𝐈 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮

Jonesy

Jensen stared at me from across the ice, I could still see stray strands of orange hair peeking out from under her helmet and the faint huffs of breath leaving her mouth.
  It was the last play, whoever won this won the game. We had been neck to neck for the last hour; Althea and Stella called it quits after colliding. Neither one had a concussion but neither wanted to risk getting one.
  The rest of the team, after seeing that this was a personal game for the both of us, decided that for this last play it would be Jensen and I and a goal keeper of our choice. Regardless of which team they had been on previously.
  Naturally I chose Bela, she and I had been playing together for nearly four years and knew each other's moves and silent signals best.
  Jenson chose Daria. She had debated on choosing one of the boys but decided on keeping it girls only. Daria was also a beast on the ice, almost as competitive as me.
  We met in the middle of the rink, Althea standing between us. She had a quarter in the palm of her hand; she had taken off her hockey gear and replaced her hockey skates with her own.
  "Okay, heads or tails, Jonesy?"
  "Heads," I replied. Heads had always been my go to choice. Althea nodded and flipped the coin, catching it and then flipping it onto the back of her hand.
  "Tails." She gave me an empathetic nod before turning to Jensen. "Okay, I'm not sure what the rules are exactly, but play fair and have fun."
  "Play fair," the other girl snorted, hitting the ice with her stick. "You hear that Jones?"
  "Hey, I always play fair, Booker." I moved my eyes to Daria. "It's this one you have to watch out for."
  "Shut the fuck up, Claypoole," Daria laughed out. "I play to win, by any means necessary."
  I shook my head before giving Althea a nod. She set the puck down on the ice. Jensen leaned forward on her toes, her blades digging into the ice.
  A split second later, she and the puck were skating towards Bela. Jensen had always been fast, one of the reasons why I wished she had been picked to play on my team. She was light on her skates and had lightning fast reflexes; more than once she had scored against me. She was as slippery as a snake.
  I raced after her, flakes of ice chippings from the rink flew everywhere. I managed to steal the puck from under her, turn around and race back towards Daria.
  Jensen muttered a slew of curses under her breath and a few seconds later I felt the force of her body slam into mine. I was slammed against the sides of the rink, the air leaving my lungs.
  She chuckled and sneered at Althea who had a concerned look on her face from the other side of the plexiglas. Her look of concern quickly turned into a glare and Jensen immediately backed off.
  "Play fair!" She yelled, laughing. I shoved her off me, taking that moment to steal the puck back. "Fuck, Claypoole! You can't use your girlfriend to intimidate me!"
  I laughed at that. Althea did have a rather intimidating air about her and I would gladly use that to my advantage.
  I returned my focus back onto the game; Daria was ready and waiting for me, her stick twirling with anticipation in her hands. We had practiced together so many times, we knew each other's moves like the back of our hands.
  I knew what the look in her eyes meant and how the slight, subtle changes in her body posture meant she was going to deflect my attempt to score.
  On a normal day on a normal team, I could wait her out, passing the puck back and forth between Bela. I would have someone occupying Jensen for me, but here it was just me and Jensen on my heels.
  "Don't go all chicken shit on me now, Claypoole," Daria taunted, lowering herself into a crouched position. She twirled her stick in her hands and ground her teeth. "Me and you, baby."
  "Don't let my girlfriend catch you saying that." I laughed out, inching towards her.
  Daria rolled her eyes. "You're not my type, Jones. Sorry to have to hurt you this way."
  I placed a hand over my chest in feigned heartbreak. "I'm devastated, Michaels. Absolutely heartbroken."
  "Shut up." She couldn't contain her laughter nor did it look like she was trying very hard. "You're not using this to distract me so you can score. I'm not a freshman anymore, this won't work on me."
  I waited for it; the slight twitch in her left leg and the grip on her stick. She knew I was about to strike from the right meaning she was going to move to the left.
  I had made it my goal to memorize each of my teammates' tells without letting them know I was onto them. Daria's was in her left leg. Bela's was running a hand across her jaw.
  I feigned movement to the left and just as I had anticipated, Daria shot forward. I snatched the puck back, moving to the right and sent it flying into the net.
  A loud explosion of applause and cheers erupted from the sidelines. I turned around, a grin on my face and saw Althea beaming at me from behind the plexiglas.
  "It works like a charm though, Michaels." I laughed to my friend before skating towards my girlfriend. Jensen cursed loudly and threw her stick down against the ice. She always did have a mini temper tantrum after a loss.
  "You did so good!" Althea squealed, pressing her hand against the plexiglas. I placed mine on the other side, my gloved hand slightly larger than her bare one.
  "Just wait until you come to a real game, I'll put on a whole show for you."
  She beamed. "I'll be your biggest and loudest cheerleader."

***

  After the hockey game, Gemma decided that we should all take a trip to the market to get a few last minute supplies before we made Thanksgiving dinner. The boys spent the entire time goofing off in the clothing section, which was not very well stocked.
  Justice wrapped a hot pink fluffy scarf around his neck and laughed, posing as Lucas pulled out his phone.
  "I really do think pink is your color, St. Germaine." Daria laughed and pulled a rainbow colored beanie over her hair.
  Althea slipped her hand into mine, giving it a gentle squeeze before burying herself into my side. "I think this will be the first Thanksgiving where I won't end up fighting with my parents or crying over something."
  I didn't ask her to divulge the reasons why her family fought. I knew some of the reasons why she had a tense relationship with them had to do with her being gay, but our family dynamics were so different.
  Althea's parents were strict and ambitious. They strove for perfection and anything less than was seen as meaningless and disappointing. She had mentioned the ways they had pushed her to meet her goals, and yet every time she talked about it, they sounded more like the goals of her parents.
  She was always quick to defend them, saying they only wanted what was best for her but I couldn't help but think it sounded like borderline abuse. 
"It's our first big holiday together and it will be perfect." I kissed the top of her head. "No tears tonight."
  "This is already better than every Thanksgiving I've ever had." Her smile was light but I could see a hint of sadness in her dark eyes. She quickly blinked it away before turning her face up to me.
  "I've never had a group of friends like this, and this weekend makes me wish I had met you all sooner. I'm not ready to go back to school." Her words held a heavier tone but I didn't ask what it meant.
  "Just because we're going back to school doesn't mean that the group is suddenly going to dissolve. The gang loves you. I lo-really, really like you"
  Jesus, Jones, really? The L word so soon?
  Althea laughed. "Were you going to say "I love you," Claypoole?" The teasing tone in her voice made me chuckle.
  "N-no, I was not." I ran a hand through my hair. I totally was, and despite it being way too soon to even begin thinking about the capital L word, I couldn't help but feel it.
  I had known my feelings for her had changed from like to love for a while but I would be damned if I said it first and it ended up being too soon and scared her away.
  It was an honest slip up, but she didn't seem to mind.
  "It's okay, Jonesy. I feel the same way."
  That was the closest to "I love you" we were going to get at the moment, and I was okay with that.
  I feel the same way.