The Score (Sequel to The Exchange)

Chapter 10- List

Over the next few weeks, I didn't get a chance to argue with Dr. Mann again. It was a little disappointing, to be honest, and I almost wanted him to say something to me, or even just look in my general direction.

He never did.

It was truly impressive by him, and I could admire his ability to avoid getting any comments from me, but I just wanted round two of our battle. I never liked to be up by just one point.

I wanted to run the score up on him.

It was bad sportsmanship, for sure, but I didn't care. I wasn't like Viktor, and there was nothing like the rush of a well thought-out debate.

Of course, with every week that passed, we got closer to my most favorite thing in the entire world: hockey season. With only a week until the first game of the season, most of Viktor's non-class time was spent at practice or working out, and not with me. But that was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

I sat on my bed, scribbling down a list of goals that I set for Viktor. He was going to achieve them, too. I would make sure of it.

1. Score at least 20 goals.

2. Get at least 15 assists.

3. Play goalie for a game. (I just really want to see how that would play out.)

4. Play every single game. That means DON'T GET HURT.

5. Have fun or some stupid shit like that.

6. Get in a fight at a home game so I can watch! *

7. Get drafted. I'm not kidding.

* Denotes the most important goal for you to achieve. Potential benefits include 10,000 respect points from Miss Amanda Jayne, 100,000 respect points from your teammates, and probably a one-game suspension. Achieving this goal voids Goal #4.

It was a decent list, and ever since the original one that Mom made me write, I had actually grown rather fond of them.

That list was pretty much the only reason I ever tried to get along with Viktor. Mom sabotaged me.

I slammed the notebook shut and laid down on the bed, covering my eyes.

I should have been over it, but I wasn't.

And although that was one of my favorite memories of Mom, her sitting me down at the kitchen table and hitting me with Mom Wisdom until I cried a little (an odd choice for a positive memory, of course, but while that didn't change my opinion on Viktor right away, it did in the long run), it still hurt.

It was stupid of me. She was gone, and there was nothing I could do but treasure every second I had with her. I did that to the best of my ability, but every once in a while, among the gold and diamonds, there was a dagger that stabbed me straight in the heart.

But that was stupid and didn't matter. What mattered was my list.

I sat up in my bed and brushed the hair that tickled my nose away. Seven goals seemed reasonable, and as long as Viktor accomplished 1, 2, and 7, I would be happy with his success.

It bothered me that I had no control over his career anymore. Any training that he did was way above my head, and I could do nothing but push him and hope for the best. The rest was up to him.

He promised me that he'd stop by my dorm once he was done with his practice, and it should have ended nearly an hour prior. Of course, I understood that I couldn't take all of his time since he had plenty of things to focus on, but he was all I had.