KENDALL
When I walk into the house, Mom and Dad are already gone for their night in the city. And they're staying at a hotel for the night so I have the whole house to myself.
The game isn't on for another couple hours so I head upstairs to wash off the day.
After I shower, I throw on a Ducks hoodie that's a few sizes too big and a pair of bike shorts before I head downstairs to make something quick for dinner.
After dealing with crazy suburban mom's all day I don't feel like cooking but I need food, so I preheat the oven for a little frozen pizza and I throw some onion rings in the air fryer all of us siblings got Mom for her birthday last year.
As I head to the garage to grab a soda from the fridge my phone starts ringing, I slip it out of the pocket of my hoodie.
Its Davey...oh god what do I tell him? Do I have to tell him? Fuck.
I hold the phone to my ear as I answer, "Hey!"
"Hey! What're you up to?"
"Making some food before my brother's game," I say as I open the fridge.
"Oh," he almost sounds sad, "Are you guys going tonight too?"
"No, my parents did but I just home from work," I grab a Dr. Pepper and shut the fridge.
"Want some company?" He offers.
"Sure," I answer without thinking, "But don't you need to head back into the city?"
It's Sunday night, shouldn't he have class or something tomorrow?
"Nah, I don't have class until tomorrow afternoon. I'm gonna head back in the morning."
"Mkay," I smile. Damn it, I do kinda like Davey.
I push open the garage door and head back inside the house.
"I'll be over in like thirty minutes? Is that okay?"
"Yeah, want me to make some extra food for ya?" I offer.
"No thanks, my mom just finished up dinner. I'm gonna eat before I head over."
"Kay, enjoy, see you soon," I smile before he says, "See you soon."
Then the call ends.
-
We're half way through the second period of the game and Jamie still hasn't scored. He's had a few good opportunities but none have gone in the net.
Davey and I are tangled together on the couch. We weren't at first. We were just sitting like two normal people. Which turned into his arm around my shoulders, and me slowly melting into him because I'm exhausted and running on three hours of sleep. Then we decided to lay down to get more comfortable when the second period started. And then he started playing with my hair, and now I'm fighting to keep my eyes open.
The game disappears as the network cuts to a short commercial break so they can review the play that just happened to figure out the proper penalty to call. Even though it was obvious the Islanders player purposefully tripped Strome, but whatever.
"Stop," I quietly hum, my voice is so low he barely hears me. I lift my head and look up at him.
"Hm?" He smiles down at me.
"You're putting me to sleep," I rise and sit back on my legs, stretching my arms above my head.
"You probably need it after last night," he teases.
I laugh, "And you're probably right."
"Did you at least have fun?" He sits up.
"So much fun!" I smile, "Thank you for taking me."
Last night was the most fun I've had in a while. I don't get to do the college like parting thing very often, it was fun to let loose for a night.
"No, thank you, for taking me to the game," he leans forward. I instinctively rest my hands on his shoulders.
"You're welcome," I smile leaning forward with the intent to kiss him.
Yeah yeah, I know I probably shouldn't but I want to, and yolo, right?
"Ducks goal!" The announcers voice makes us both freeze and look over at the TV. My hands drop into my lap as I watch my brother excitedly skate over to Jamie who looks ecstatic as the boys surround him.
When the hell did they even go back to the game? How did I not hear them say what the penalty was?
"Drysdale's first goal of the season," the announcer explains as I stare at the TV screen as it switches from the boys celebrating to a replay of the goal. And sure as hell Jones passes to my brother who leaves the puck at the blue line for Jamie who whips it right into the net past three Islander players, and Vatrano.
I think my jaw just dropped off my face and rolled across the living room. There's no way that just happened.
"Oh my god," I whisper watching the TV as they show the play again from a different angle, "He actually did it."
"What?"
Davey breaks my trance and I look over at him.
I need a quick lie, "Uhm Jamie and I made a bet about him scoring tonight."
It's not a total lie.
"Did you win?" Davey asks. I can feel him looking at me but I'm still focused on the TV. The camera's zooming in on Jamie who's now sitting on the bench, completely unaware of the camera, but he looks damn proud of himself as he stares at his stick, spinning it a couple times as Adam Henrique leans over and says something to him.
"Kinda," I try to hide the smile that pulls at the corners of my mouth, but it's hard because there's a part of me that missed Jamie so much I wanted him to score tonight. But the another part of me didn't because I just know it would be easier.
When the game ends, Davey helps me clean up the snacks we pulled out before he leaves.
"Thanks for the company," I smile up at him. We're standing right in front of my door, still inside.
"Anytime," he nods, reaching for the door handle.
"Drive safe," I follow slowly behind him as he steps outside. The cool October air breezes past my bare legs.
"Damn it's cold," I groan. I hate the cold. I hate it so much. I want the sun and warm air, all the time.
"Stay inside," he chuckles, "I can walk to my car alone."
"Are you sure? This town can be scary," I joke. I think the worst thing to have ever happened in Bedford is someone littering.
"I'm a city boy now, I can handle anything," he smirks.
"Whatever," I shake my head with a smile, "Night, Davey."
"Night, Ken," he waves as he walks away.
I shut the door and twist the lock before I make my way back over to the living room. I grab my phone from the coffee table and turn off the TV.
I make my way upstairs, typing a text to Mal: i've fucked up, help.
And not even a second after I make it to my room, she's already calling me.
"What the hell did you do now?" Mallory's voice rings through my phone as soon as I hold it to my ear.
"Hey! Rude!" I snap as I sit on my bed.
"Explain yourself, Ken."
I tell her about coming home to Trevor and Jamie last night, and the kiss with Davey in the car. Then about the phone call with Jamie and the one with Davey, and about him coming over.
"And then right when I was about to kiss him, he fucking scored! He actually scored, Mal! And it was a damn good goal too."
"Okay, well uhm that was a lot," she sighs, "So you and Davey didn't kiss tonight?"
"Nope."
"But you did last night?"
"Yep."
"But you still like Jamie?"
"Yes."
"And Davey?"
"I think so."
"There's your answer," she says it so matter of factly.
"Huh?" I'm now laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Let Davey down nicely and test things out with Jamie."
"I wish it was that easy," I sigh, then I start to get another phone call. I pull my phone away from my ear, "It's Jamie."
"Good luck! Love ya, bye!" Then she ends the call.
"Bitch," I glare at my phone screen.
I groan but press the answer button and hold the phone to my ear again.
"You really fucking did it," I say sitting up again.
"What? Did you think I wouldn't?" He says cockily.
"Confident now are we?" I tease, standing up from my bed, putting him on speaker phone so I can change.
"All thanks to Z."
"Oh great," I mumble pulling my hoodie off.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" He asks, sounding like his usual soft, sweet self again.
"Yeah," I'm pulling on a t-shirt as I speak, "As long as you're okay when I say its not working."
"It'll work," he says it like it's a fact.
"How can you be so sure, Drysdale?" I ask moving to pick my phone back up.
"Because I'm not gonna let you get away twice."