It's My Life - Stacie Ramey Page 0,67

And I wonder what exactly he’s amused about.

He pulls me right up against him so he can whisper in my ear. “So you know my line, me as center and Chip and Nate as my wingmen. Right?”

“Right,” I whisper, although now my stomach contracts, and I feel the butterflies everyone always talks about. The butterflies I always thought were super clichéd, but here they are, inside me, making it hard to keep swaying. Or talking. Or breathing.

“Tonight, at Hockey Homecoming, I was supposed to meet my mystery girl. So, you know what I did?”

I shake my head.

“I brought my wingmen.”

The song ends. I pull away, but he holds on, one cupped hand on my hip. His face is so intent, so excited looking, so damned beautiful, but I get what he’s going to say.

His wingmen were there when we were texting.

And suddenly I know exactly how Cinderella felt when she was running down the stairs to escape the prince. Or more likely trying to keep the prince from finding out her true identity. That’s the thing isn’t it? That’s what I’m keeping from him. Because it would suck if he turns me down. It would be worse if it’s because I’m not perfectly built like he is. That’s what I’m afraid of. That he will see me, really see me, and not want me.

His eyes haven’t left my face. I feel them on me even as I cast mine downward. “Jenna, do you know what I mean about my wingmen?” His voice is soft as butter. “Jenna?”

“Yes,” I say. “You weren’t looking to see who was reading the texts. Chip and Nate were.”

I’m caught. And all of a sudden, the enormity of what I’ve done, of what’s going to happen next, is too much to bear. Is he angry with me? Disgusted? Amused, but not interested?

“Jenna?” He strokes my cheek, his voice as soft and sweet as his touch. His eyes promising good things. “Are you Elsa?”

I nod.

His lip turns up.

Then the lights go out.

Twenty-Four

There’s mayhem and shouting and cell phone flashlights strobing everywhere. Julian pulls me tight against his side, and I feel his muscles tense. He looks around. “It’s a prank, I’m sure.”

I laugh a little, relieved. “For a moment I thought I killed Hockey Homecoming.” Really, I’m still wondering about the fallout from my big reveal. I mean, one slight smile does not a happy ending make.

Julian helps me forward, my crutches stabilizing me. “Let’s get you back to your chair. If you get hurt tonight, your parents won’t let me near you again.”

His words hug me close. He wants to get near me again. That means something. Hope balloons in my chest. Could this be happening? Could Julian Van Beck really be into me? Me? Did we almost kiss? I swear it looked like he wanted to.

People are running and laughing and screaming. Marauding assailants have entered the gym, dressed in all black with masks pulled over their faces. Clown masks, Scream masks, mugger masks.

“Get the hell out of here,” Chip screams at them.

Mr. Clooney, one of the chaperones, lurches forward, tries to grab one of them, and misses. Mrs. Walker gets one and rips the mask off just before the kid breaks away.

Julian says, “It’s Danbury High. Revenge for the game.”

Three of the Danbury players crouch down. I know what’s going to happen before it even does. They pull their pants down and moon us. Cell phone cameras flash. My head gets filled with the bursts of white light, and I’m a little worried I’ll have a seizure so I try not to look. Back at my table, where Ben has been sitting, Julian helps me into my chair. He puts my crutches on the arm rest.

A Danbury player squeezes between us, nearly plowing into me. Julian’s face goes nuclear. He takes off after him with murder in his eyes, following his teammates who are chasing the Danbury players.

Ben stares after him, clapping. “Outstanding,” he says and then whistles as our freshman goalie, Jason, chases the last of the Danbury guys out the door. I flinch as they plow past and aim my frustration at Ben.

“No. This is not good. Not. Good.” I cross my hands in front of me. “They ruined everything.”

The lights come blasting back on, which makes my eyes ache. I have to shield them. My pupils don’t react to quick changes in light well, and I see dark spots everywhere.

Rena runs up to me. “Oh my God, did you see?”

Of course