[IC] You Make Me Feel

[HeySeuss]

While the rest of Buchanan was in the throes of its football fever, Bears hockey was having their tryouts for the new season in a local ice rink they used for the practices and the home game, rented out by the school in lieu of owning a facility.

High school hockey wasn't the biggest deal here, but Jared still felt the tension clenching him up a bit; tryouts were something he took seriously, and it wasn't just him. Carl was trying to join the team. The dude liked to skate, so it was a matter of showing him how to adapt the skills of a good baseball catcher into the skills of a good hockey goalkeeper; it also gave Jared practice to keep himself in form.

"C'mon man," he told Carl, who was breathing a bit rapidly as he strapped on his pads, "Just relax and get in the zone."

"Yeah, easy for you to say, this ain't your first tryout," Carl retorted. It was true that Carl had only played pickup games of hockey, getting eased into it. He'd been a baseball player, but had a falling out with Coach Kilgore over playtime; the man had a problem with Carl, and denying him playtime and other petty retributions was his way of stopping Carl from getting a letter in baseball. Hockey was different -- the team wasn't very well established, only one season, and the first coach, a guy named Martins, resigned, leaving the assistant coach, a dude named Dubois, in charge. Dubois was from Minnesota or something; the guy actually knew hockey was the word.

"Look man, you're good. We've played pickup. Just try to relax and play the game, don't worry about the other crap." Jared's accent was pronounced; the drawn out -ah sound, Boston heavy on every sentence. He was strapping on his own pads, in the locker room reserved for non-established team members; Carl had to borrow team pads, which were in a bit of a shabby state but worked. Jared had his own. But instead of a Malden Lancers jersey, which he was entitled to, he pulled on a Bruins jersey.

They hadn't gotten the skates on yet as they lined up outside the rink and got ready to sit on the benches, waiting their turns to be tried out. Last years team was lined up on the opposite side, lounging indolently like they owned the place, throwing a condescending look down at those that would presume to join the Bears.

Jared snorted a bit, mostly for Carl's benefit, "Lace up bro, we're gonna give these guys some shit to remember."

"Yeah, but..." There was hesitancy in Carl's voice, and that was the potential doom; a goaltender had to have confidence.

"Carl man, you're good. I've been playing for years. Longer than these guys. How many of my shots have you stopped, after you got the hang of it?"

"Yeah, but that was pra--"

"Okay, but so is this. And you can stop their shots. You gotta cowboy up man, this is your shot. Don't overthink it, just get out there and let the reflexes take over. And lace your boots."

After lacing his own boots, Jared glanced over the other tryouts; he didn't know any of them particularly well, because Carl and he spent their off time from work practicing in pickup games on rollerblades and on ice when they could pull it off, between the job and school. It was just one of those things; they clicked as buddies and Carl wanted to try hockey, but didn't know how to start. Jared just happened to know hockey.

"Landry, you're up!" Called one of the coaches. He got up off the bench and climbed right over the wall and onto the ice, stick in hand, and helmet on like he was made for it.

--

After the tryouts, Coach Dubois was fast to announce who was in and who was cut. "Littlejohn, Hill, Michaels, Kluge...oh, and Landry. You're in."

That last bit was said with a grin, as if the coach, a slender guy with a bit of a beard and a long-on-top crew cut, knew something the other players hadn't; Jared wasn't stressing the tryouts more than he'd stressed other competitions, but he'd taken it seriously, and played hard. Bears hockey wasn't quite in the same class. He'd caught the coach nodding along at a glance when he happened to catch sight of the dude right after he was told to take a seat so someone else could try.

He'd spent more energy on Carl, who'd missed a couple initially before he settled down and started really performing. But even Carl made the team, and slumped in relief when Dubois announced his name first. "The rest of you, thank you for trying out, but the hockey team has to choose players on the basis of who is the best fit."

When the guys that didn't make the cut filtered out, Dubois had everyone come around him at the bench.

