Slapshot

Chapter 29: A Week and a Half

Taylor's POV

I used to love Monday mornings. Just two months into my senior year, this was very different. I hated having to wake up and know that I had another week to face in the crowded hallways with an injured foot. Another week where I had to limit my participation, another week full of tests, quizzes, assignments. Another week of my marks dropping.

I had to admit, I had a hard semester. 3 AP courses was a lot to take, especially for senior year. I was definitely feeling all the effects right now as I walked through the hallways on my way to my locker.

"Hey." Cameron walked up to me, immediately taking my bag from me. Cameron had become a quick friend, I saw him quite often and I confided a lot in him.

"What happened? You don't look too good." He asks, looking concerned.

"You can tell?" I ask, almost laughing out of pity for myself.

"Well, it's not that obvious." He lies, probably trying to make me feel better.

"Did you hear about the Halloween party?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

He sighs. "Don't let it bother you, Taylor." So he knew.

"It is bothering me!" I tell him. Someone on the hockey team, I don't know who, threw a party this weekend. From social media I could see that everyone on the team was there. Except for Cameron and I.

"Do you think it was on purpose?" I ask him, now keeping my voice down.

"On purpose?" He looks confused.

"Yeah... Jonathan's influence or something."

He scoffs. "It's not like that." I've been telling Cameron my problems with Jonathan, how we used to be so close and how he just recently cut me off. Completely. He won't even look at me now.

"Out of everyone to not get invited, it's the two of us. I don't know, Cam." I say. "Who even hosted it?"

"I'm not sure." He shakes his head. "It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal." I say, my voice quivering.

He looks over at me, noticing the change in my tone. We were almost at my locker, but there was a stairwell nearing ahead. "Come here." Cam says, leading me towards the stairwell. He opens the doors and shuts them behind us. "At least it's more private than the hallways." He says.

I lean up against the wall, holding my crutches in front of me. I was still frowning.

"Why is this party having such a big toll on you?" He asks me, his voice lowered.

"Huh?"

"Why do you care so much?" Cam simplifies.

"Because, Cameron! I thought those were my friends, but I guess not. We must've done something for them to exclude us like that." My eyes were watering. I did not want to cry in front of him, but I've been having such a rough few weeks, I deserved to let it out.

"Tay..." He frowns, noticing my eyes.

"Why don't they like me? Is it because I sucked?" I mumble.

"I'm sure it's not like that." He says. His words weren't helping, but what was he even supposed to say to make it better?

Tears finally escape my eyes and I reach up to rub them shut violently. "I hate Jonathan. Why did he cut me out so suddenly?" I mutter.

"Taylor, you're always moping about Jonathan."

"Because I'm pissed, Cam. Can you please talk to him for me?" I beg.

Cameron looks away, "He doesn't like me, I'll probably only make it worse."

"Please try." I use my sleeve to wipe the tears off my cheeks.

The bell rings, and I groan as students walk into the stairwell from both directions, staring at me.

"We should go." Cameron steps back at the sound of students running.

"I don't want to go to class like this." I sigh, taking my crutches and picking myself up off the wall.

"Do you wanna skip? I have the car, we can go somewhere." He offers.

Me, skipping class? Taylor Delaney, a skipper? I know that I felt like shit, but was that really an excuse to miss homeroom?

Yes. I deserved a break.

"Yeah, let's go." I say quickly, and instead of walking back into the small hallways, we take the exit door out.

——

Jonathan's POV

I threw my hockey bag into my trunk, my stick afterwards. I sighed, closing the trunk door and blowing out a big breath of cold air.

"Hey, Jonathan!" I heard. I look around, not recognizing the voice, but as soon as we make eye contact, I groan, looking away. He didn't get the hint, though, as I heard Cameron fucking Sweeney walking over.

"Looked like a fun party last weekend." He says, reaching my car now. I lean against the side of the driver's door. Why the fuck was this kid talking to me?

"I'm leaving." I say, however I don't make any movements.

"Just talk to me. Man to man." He says. I fucking hated him.

"I don't owe you anything, why the fuck are you trying to talk to me?" I say. Man it was cold out. I just wanted to go home.

"I'm not doing myself a favour, it's for Taylor." He rolls his eyes.

Oh. Of fucking course. The two lovers, but not like I cared. "I'm not friends with her." I simply say.

"Listen, I'm only doing this for her. She's been wanting to talk to you but you've been pushing her away."

"I really don't want to do this now. This is weird, man." I shake my head.

"Just fucking talk to her, I don't know. Stop being an asshole about it." He says.

"Okay. Cool. Good talk." I mumble, rolling my eyes. I open the car door and step in, and Sweeney walks off towards his truck. I speed out of the parking lot, annoyed.

The original plan that Tom and I had made up was for me to stop talking to Taylor. I had been developing massive feelings for her, and obviously I couldn't, so I had to find a way to stop. The only way I knew how was by cutting her out.

I knew she was mad at me. I knew she'd be mad at me. My goal was to not care about that. It had been a week and a half since I last talked to her. I didn't realize it'd be hitting her hard, I didn't think she'd really care that much.

But Sweeney, really? Is that who she was spending all her time with? That fucking sucked. I can't believe he actually addressed me about it.

I think I was starting to feel bad. See, this is why I shouldn't be left alone with my thoughts. Because now I go off thinking about Taylor after successfully ignoring her for a week and a half.

A week and a half. This is the longest time I've gone without talking to her since we met. I can't believe I used to hate her, back when we first met. And now I might as well be in love with her. Fuck.

This plan was not working out. I needed to change something, and quick, because I was making Taylor crazy, and clearly, I was making myself even crazier.

——