Between You and Me (A college hockey romance)

Twenty

Lennon

"There you are" I say as Owen finally gets out of the changing room. He made me wait for him for practice to finish and I've been reading my book in the waiting area for the past two hours. He's walking with Justin and Louis. Luckily there's no sign of Greyson. "I would've left you if you'd been a minute later". 

Owen laughs and wraps his arm around my shoulder, kissing the top of my head. "No you wouldn't have". I punch him in the side, jokingly then turn to the other two. 

"Do you need a ride?" I ask them. 

"Nah, I'm driving. We're just waiting for Carter" Justin replies. I try to act unaffected by the mention of him. 

"Right. Cool". 

"Way to be casual, Lennon" Louis laughs. I give him the finger which only makes him laugh harder. 

Owen raises an eyebrow at me. Justin and Louis must notice the awkward tension because they flee as soon as they can, claiming they're going to wait for him in the car. 

"What did Louis mean just then?" Owen ask. 

"I don't know" I shrug, pretending to be unphased by the fact that it took Greyson not even a day to tell his friends about what happened. 

I don't know how that makes me feel. 

It's in his right, I guess. I just thought... I don't know what I thought. 

"Lenny..." Owen says. It comes across as both a warning and a disappointment. 

"It's nothing, Owen. Just drop it". I give him a stern look but he doesn't look convinced. I feel awful for lying to him but if he hasn't been told yet, there's no reason to. I don't want to be the reason the best team in the conference falls apart, because that's what it would do. Owen would kill him, or die trying. 

The doors to the players area open once again and my dad comes through, deep in conversation with someone. 

When I see who he's talking to a piece of me dies inside. It's like I can hear all the breath leave my body and it turns me into an empty shell. Why is my dad talking with Greyson?

Oh my god. 

The realisation of why Greyson all of a sudden has approached me this year hits me like a truck. 

Of course. He's a hockey player trying to advance his career. It's a tale as old as time. How could I have been so stupid? 

"Lenny" my dad exclaims once he spots us. His eyes roam over to Owen and his arm around my shoulder and another pleased smile widens on his face. "And Owen". 

I fight the dread, and school my expression the way I'm used to. 

"Hi dad" I say, forcing a smile that I know doesn't quite reach my eyes, and let him wrap his arms around me in a hug. "Missed you, kiddo". 

"I missed you too, dad". 

He lets me go and gives Owen a hug. "Owen Nash. When are you coming back to California? My wife has had the baking equipment ready since last October!". 

Owen visited home with me during fall break last season when they played a show-game against UOC. He spent the entire two days charming my mother and her love for baking. 

Owen laughs. "I'll be there as soon as Lennon lets me". 

The two of them keeps talking as I tune them out and look at Greyson, who's been lingering by us. He looks great, as always. Only this time it has no effect on me. 

My dad turns to me and lays a hand on Greyson's back. I try not to flinch at the gesture but it makes me nauseas. "We've just come from a meeting because we want to represent Greyson". 

"Shit man, that's great" Owen says. Greyson, who's been looking at me since they walked over, breaks eye contact and looks at Owen. 

Greyson clears his throat, "Yeah, it is".  He looks back at me with an unreadable expression. 

"He hasn't agreed yet but we're confident we can work something out". 

"Dude, you have to accept. This man's the deal" Owen grins, oblivious to the tension between me and Greyson. Greyson nods and smiles in reply. "We'll see". 

My dad's roaming laugh fills the room. "I like this guy". 

My head is spinning at what's happening. How is this my life? Why can't I have one thing that isn't ruined by this fucking sport? 

I should have realised earlier but it never occured to me that my dad was interested in players at my university because he hasn't been before. 

I take a deep breath. "I just remembered I need to pick up Arden at her job. Can you carpool with my dad, Owen? Great!" I turn and walk away before he gets the chance to reply. I just need to get out of there. 

I hear my dad say my name but I don't reply. I need to get out of there before my head explodes and I have a panic attack. That's the least thing I need right now. 

I burst dramatically out of the building and instantly lower my head, laughing a little at my self. Way to have a main-character moment, Lennon. 

It makes me feel slightly better, though, and when I reach my car the pressure on my chest have eased a little. 

I pull out my phone as I drop my bag in the back seat and text an 'SOS, house-meeting tonight pls' in our groupchat. As I go to put my phone back in my pocket, a voice startles me. 

"Lennon".

 I turn around to face Greyson. He's got a concerned look on his face but I can't get myself to believe it. He's about to say something but I cut him off. 

"There's no need to say anything, Greyson. I'm a big girl". 

Confusion flashes in his beautiful eyes. "I don't..". 

I cut him off once again. "Listen. What happened, happened. It won't happen again. I don't care why you did it. I just have no time to talk right now. Arden's waiting for me". I lie.
I move away from him and around my car to get in. I have never been a good liar and if I stay close to him he'll see right through me. 

I give him one chance to say something but when he doesn't it not only confirms everything I thought about him, but it makes my heart ache in a way it has no reason to. We're not... there was never a 'we'. 

I know I'm acting stupidly but I can't help it. 

I turn the engine on and get out of there before I get the chance to second guess my actions. There will be plenty of time for that tonight. 

To me, there's no question about how this went down. Greyson learnt that my dad was interested in signing him to his agency, and he decided to try to get close to me. Why he would've thought I had, or want to have, any say in what my dad does, I don't know. But why else would he so conviniently get his way with me the day before the meeting? 

Ughhhhhhh my head is scrambled.