"Alright, last year was our first year and we had a lot of problems. That's done. This year, I want to bring up the game a notch. All of you," he glanced at Jared sideways as if to indicate, you too, ace, "need to put in the work in practice. No slack, we're here to win. Last year doesn't matter and what you did doesn't matter. We're starting from scratch on positions and shift assignments. Mr. Anyway, the lines; Landry, you're First Line Center..."

He didn't expect to get captain, as a new guy even if he'd performed above the rest, and wasn't surprised when Gabe Montgomery, who was the heir-apparent, got it. The assignments were read off, the schedule for practices given and then, as the group was breaking up, the Coach pulled Jared up short as he was packing his bags, "Look, kid, I know you came from a really good hockey school, because I watched that Shattuck St. Mary's-Malden Catholic game last year," he grinned a bit, naming one of the other top hockey schools in the nation "Because I was rooting for my school, so I know what you can do. I got a letter from your coach so I knew you were coming, but I want to make sure you're okay with Montgomery being the Captain. I know you were Captain for the Lancers and this is your senior year, but you're a new guy..."

"It's cool coach, I'm here to play. First line is good enough for me," he grinned, almost a little too cavalier about the whole thing.

"Good, because our first game is against South Bay Bruins. I want everyone focused on the game, not the social bullshit. You can do that? I know this isn't Malden or the Lancers. I know you moved here because your mother got a really good job and no one thinks that this team is going to do much this year. I'm not asking you to carry the team, but I am asking you to put in every ounce of effort you put in at Malden. You get me?"

"Yes, coach." Jared told him. And he meant it.

--

What went on with the hockey team wasn't particularly a big deal to the rest of the school; there was a posted announcement of the team roster in the school announcements, but it was a small ripple in the pond versus the way the season was going in football; the Bears were in the playoffs, but the worry was that they'd gotten there through a bit of luck and the next game was uncertain.

DuBois felt it was suitable for players to show up and support other players in different sports, so Jared and the hockey team were in the stands for the game; the lights were bright and the stands were keyed up with parents, the band. The cheerleaders down below were running their routines -- that sort of thing was apparently serious out in Cali, and the ladies were limber and athletic as hell. He'd come from a different place and a different style, but he'd been in the stands for the Boston Bruins before, screaming his head off in 2011 for Game Six of the finals. The coach hadn't insisted on dress code or anything, that was for the football players before a game, so Carl and Jared were there in t-shirts and jeans, looking a little sleeker and taut from the hard, grinding practice Dubois was putting them through -- hockey burned calories like no one's business, and they were on a training diet now. It wasn't like they'd been out of shape going in, but they looked like coiled springs now. It drew a few looks from the female components of the stands, and Carl seemed to enjoy it, even to the point of throwing a wink at one of those good looking California moms, muttering something about "Hot ass milf booty."

Jared just grinned along. Carl seemed like one of those guys that was just destined to get in trouble somehow.

Some of the guys from last year were shocked at the intensity of the training, but it reinforced the seriousness of their coach in the mind of Jared. Dubois wanted wins. He wanted to contend. His hunger was infectious, and the team members that didn't resign in the first week, and there were a few, were picking up the pace and rubbing tiger balm on sore muscles until they got used to the grind.

"Shit man, I hope they do okay, but I dunno...Romeo Holmes was carrying their asses with his running game." Holmes was done with an injury; the guy secured his scholarship to USC, and no crazy high school coach, even a yeller like Sullivan, was budging his family on that. Apparently, they'd seen enough sports movies to tell a high school coach to go fuck off, and California doctors tended to be their own creatures. Minor, lucky one might say, injury, for Holmes, but disastrous to the rest of the Bears, who had to soldier on without their secret weapon. Carl went right on, though "Kinda nice to be watching from the stands instead of playing. Coach be killing us in practice. No pressure, right?"

