I watch as the pouch gets flatter and flatter, powerless as its insides get sucked out. “Whatever happened with you two, anyway? You never told me why you broke up.”
I shrug. “Dunno. Just wasn’t right, I guess.” The truth is, Sho and I had fun, but the same kind of fun over and over again gets old after a while—at least, when there’s nothing underneath. I was ready for something else. Looking back, I was ready to find Meg. Not that Shoshanna’s stupid or anything. She’s actually really smart. And she’s cool too. And fun. But we weren’t right together. And I told her so. She was really pissed off at first, but she got over it. Shoshanna always bounces back. Maybe that’s why she wears so much makeup—it’s a barrier against assholes like me, so nothing we say or do can cut through her mask enough to hurt.
After the break, we play a full game to get back into the rhythm. I block every single shot.
At the end of practice, Coach O’Toole has us all gather around. “Nice work out there, gentlemen. Welcome back.” We all applaud. “Seniors, listen up. Some of you who will be playing D-One have unofficial offers already, and that’s great. Keep talking to the coaches. Now that you’re in your senior year, they’re free to call you once per week. Let’s turn those unofficial offers into official ones. For the rest of you, if you’re planning to play in college, now is the time to start looking at schools and sending out your letters of interest. Don’t dally. Recruiters’ schedules fill up quickly, and you want to make sure they have time to come see you play.”
“Hey, Ryden,” Dave says after Coach lets us go. “A bunch of us are going to Chili’s. You comin’?”
I shake my head. “Can’t do it, man.”
He nods, like he expected me to say that. “Cool. See you tomorrow then.”
I shower quickly and hop in the car. I have thirty minutes to get to Alan’s, pick up Hope, drop her off with Mom, and get to work.
But really, all I’m thinking about is writing the UCLA head coach. I know Coach said those letters were for guys who don’t have any interest from recruiters yet, but I also know the UCLA recruiter needs to see me play one more time—in person—before offering me my scholarship. As far as I know, that visit hasn’t been scheduled. So it couldn’t hurt to remind them that I’m the guy for their team.
Chapter 8
“How’d it go?” I ask Alan as I bundle Hope into her car seat. She’s holding on to her spider stuffed animal, staring up at me, a little like Hey, I remember you.
She starts to get cranky the second that recognition kicks in. Of course.
“Great!” he says. “She’s amazing.”
I walk out to the car, and Alan follows. “Thanks, man,” I say. “I really appreciate it. So you’re cool for tomorrow?”
“Yeah, no prob. My mom’s in love with her too. She wants to make her Korean baby food. Is that okay?”
“Sounds good.” I get in the car. “See ya, Alan.”
“Ryden, wait.”
I roll down the window. “Yeah?”
“You didn’t call to check on her today.” He’s looking at me like he’s trying to figure something out.
Huh. Calling to check on Hope didn’t even cross my mind. I never do that when my mom has her while I’m at work. God, I’m so bad at this. Even when I try really freaking hard, I still screw up. “Oh, yeah, sorry. I, uh…practice was really busy. We didn’t really have any downtime.”
“Okay.” I can’t tell if he means it or if he’s saying it sarcastically, like “yeah, right.”
I make a show of looking at the clock on the dashboard. “Gotta get to work, man. See you tomorrow. Thanks again.”
And I speed off.
• • •
I’m making a mental list of all the stats and info I should include in my letter to UCLA while taking all the expired containers of precut fruit off the refrigerated shelves in produce when someone taps me on the shoulder. I don’t have to look to know who it is. But I turn around anyway.
“Before you say anything,” Joni says, holding up a hand, “let me say my thing first.” Her other hand’s behind her back, like she’s hiding something from me.
I wait. She’s got a nose ring today. It’s a really tiny green stone. I wonder if she just got it pierced or if she just wasn’t wearing anything in