OFF LIMITS

CHAPTER NINE - The Ups and Downs of Hockey

KAT

I scan my closet for something blue or green, but those are definitely not my colors, so the choices are slim.

My dad didn't need me in today's morning skate, nor needed me to get to the arena early. He actually doesn't need me at all. He just wants to keep an eye on me and make sure I don't go cuckoo again.

He's been doing his best to make me feel useful at the training facility, but it's hard because there's not much use for me there. He's been giving me mindless task after mindless task to keep me busy and distracted from the crippling need to skate. It's been partially working, but every night, when I return to my room, I fall asleep dreaming of a version of me gliding on the ice.

But then I wake up and remember that that dream won't come true anytime soon.

So, I'm stuck with the Grizzlies for now, and I need to support my team, hence why I want to rock the team colors at today's game.

"Struggling to find something to wear?" Rosie speaks from my doorframe. She's already dressed in a vintage Grizzlies jacket I assume my dad got her. Maybe I should raid one of my sister's closets for some Grizzlies merch. I'm sure Effy must have tons since she's a big fan.

"Blue is not my color." I smile at her. I haven't seen Rosie much during the week. She leaves early for training and usually has plans with Logan or other people from the rink after. She's a busy woman.

"I actually got you a present." She wags her eyebrows as she holds up a Grizzlies jersey that displays the name McKenzie and the number eighty-seven on the back. "So, you can wear your boyfriend's last name."

I fume and grab the jersey off her hands while she laughs, and then I head straight to Effy's room, where she's playing with her camera.

"You told Rosie?" I hiss at her, and her innocent green eyes look confused until she spots the jersey hanging from my hand.

"I had to, okay? It's important for our sister relationship that we don't keep things from each other," she assures with such a diplomatic tone that I almost believe her.

"We can't all be lying to dad at the same time." I rub my forehead. What a disaster.

Rosie rolls her eyes at me like I'm the biggest drama queen.

I'm sure if it were any of them in my position, they would be doing anything in their power to keep dad from finding out.

"We're not lying to dad. We're just not telling him," Rosie states, leaning against Effy's doorframe.

"You're dead to me." I point at her, and she rolls her eyes. "You really committed to the bit because there's no way these are available on the website. He just got traded."

I know you can get them custom-made and put whatever last name and number you want, but still. That's way too much effort to mess with me.

"Don't be dramatic. I actually saved you because you still don't have anything to wear to the game," she says. She's partially correct, but I can't wear a jersey with Mack's name on it. That's just inviting my dad to get suspicious.

"Effy will lend me something." I point at Effy, who just found out she'll let me borrow something from her closet.

"I'm wearing the jersey I own." She gestures to her custom-made jersey that says Hartley on the back and has our mom's birthday as a number. "I have a cap you can wear."

"Or you can just wear the one I got you with a jacket on," Rosie suggests. That's the best idea I've heard so far.

I don't say anything. I just pull the jersey over my head and then head to Effy's closet to look for a jacket that will look good.