Jared glanced over in seriousness and said, "Yeah, no pressure here. Just remember, it's our turn next. We sweat blood in practice because we want to win." Carl looked pensive for a moment but shrugged and turned back to football. But Jared was dead serious -- the rest of the school didn't think much of their hockey team, and he didn't take it seriously when he heard about it at first, but this Dubois guy was serious and he was making Jared serious about it. Carl wasn't sure how to take the sudden change -- it's like a switch went on.

Intensity and passion was the difference. He didn't really care too much when he arrived here, figuring that it was just going to be a lark -- focus on school, get the grades, do college. But once he got skates on ice again, he felt the old hunger, like it was hardwired into him. Why not Buchanan? he asked himself. Why not indeed?

[SirensCall]

It was going to be a night, the brunette with bright eyes thought as she applied her make up in the girl's bathroom. Her shoulder length locks were down and straight with a maroon and white ribbon pinned on the left side of her head. Ricki Trenton had to be ready for the game tonight, but after doing the stats for all the sports for the last four years, she knew that the Bears were going to have a hell of a time against the Panthers. Not to mention, on top of stats, she would be running around trying to get good shots for the yearbook.

The blonde using the mirror beside Ricki had been there every step of the way. Her partner in crime, Krista Collins. "So, how's David feeling?" Krista inquired, her eyes watching as Ricki pulled on the white jersey with the number 84 printed across the back in maroon numbers. After looking herself over one last time, Ricki sighed.

"They're playing the Panthers, in the play offs, with Romeo out on injury. He's stressed." Ricki answered and a tap came to the door of the girl's bathroom. A tall guy with black hair and broad shoulders opened the door.

"Ricki?" The voice asked, and Ricki gave Krista's shoulder a squeeze before she exited the room. She stood before him, the 6'1" guy giving her a dazzling smile.

"I thought you'd be in the locker room preparing your big pep talk." She teased, and he shook his head.

"We'll get it. I know we can, even if Romeo is out." He spoke, confidently. "Just glad you actually put on my jersey tonight."

"Well," she began, "you need all the luck you can get. Going out with a bang, and all."

He nodded and she stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. "Now, better get down there before coach starts screaming at you."

He gave her a kiss before he headed out, and Ricki reentered the bathroom, and looked herself over. Dark skinny jeans tucked into a pair of knee high black boots, and David's jersey with a bow in her hair. Krista was dressed similarly, but wearing another senior's jersey. "Better get out there." Krista grinned and she watched as Ricki brought up her camera bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Yeah, let's." Ricki said. And she and Krista exited the bathroom, and headed down to the field.

--

It was nearing half time, something that Ricki was definitely looking forward to. She had Andrea on getting pictures of the cheerleaders during their half time routine, and it was hard to write down the stats.during half time when the game wasn't going, but still, they had three minutes left in the second quarter and the Panthers were leading 14 to 6. Ricki tossed a look to Krista as another flag got thrown. Number 18, junior player Erik Pierce, was holding.

"At least we're a second half team." Krista stated as Ricki recorded the flag in her book.

"Yeah, but with Romeo out, and not knowing if Gerard will be good for the second half, we are screwed. And David's feeling it. He should have been making perfect passes, and the only time he doesn't is.under pressure like this." She pointed out as she and Krista watched the game with a certain vigilance. Ricki had her camera resting around her neck, and she saw the play and she quickly gathered it up, scanning for a good shot. She didn't have enough in play shots for the Bears defensive line, and virtually no shots of their passing. She had plenty of Romeo running the ball, and she had quite a few of their offensive line, but she needed a few more good defensive line shots and at least one for passes.

Click. She snapped the photo the second play got heated and she saw Krista writing in her book as she brought her camera.down and look at the picture. Perfect, right as the lines we're colliding. She placed her camera down and began writing down the stats that followed the ending of the play.

"So, are you ready for hockey season? Dubois got us better stat books than last year." Krista said as the players came in for a time out, and both Ricki and Krista tallied it off.

