Just a Pucking Grumpy Goalie [COMPLETED]

Chapter 51 - Accidental confession

Kat

I feel like shit. Running into Brick yesterday was thrilling and one of the hardest things I've ever done. Lying to him felt wrong on so many levels. Even painful. Seeing him made me want him even more, and it was a struggle to not sneak into his arms and tell him everything.

But I did it. I saved his future, and I try to wring what little pleasure I can out of that fact. It's the only thing that makes me able to function.

I sit through my last class on Friday afternoon and wonder how much ice cream I can eat before it melts. Maybe I should get a little fridge with a freezer for the dorm. It's not like I have to worry about money.

The money is still surreal. Grandma's lawyer gave me the info of her accountant and suggested I get a financial adviser. I'm still working out how to invest it and what you actually do with those kinds of sums. It feels wrong just keeping it in my bank account. But it's there.

I slow down as I have to make the choice of going back to the dorm or to the grocery store to get ice cream, not sure what I want to do.

"Hi, Kat." Ethan waves at me and I stop to let him catch up.

"How's it going?" I ask.

"Can't complain." He grins. "Even if the atmosphere in the house is pretty tense at the moment."

It's not an accusation, but it still hits me as if it is one.

"I'm sorry."

He shrugs. "I'm sure they'll get over it."

"How's the hockey?"

"It's ok, we're still in the running, but you can kind of tell something's off with Brick and JD."

I don't want to be one of those girls. Biting my lip, I try to stop the question.

"How's Brick?" I sigh inwardly. I guess I could have tried harder.

Ethan rubs the back of his neck. "I don't really know how to answer that."

"How about the truth?" Anxiety grabs me at his reluctance, and my voice almost breaks.

"Well, he's grumpier than usual. Less social. Especially after the fight. He's barely left his room."

"What fight?"

Ethan hesitates. "It's not my place to tell you. Maybe you should talk to JD."

I raise a finger at him. "I swear to god, Ethan, if one more man says they know what's best for me, I will chop their balls off. If I ask you a question, you answer it."

He backs up and blinks at me, and for a heartbeat, he looks scared. Considering he's twice my size and an athlete, I assume I must look like I mean it. Or I just look like I'm on the verge of a breakdown.

"Brick was mad that JD hadn't told him that you're back."

"Is that it?"

Ethan shakes his head. "It got pretty intense. It was all a mess, but I think Brick feels bad that you had to put up with his 'perversion' and whatnot."

He uses air quotes around the word perversion and it takes me by surprise. And makes me angry.

"Why do you use that word?"

"No reason." He stutters slightly, and I take a step toward him and squint. "Fine, JD called him a pervert. It was during the fight. I'm sure he didn't... No, he meant it."

Never have I felt so out of control. I want to cry and scream, but mostly, I feel like my insides are burning up with fury.

"What did Brick say?"