Hockey With Benefits(7)

Me: Stop talking about me to people.

Zeke: What’s up, Daniels! How are you? How’s it going? Also, you’re going to have to be specific. I talk to a lot of people so that’s going to be hard to do.

Me: Had a conversation with Gavin Miller about the type of guys I fuck. IT’S NOT YOUR BUSINESS!

Zeke: Oh yeah. Now that makes more sense. My bad. I was rolling and had half a bottle of Jack in me. Sorry about that.

Me: fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you

Zeke: I’ve missed you, Little Daniels.

Five minutes later,

Zeke: Still missing you.

Thirty minutes after that,

Zeke: Also, by the by, I liked Miller. He seemed like a good guy. Felt connected in a bro-way if you get my drift.

Zeke: Text again, Daniels. Once you open that door, you can’t close it. It’s the text-gate.

Me: That makes no sense.

Zeke: See! Got you. Tag, you’re it.





5





MARA





Dad: Do you want to be involved in where your mother goes?

Knock, knock!

I was reading over my dad’s last text and well, needless to say, I was happy for the distraction.

I put my phone away and went to the door.

I was guessing it was Miles. He and I went back to being he and I. There were a couple library study sessions, or where I studied and Miles dropped his books there, his bag, and went to socialize. He tended to find a girl, bring her over. She studied with us, and then he’d either go to her place after or she came to ours. But he and I were back to being our surface-only friends, so I opened it, asking before I saw who was on the other side, “Libr–” I stopped. “You aren’t Miles.”

It was another of our roommates. Skylar. Her and her girlfriend, Zoe, lived on the second floor. While Skylar wore mostly athletic clothes, pale skin, had long blonde hair with a few dreadlocks, Zoe was almost the opposite. She was a dainty artist, wore mostly flowery dresses and the cutest shoes, had light brown skin, and kept her hair mostly in braids. Zoe also was a fan of jewelry, with long and short necklaces, bracelets, and different earrings.

Skylar gave me a small grin and half of a wave. “We’re having some people over tonight for pizza. That cool with you?”

That was another thing in this house. They liked to make sure everyone signed off if there were going to be a lot of guests. I was guessing it had to do with the noise level since Skylar was on the soccer team. Wade was on the swim team. And Darren, the guy who lived on the first floor, was on the football team. A lot of athletes in the house.

She added, “Also, we’re considering doing a whole study event too. You in?”

I nodded. “What time? How much for the pizza?”

“Whenever and whatever you want to chip in for supplies. Zoe’s taking a cooking class elective this semester, and she’s got the chef bug. You know, if the artist thing doesn’t work out.” She gave me a wink.

I grinned.

I had needed the weekend alone, but the week of classes made me look forward to a study/pizza night.

“I’ll be down in a bit. Thanks for the invite.”

Skylar had nodded and started to turn back but paused and gave me a brighter smile. “Of course. See you down there!”

My phone started ringing behind me. Skylar went downstairs and I went to pick it up, shutting the door.

Zeke calling.

I frowned, but answered, “Dude.”

He laughed, a baritone voice on his end and sounding hoarse. “Batten down your hatches, Little Daniels. I’m going to violate your rule and, gasp, ask how you’re doing! And don’t give me the bullshit of not asking because apparently, I’m the only one with balls to wade through your toxic hostile attachment barriers.”

I grew up with the guy so I just drew in a breath, knowing Zeke would ignore whatever I said. I settled down on my couch and hit speaker, putting the phone next to me. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit.”

“Zeke,” I started to warn.

He was unrolling the ball inside me that I’d been able to take all my mom stuff and stuff it in there.

“I’m also calling to let you know that a certain Fallen Crest nurse got sacked.”

My stomach clamped right back up. “What?”

“I made some calls, found out what nurse leaked your mom’s info, and yeah, she’s gone. Finito.”

I couldn’t talk at first. God. My mom. My dad’s text… I’d kept that all locked up in the Mom Drawer in my head. I’d been in the process of shutting it all away after reading what my dad asked, but Zeke yanked the entire drawer back out. It was spilling all over the floor.

“You did that?” My voice was raspy.

“I am all the way connected in Fallen Crest. It was the least I could do for a friend.”

I was speechless, my heart pounding hard in my chest.

Then he got quiet. “I looked up what your mom has.”

“Zeke.” I shot to my feet, but I took the phone with me. My chest was so tight.

“Her stuff seems like a lot.”

My throat was closing up. “Zeke, don’t do this. Okay?”

“Just calling to say… I don’t know, Daniels. You never let us know, and I’ve known you since kindergarten. You could’ve shared.”