"I'm very ready for hockey season. Even if I have to drive us to the away games. We travel further, and on top of it all, the sophomore I tutor in English says that they have some hard.practices. So it looks like it should be a better season than last year." Ricki said, and as the game went back from the time out, she and Krista silenced.

The time ran out fast, but at least the Bears managed a field goal and brought the score to 14-9. Ricki and Krista both stood, and made their way towards the concession stand as the cheerleaders began their half time show. "So, are we still on for tonight?" Krista asked.

"God, yes, my parents are gone, and I hate being home alone." Ricki said, and soon Ricki felt someone push her and she knocked into someone just before she hit the ground. None other than Jared Landry. "I am so sorry." She apologized, standing up and dusting herself off before she saw Krista laughing and the girl who had come up was laughing too.

"Shit, Rick, sorry! I didn't mean to knock you down." The caramel skinned girl said. "But who are your friends here?"

Ricki chuckled too, "Oh you mean the people you made me Oh so gracefully fall into. Jared Landry and Carl Littlejohn."

Krista looked to Ricki, "You really do know everyone, doesn't she Maureen?"

"She's the lead headhunter for the year book committee, whaddya expect?" She answered, and soon Maureen guided them both to fully face Carl and Jared. "Excuse my manners, I'm Maureen Thomas, I'm sure you heard my beautiful voice singing the National Anthem earlier. These two beauties here are my girls, Krista and Ricki. Krista is our all state track star, and Pretty Ricki over here knows everyone in some way or another."

"Please forgive, Maureen, guys, she's a little out there." Krista said, and Ricki laughed as Maureen just continued.

"Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted, how the Fuck are you guys?" She asked, and before they could answer she continued. "Now, you two better be coming down to Pretty Ricki's house after. Win or lose, all of us seniors are getting drunk. Whether it be because we are heading to state or if we're celebrating a hell of a season."

"Most likely the latter, but it'd be good to have some more company. And unlike Maureen makes It sound, there is more than just alcohol." Ricki said, elbowing the girl in the side. "But, I hate to drop an invite and leave, but I am starved, and I am not waiting any longer."

Ricki grabbed Krista's hand and soon the two were walking.to the concession stand, waiting in line. "Don't know how David is going to react to that."

Krista gave a sigh. "Why? He normally wants to invite everyone and their mother."

"He and Jared got off.on the wrong foot I guess. Jared is actually a real laid back guy, but you know how David is." Ricki said, and Krista shot her a look. "I have first period English with him."

"And you are judging with your artistic eye?" She asked, and Ricki rolled her eyes.

"How.often have I been right in the end?" She.pointed out as she and Krista got their food and drinks and began heading back down towards their spot on the benches.

Krista seemed a bit ruffled, but soon they were passing Maureen and the boys again. "So, boys... are you coming?" Krista asked, batting her eye lashes, and Maureen followed suite before Ricki sighed.

"Just um... text me or something if you need directions." She said, pulling Krista's pen from behind her ear and writing down her phone number on a napkin before she handed.it to Jared. "Krista and I would love to stay, but our presence is required down on the bench."

She gave a smile before she and Krista got back down to the field. Now, for the second.half.

[HeySeuss]

The conversation happened fast; a girl he knew from English, vaguely because she had a boyfriend that was aggressive in patrolling around her, managed to fall into him, and he was the guy that got to break her fall; he and Carl were fairly big dudes, six footers themselves, and it was easy enough to provide the necessary balance to help keep it all from turning into a pileup; Jared didn't think offering a gallant forearm to help the girl up would offend the boyfriend, who, quite frankly, had other things on his mind anyway.

"No prob," in response to the apology.

The game didn't seem to be going so well; the offense wasn't hitting hard enough with the running game and the Panthers were free to deploy more secondaries to provide excellent pass coverage. The defensive line...well, one of those guys, name of Keitaro Tauati, was taking everything on and dominating the Bears' offensive line; Livingston got sacked twice because the linebackers were able to put on pressure, because Tauati was eating up the o-line's attention. It was bad news for the Bears, even if a dark part of Jared, the one that remembered Livingston's bro-gressive treatment toward Jared, enjoyed the sacks a bit.

