stick around • matthew schaefer

chapter twenty-nine

me and adrianna.

side by side.

just like before.

except now there's no hate left between us.

just the kind of silence that feels heavier than any fight we've ever had.

⸻

madison called that night.

wanted to come over. bring takeout. watch a movie.

i almost said yes.

almost.

but then i thought about adrianna's face after the game.
the way her eyes met mine during the clear.
the fire in her skating.
the silence she left me with in the hallway.

and i knew i couldn't fake this anymore.

i couldn't keep pretending madison was what i needed when everything in me was still reaching for her.

so i told her no.

"you okay?" madison asked, light but clipped.

"yeah. just tired," i lied.

she paused.

"you sure this isn't about someone else?"

i hesitated.

then answered truthfully:

"yeah. it is."

⸻

gabe caught me in the hallway the next morning.

"so," he said, arms crossed. "you and madison done?"

i raised an eyebrow. "how do you know?"

"dude. she unfollowed you. twice."

i laughed.

a little.

"she deserved better," i admitted.

gabe nodded. "and adrianna?"

i didn't answer.

because this time... i wasn't sure.

not yet.

⸻

after practice, i stayed behind.

skated slow laps around the ice while the guys filtered out.

the arena was quiet again. the way it gets when the game isn't loud anymore.

i liked it like that.

liked the way the silence let my thoughts breathe.

she came out ten minutes later.

skates on.

helmet off.

eyes hard.

"you staying or staring?" she asked, voice even.

i shrugged. "bit of both."

she didn't smile.

didn't chirp.

just glided past me and started her own laps.

for a while, we didn't speak.

just skated.

around and around and around.

not touching. not looking.

just... moving.

the way we used to.

the way we always did when words weren't enough.

after her fifth lap, she finally said:

"you broke it off with her."

i didn't ask how she knew.

just nodded. "yeah."

"why?"

i looked over at her.

met her eyes.

"because she wasn't you."

she didn't answer.

just stared at me like she wanted to believe it.

but didn't know if she could.

so i added:

"and because i'm done pretending i don't still want this."

"this," she echoed.

"you."

her eyes dropped to the ice.

i thought she'd skate away.

but she didn't.

she just stood there.

like she was finally ready to stop running.

maybe not to fall.

but to listen.

and that was enough.

for now.
_______
a/n: yayyy