kristin also had dark wavy hair that fell to her shoulders and dark eyes that contrasted her light skin. James however was much taller with a solid build, including strong shoulders and legs. Riley guessed James' eyes were hazel as they fluctuated between a light brown and green. James kept her brown hair just past her collarbones and, where Riley had natural red and blonde highlights flecked through her hair, James' hair held remnants of previous artificial blonde highlights only at the bottom now. These details had only been cataloged by Riley last week as she watched Kristin and James leaving together after practice.

Yet now it seemed Riley would get an even more up close view of James off the ice as they stood avoiding eye contact with their new group. The other two girls, Cassidy and Becca, were exchanging phone numbers now which prompted Riley to take out her own phone. Riley technically already had James' number since James was a captain and part of the team texts that were sent out but Riley had stubbornly refused to save James' number. Unwillingly she held out her phone and asked James to put her number in after Becca and Cassidy had already entered theirs.

"You already have it," James replied, refusing to take the phone.

"No. I don't." Riley corrected.

"Yes. You do. I've texted the whole team, including you, numerous times" James said, annoyed.

"Yeah well I didn't save your number so I don't have it" Riley explained begrudgingly.

"You didn't save my number" James repeated, even more annoyed now.

Riley inhaled deeply, " Nope. So can you please just put it in my phone now?".

James paused before taking the phone and saying "Damn you're petty."

"Says you" Riley retorted.

James was about to reply when Cassidy asked "So does Monday work for everyone to meet?"

James was still skowling at Riley as everyone agreed and then packed up their bags to leave. Riley almost walked into Kristin, who was waiting in the hallway, in her hurry to leave. 'Did Kristin always wait here for James after class? How had she never noticed before' Riley thought to herself as she rushed to put distance between herself and James.