“That’s Emmett.” She points at the gaggle of guys in helmets at the Home bench. “Number forty-four. He plays left wing?” she says as if she’s not sure, her face scrunching up. “Emmett!” She waves at their backs.
“I think he’s listening to his coach.”
“Oh, yeah, he’s not watching.” When they finally break, five guys, including Emmett, skate into position. Cassie waves furiously again, calling his name.
He throws a hand in the air and Cassie points at me. “Look! It’s AJ!” Another splash of hot chocolate hits her clothes, this time her pink vest. “Oops.” She wipes once at it before ignoring it to take a sip through her straw. I’ve never met anyone who drinks hot chocolate through a straw.
But I’ve also never met anyone like Cassie before.
A whistle blows and the puck starts flying. “Do you understand the rules?” I ask.
“Yeah.” Cassie nods vigorously, then laughs. “Actually, no. Kind of. Where is Holly?” She looks over her shoulder at the door.
Spilling hot chocolate on herself … again.
“I don’t see her,” I confirm, silently admitting that I’m okay with that. I turn my attention to the game, to watch Emmett get the puck and race for his opponent’s end, weaving deftly around the player trying to block him, and firing off a shot. It sails in, earning a round of cheers and claps from the stands.
“He’s good,” Cassie says, her head bobbing up and down as if to emphasize it.
“He is.” I feel an odd and unexpected stir of pride in my stomach. I can see why a college team would want him.
“Yeah.” Cassie grins. “Emmett’s the best.”
“Holly!” Cassie pauses in her careful climb up the stairs to wave. “We were looking for you. Where were you?”
Holly smiles from the top of the stairs. She’s wearing a stylish quilted black vest and cute boots that I instantly want. “Hey, Cassie! I didn’t think you were here! Where were you sitting?”
“Over there. With AJ.” She points to our row.
“Oh, nuts. You’re usually with your mom. I was sitting way over there.” She points with a fuchsia-painted nail toward the opposite side.
Cassie shakes her head and laughs. “Okay.”
“Next time, we’ll sit together. Promise.” Holly’s blue eyes widen with that word and then she winks at me. “That was a good game but I’ve gotta say hi and bye to Emmett and then race home to do a bunch of homework. See you both tomorrow at school?”
“Okay. Oh!” Cassie’s eyes light up. “Did you get that picture of Roger Dodger?”
Holly’s head cocks to the side. “I did. He’s so cute.” Holly flashes one last brilliant, white-toothed smile and then rushes past us toward the exit doors.
“I sent her a picture of Roger Dodger, from the shelter, being really silly. He’s my favorite.”
“I thought they were all your favorite,” I say absently, looking back to where we were sitting.
Wondering how Holly could possibly have missed Cassie’s bright pink vest.
Dear Julia,
I think I like Emmett. Like, REALLY like him. But maybe you already guessed that. He’s easily the hottest guy in school. Maybe on earth. The real kicker is that he doesn’t act like he knows it. And that smile … Ugh. And then there’s the whole hockey thing. I don’t even like hockey! But seeing him out there tonight, as good as he is … I don’t know. It did things to me. I need to learn about hockey.
This whole crushing-hard-on-your-neighbor-when-he’s-in-love-with-his-beautiful-girlfriend thing sucks, big time. But, at least I get to see him every day. Friendship is better than strangers, right?
I’m such a loser.
Hopelessly pining,
~AJ
9
“I’ll grab us seats,” Jen offers.
“Thanks.” I frown at the tiny ice cream cones on her shirt as she lumbers down the hall, her lunch bag dangling from her fingertips. Why does she wear clothes like that, anyway? Every day it’s something unusual. Yesterday she came to school in a shirt with a giant smiley face across the chest. People stared. They frowned. They whispered. I haven’t seen anyone be outright mean to her yet, but it’s only a matter of time. She’s a prime target for bullies.
What I haven’t been able to figure out yet is whether she cares. She must not. But I also haven’t seen her hanging out with anyone besides me and Josie, the quiet Asian girl who has said maybe five words to me total, though she sits with us at lunch every day.
Am I alienating myself in my new school and my new life, the more I hang out with her?
The girls’ bathroom is empty when I enter. I head for the farthest stall, hanging my things on the hook and fishing out my phone to send a quick text my mother.
The outer door creaks open. “… trying to get him Leafs tickets. My dad’s company has box seats so if I could get two golds for the home opener …” Holly’s honeyed voice reverberates over the tile walls. “Oh my God, Emmett will lose his mind!”
Envy pulls at my insides. She’s so lucky to have him. Does she realize how lucky she is?
“What do you think he’ll get you?” another voice asks. I recognize it from the party as Mandy’s.
This has to be about Holly and Emmett’s upcoming anniversary.
I was midway through a text to my mother, but I quickly cancel out of that and open up the camera. Emmett did say that he’d owe me big time if I could find out exactly what day their anniversary was. How much would he owe me if I could tell him exactly what Holly wanted?
I switch to video and hit the red record button.
And then roll my eyes at myself as I silently acknowledge that I’m eagerly helping Emmett impress another girl.
“Knowing him? Something to do with hockey. Like a necklace with a hockey stick dangling from it, or something like that.” She laughs. “I swear, I love the guy to pieces, but he can be so clueless.”
I cringe.
“And that’s if he even remembers our one-year anniversary. A hundred bucks says he misses it completely.”
“Mention it to his sister,” Mandy murmurs in a way that makes me picture her smearing lipstick over her puckered mouth. “You know she’ll remind him.”
“Oh, I know. Every day, until the thirtieth.”
September 30. I smile. Oh man, Emmett. I am saving your butt here.
My thumb moves for the red button to shut off the recording.
“I feel like I’ve already gotten my anniversary gift with that new neighbor of his. That AJ.”
My thumb freezes. The way my name sounds on her tongue makes my skin prickle. It’s not her usual sweet tone.
“She came to Emmett’s game last night. It was great. I hid up top on the Away side and got to watch the game in peace.” Holly’s musical laughter echoes through the bathroom, only it doesn’t sound nearly as charming. “Cassie’s finally got someone new to leech on to, so she’ll leave me alone.”
My heart is pounding in my chest as I sit on the toilet and witness Holly shed her angelic skin, unaware that someone aside from her trusted friend could be listening. “Yeah. Now if I can figure out a way to get her to stop texting me.”
“Oh my God, she still texts you?”
“Like, every day. She texts me and tags me on stupid pictures of mangy dogs on Instagram, too. I hate dogs! And if I don’t respond, she keeps texting! It’s so annoying. I don’t know why Emmett’s parents let her have a phone in the first place. Someone’s always with her and it’s not like she has friends.”
“What are you talking about? You’re her best friend.”
Holly scoffs and Mandy cackles viciously.
“I swear, if I’d known that I wouldn’t be able to shake Cassie off, I would never have gone through her to get to Em. I could’ve met him some other way. Hey, no one’s in here, right?” Holly suddenly asks, quieting.
Panic flares inside me. I hold my breath and pull my legs up, thankful that I chose the corner stall.
A moment later, “Nope.”