On Thin Ice

01

"You'll look out for Elijah, won't you Joshua?" Mindy asked with a pointed look.

Josh cleared his throat. "Of course."

I had to force myself to keep my eyes from rolling to the back of my head. I understood that my father and Mindy wanted to keep me safe, but having my stepbrother look after me was not something I was okay with. I could look after myself and I definitely didn't need a babysitter. However, I didn't say any of that to my father or Mindy, since I knew their worry was coming from a good place.

***

The next morning I threw my heavy hockey bag into Josh's trunk and then quickly scurried over to the passenger's side and slid in. Josh was already in the car, playing rap music on his phone. He didn't say anything as he pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the school. A few moments later, he spoke up.

"You're a defenseman, right?" Josh asked, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Right," I answered with a nod.

"Good. Our defense was really lacking last season. Coach and Ridley will be watching you," Josh said.

I turned to face him with a quizzical look. "Why Ridley?"

Josh looked at me briefly out of the corner of his eye. "He's captain. I thought you knew that."

Fox Ridley. He had been the reason for my misfortunes and the subject of my dreams for the past two months. That fateful night I shared with him had sparked the inspiration for me coming out to my mother, and that obviously hadn't turned out too well.

The first day of school had been like a scene out of a movie. It was slow motion as I made eye contact with Fox in the hall and I swore there was wind pushing his hair back and a spotlight shining over him. I remember he pulled me into a janitor's closet in the most cliche way and I thought I was ready for whatever was about to happen next. I clearly was not.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Fox hissed in my face, grasping my shirt tightly in his hands. His eyes were wide and wild, looking straight into mine. Maybe he didn't pull me in here for a quickie like I had hoped.

"I go to school here?" I told him, though it came out more like a confused question.

Fox rolled his eyes, though the distressed look stayed on his face. "Obviously. But why? I thought you were from a few towns over?"

"I moved in with my dad," I explained, trying to create some distance between us, but Fox didn't loosen his grip.

"Great," he spat sarcastically, sending me a look that could kill, his fierce brown eyes filling with fire. "If you tell anyone about what happened between us, I will end you."

I narrowed my eyes at him, shoving his shoulders so he would release me. "Chill, I'm not going to out you."

"As far as everyone in this school is concerned, we don't know each other," Fox asserted sternly, pointing at me. He didn't let me get another word out before he exited the janitor's closet, leaving me stunned and confused.

"I didn't know," I replied through clenched teeth.

My relationship with Fox Ridley was nothing short of strained. I couldn't walk by him without being sent a nasty glare, and whenever we shared any words at all his tone was clipped and rude. It was hard for me not to see him, considering he was good friends with Josh. Fox and other guys from the team had been over the house numerous times within the month I had been living there, not that I had ever spoken to him or the others.