Page 37 of Walk the Line

“But I think you would be wasting your time going for anyone on the Hockey team,” I continue.

“I know my dad would absolutely hate it. But I’m not a child, just his child, at the end of the day.”

“That was a bar!” Jalissa says.

They would get on well with Nathan and Daniel.

“Is that why you can’t say a simple hi?” I respond, just to realise I’m trying to keep myself distracted.

Because there’s no way I would engage in this conversation if I wasn’t in a post Kaylah state.

She sighs before saying, “Okay, so I’m feeling kind of judged right now. Listen, I know how to say hi, but he’s pretty much already told me that he would cry if Coach kicked him off the team for being involved with me, so that makes it a little difficult to go up to him and have a casual conversation, you know?”

“He said he would cry?”

“I think he really loves Hockey.”

“Your Dad’s not gonna kick him off the team. He’s one of the best players.”

That might be poor advice. The man might be kicking me off the team soon and I’m the best.

She pauses. “Yeah, well, he pretty much just acts like I don’t exist now, so.”

“Sounds like you’ve spoken quite a bit already.”

“Well, this was just…um, one conversation we had.” She looks away. “But anyway…ooh, is that Kaylah he’s talking to?”

“I think it is,” Jalissa says.

“Oh, no, she’s beautiful. I guess they’re gonna get married and live happily ever after together.”

“Okay, so that escalated,” Jalissa laughs.

“I just really want the person I want to want me.”

I’ve been there. Funnily enough, with the guy Kaylah’s talking to.

I try to think of a response that could be mildly comforting to Mimi, but she cuts in first. “I’ve been wanting to meet her. I keep hearing the girls talk about her.”

“Same. I wanted to know if it’s true that she gives off a weird vibe,” Jalissa says.

“Do you get a weird vibe from her?” Mimi asks me.

“What does that mean?”

“Well, no one knows anything about her apart from the fact that she’s new here and great at Hockey.”

Jalissa nods. “I guess the girls will let us know if they hear more.”

“The girls?” I ask.

“Yeah, we live with Tamarah and Sierra. They’re literally on the team you’re the captain of.”

“I know who they are.” Maybe not Tamarah, but I’ve been picking up on Sierra missing the puck lately.

“Sure, buddy.”

I think of how to respond and continue this period of distraction that seems to be going on for a while, but it doesn’t seem like I need to when someone shouts out, “Hey, get in the front room now, we’re gonna play Spin the Bottle!” and people instantly start flocking to the room in question.