Edge Of The Ice (On Going And Own Book)

Unravelling Threads. 24

By the time lunch rolled around, Alex was feeling the full weight of the day. He grabbed a tray and slumped into his usual spot at the table near the back of the cafeteria. As he started picking at his food, Cass slid into the seat across from him, a quiet but tired smile on their face.

“Hey,” Cass said, resting their chin on their hand. “Rough morning?”

Alex nodded, pushing his food around with his fork. “Yeah, kinda. Got cornered by Mr. Taylor. He’s worried I’m stressed, which is… well, accurate, I guess.”

Cass let out a soft chuckle. “That guy never misses, huh? He cornered me last week after I fell asleep in History.”

Alex smirked at that, though the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, he’s got radar for this stuff. But it’s not like talking to him’s gonna fix everything.”

Cass tilted their head slightly, watching him closely. “You’ve been really quiet lately. More than usual. You sure you’re okay?”

Alex didn’t answer right away, staring down at his lunch. He could feel Cass’s gaze on him, patient but concerned. It was in moments like this, when Cass wasn’t saying much, that Alex realized how deeply they noticed everything. It made him feel exposed.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, keeping his voice low. “It’s just… everything. Regionals, the rink, us. It feels like it’s all on me to figure out, and I don’t know how.”

Cass was quiet for a moment, processing his words. Their eyes softened, and they reached across the table to touch Alex’s hand gently. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now. I know it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, but we’re in this together, okay?”

Alex exhaled slowly, the touch of Cass’s hand grounding him in a way nothing else had that day. He looked up at them, grateful for their steadiness even in the face of their own uncertainties. “I know. I just… I don’t want to let you down, or Coach, or anyone.”

Cass’s hand tightened slightly around his, a small gesture of reassurance. “You won’t let me down. And as for Coach, well… hockey’s a part of you, but it’s not everything. You’re allowed to care about more than one thing, you know.”

Alex nodded, though he wasn’t sure he fully believed it. He squeezed Cass’s hand back before pulling away, glancing around the cafeteria to make sure no one was watching them too closely. “Thanks. I guess I just need to stop overthinking everything.”

Cass smiled, leaning back in their seat. “Yeah, good luck with that. You’re the king of overthinking.”

Before Alex could respond, a loud voice interrupted them. “Alex!”

He turned just in time to see Leo, one of the defensemen from his hockey team, walking over with his tray. Leo was all broad shoulders and a too-big grin, the kind of guy who never seemed to take anything seriously.

“Hey man, you ready for practice after school? I heard Coach has something brutal lined up,” Leo said, sliding into the seat next to Alex without invitation.

Alex forced a smile. “Yeah, can’t wait.”

Leo laughed, clearly not picking up on the sarcasm. “It’s gonna be rough, but we’re gonna crush regionals. You’ve been on fire lately.”

Cass shifted slightly in their seat, their expression stiffening as the conversation shifted toward hockey. Alex noticed but didn’t have time to react before Leo launched into a long-winded story about his last game, oblivious to the tension at the table.

Alex half-listened, nodding when appropriate, but his mind kept drifting back to Cass, who had fallen quiet again. He felt torn, pulled between the world of hockey that demanded all of his energy and the person sitting across from him who meant more to him than anything. It was like he was being forced to live in two different worlds, and he wasn’t sure how to keep both from colliding.

Leo finally finished his story, shoving a bite of sandwich into his mouth and glancing between Alex and Cass. “You coming to the game this weekend, Cass? We could use a good luck charm.”

Cass blinked, caught off guard. “Oh, uh… I’m not sure yet. Got a lot going on with my own training.”

Leo grinned, completely missing the awkwardness. “Fair enough. Just don’t be a stranger, yeah?”

Cass nodded, their smile tight. “I’ll try.”

As Leo turned his attention back to his food, Alex shot Cass an apologetic look. They gave him a small, understanding smile, but Alex could see the tension in their eyes. He wanted to say something, to make things right, but the words caught in his throat. There were too many things left unsaid, and with Leo sitting right there, this wasn’t the time.

Instead, he gave Cass’s hand a quick squeeze under the table, hoping it was enough for now.

“Hey, Alex,” Leo said suddenly, his mouth full of food. “You ready for Coach’s drills today? Heard he’s pushing everyone hard for the next two weeks.”

Alex forced another smile. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

But deep down, he wasn’t sure if that was true anymore.