Unguarded Love

4-Timeslot

"This is awkward right?" She whispers after I start on my second slice. 

Her dad is still sitting at the head of the table but is having a conversation with Nigel and Ridge. 

She couldn't be any more on the money, I'm not sure why her dad brought us all together but no one really knows what to say. 

We've never eaten dinner with coach before and the fact he brought Percy here just to reiterate that she's off limits is a little weird. 

"A bit." I whisper back. 

"My dads never been the party planning type, he used to leave that to my mom." She tells me. 

One thing I do know about coach was that his wife died a few years ago. He only spoke about it once after K.J. lost his mom two years ago. 

He told us she had been driving during the winter and the roads were icy, a deer jumped in the way and she swerved and hit a tree. 

"Neither of my parents were the party planning type." I tell her. 

I'm not sure why I tell her that, maybe because I thought about how hard it must've been for her to lose her mom. 

Both of my parents unfortunately are still alive. I know I shouldn't speak about them like that but when they are the way they are it's hard not to. 

Her phone beeps and she checks it before cursing under her breath. 

"What is it?" coach asks her and she sighs, "It's Wednesday dad."

He nods, "I am aware it's Wednesday."

"You know what I do every Wednesday, right?" I can hear her trying to hint at something, something he is supposed to be aware of.

He seems to think it over and the conclusion he draws is a blank. 

Yeah that's clearly not doing him any favors with his daughter. 

"You dont remember?" She asks softly, the only people who can hear is me and probably Miles beside me but he won't say anything. 

He shakes his head, "Should I?"

Oof wrong thing to say, I can see her demeanor change in an instant. The way her shoulders tense and her eyes glass over. 

She's pissed, and I know where she got that anger. 

Percy stands, "It was cool meeting you guys but I have to go." She says waving before grabbing her bag, turning to me she says, "I'll see you in class tomorrow." Then she's out the door. 

Coach sighs as he slumps back in his seat.

Weirdest dinner ever. 

Persephone

"Sorry hon but you missed your time slot."  Mary says from the front counter. 

I'm only half and hour late but I know I'll barely have time to put my skates on and warm up before my hour is up. 

Usually I try for two hours but this week my knee was killing me so I went with just the hour. 

Now it seems like I get no time on the ice at all. Just perfect. 

"You can come in tomorrow." She offers and I shake my head. 

I like keeping a schedule, if one things gets thrown off everything does. Like one big giant domino effect. 

"I'll just do my two hours next Wednesday, thank you though." I say before leaving the rink. 

I can't believe he forgot, I mean I guessed that maybe in the moment he did. Like how sometimes you aren't thinking before you schedule something. 

But then when I pointed it out to him tonight and he still had no clue. 

I remember a time when he knew my practice schedule by heart. That was a time when I was worth something to him. 

When I could've made my name in sports, now there's nothing to remember me by but the articles of 'the accident'.

That day still plagues my nightmares. 

When I get back to the dorms Peyton is waiting eagerly on her bed to hear about my night. 

"He forgot about where I go every Wednesday." Is the first thing I say as I set my duffle bag down on the ground. 

"You're kidding." She says and I shake my head, "I wish, I mean I can't believe he actually forgot."

"Did you at least get any ice time?"

I sigh, "Nope and the whole dinner, before you ask, was so awkward."

I had no idea what to say or do as I shoved pizza in my mouth. 

I don't know what was worse, Phoenix forgetting we had a class together last year or my dad forgetting my weekly skate. 

Actually I do. It's the latter, definitely.

"Well maybe it was his weird way of trying."

I shrug, "Maybe, he did tell the team to stay away from you too."

Her jaw drops, "He did not."

"Yep, now we are both on the no list from Coach Adam Porter in the flesh." I tell her and she groans.

"I guess it doesn't matter, I do have Brendan."

Yuck. 

"True." I say instead before getting changed. 

"Should we watch an episode of How To Get Away With Murder?" She asks and I nod, "Obviously."

I sit down beside her on her bed and she opens her laptop. 

Then we watch a show we've watched before because why not? At least I know how it ends and I don't have to pay much attention. 

That works because my thoughts are elsewhere. They start on my dad and end on my mom. 

I miss her and I wish growing up we had gotten more pictures together. I want memories to hold on to which is why I have a picture of the two of us as my home screen. 

I wish I could still talk to her, with this stuff with my dad she'd know what to say and do. 

"I miss her too." Peyton says, softly and I break down into her arms. 

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Edited