On Thin Ice

07

"Come in," I mumbled, putting my pencil down.

Dad opened the door before stepping into my room and closing it behind him. He took a seat at the foot of my unmade bed and I turned my chair around so that I could face him.

"Is everything going okay at school?" Dad asked softly.

I groaned. "Did Josh tell you about what happened yesterday?"

Dad nodded. "He told me. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it doesn't matter," I reasoned.

"It does matter," Dad argued, leaning forward toward me. "I want you to be safe at this school, and if you're not safe here, I'll put you somewhere that you will be."

"I hate to break it to you, but homophobes exist everywhere," I replied sarcastically. "Especially on sports teams."

"Well that's unacceptable," Dad told me, shaking his head. "I'll have a talk with your coach."

"Dad, no," I pleaded. "I promise it's fine. It's been taken care of."

Dad looked at me for a few moments as if he was trying to decide whether or not he wanted to believe me. He let out a heavy sigh and nodded.

"Fine," he finally responded, "but if anything else happens, and I mean anything, I want you to tell me."

"Okay," I agreed, though I wasn't sure whether I would actually follow through on my promise.

My father patted my shoulder and annoyingly ruffled my hair before exiting my room. I let out a sigh of my own and turned back to my homework. The last thing I wanted was my dad getting involved with the team. The only thing that would do was embarrass me further and make me a bigger target.

All I wanted was to play hockey, but that seemed to be getting harder and harder.

***

"Morning, Elijah," Trevor cheerfully greeted me at my locker the next morning.

I wasn't in the greatest of moods. Since Josh had told my father about what happened with the hockey team, there was a palpable tension between us. He knew I was annoyed at him for talking to my dad, and I knew that he knew that, so the two of us didn't say a word to each other on the ride to school this morning.

"Hey," I grumbled, pulling open my locker.

"I just wanted to ask you if it was okay if I got the GSA members to go to your first hockey game on Friday?" Trevor asked, hope filling his voice.

I suppressed a groan. "You don't need to do that."

"I want to make sure you have support," Trevor replied kindly, a smile that never seemed to go away decorated his face.

I sighed and turned to face him. "I don't care, but please don't make it a big deal, like no signs or anything. Please."

Trevor chuckled, leaning against the locker next to mine. "Fine, no signs. I can do that."

"Thank you," I replied in relief, shutting my locker door.

"Maybe if you're up for it, we can all go out after the game?" Trevor suggested. "To celebrate your first game here."

"Sure," I agreed with a shrug. Trevor's face lit up as he nodded at me happily.

"Great, I'll let the club know today," he assured me.

Great, I thought sarcastically. Poor Trevor was too nice for his own good. He went out of his way to make me feel welcome and I didn't even want to spend any time doing the things he planned.