It was halftime and they could hear the coach's voice from over here; some of the local newspaper reporters were no doubt noting the color of the man's face as it flushed red.

Carl was about to say, "Hell yeah, get drunk? I'm in!" but Jared, because the two of them had been stuck in practice long enough, and even worked together at the Cane Corso, cut in, "Well, Carl and I gotta stay dry, but we'll be there." He said that with a sidelong glance at Carl. Part of his problem in the baseball team as a JV player was the fact that he was a good catcher but an undisciplined party case. But he'd never had a Jared, riding herd like that.

"Yeah, we'll be there. Even if this crazy muthafucka won't even let a brotha have juice." But it was said with a grin and a gleam in his eye; Carl figured on good odds that him sober and them drunk, he'd score.

As the ladies made their exit, after making sure to invite the two of them, Carl glanced over, "Yeah, Trenton's rich as fuck, dude, you didn't know that? She's got that big old house to party in. I mean, I guess her folks just don't GIVE a fuck, cause that girl's parties are off the chain."

Play was starting, Bears possession, a punt return and then the start of a new drive at about the thirty two, a decent punt return. Jared nodded, "Yeah, and she's got a big old boyfriend that switches on the alpha douche mode in English. So let's go in and keep it cool, man...holy FACK!" he squawked in fluent Bostonese, "That didn't just happen, did it?"

"That" was Keitaro Tauati, tearing a hole in the O-line for two linebackers to practically skip through on their way to force Livingston to pass quickly, and that turned into an interception.

"Dayummmmmm. That muthafucka is relentless."

"Hope he doesn't skate."

"No worries, dawg, Panthers got a real pussy team on ice."

"That's what the other guys are saying about us."

---

The second half of the game was just uglier and uglier; the Panthers defense was this juggernaut, but with one big Samoan defensive tackle just dominating the game, Livingston and the guy they brought in to replace Holmes just weren't getting anywhere. They tried the run to no avail, and the pass coverage made the options all suck. And even if the Panthers had a mediocre offense, that defense was forcing the turnovers and grinding the Bears into an ignominious end of the season.

People breathed easy when it was finally over, that's how bad the game wound up being. The Panthers moved on and the Bears fans were left licking wounds. The coach was livid, but even the principal, Doctor Grant, was like, "Coach, there is no way you can possibly beat up these kids any harder than they've already been beaten. So drop it."

Carl's car, paid for from the work he did at the Cane Corso, was a beaten up old Toyota, but the key here was that it was a car. Still, there were nicer cars parked around Ricki's house, and they'd gotten there a lot sooner, so Jared and Carl had a bit of a walk up to the place. By the sound of it, the party was already on.

"Man, I shoulda played hockey a lot earlier, man, I don't know why I didn't do it earlier. You see all those hotties giving us the eyefuck at that game?" Much as Carl once feared hockey practice, he seemed to relish the sweat and the toil after the results came in; he and Jared were both running around with bigger shoulders, smaller waists, and a spring to the step. Dubois had them on diets, something Jared had never done before in his life, but the oatmeal, yogurt and lean meat was agreeing with him.

"Yeah, man, nothing like it for burning calories. But you wanna know what'll really seal the deal?"

"What?"

"Winning."

Carl rolled his eyes, "Man, you startin' to sound like Coach, Jared."

"Yeah, but am I wrong? Does this high school not love a winner and abhor a loser?" It was rhetoric, but centered around sex, something Carl cared about deeply.

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that the more shots you stop, the more parties at Pretty Ricki's we get to attend. And the more you, Carl Littlejohn, get laid. If you think they're eye-fucking you now, wait until we win. We only got invited here because they bumped into us, but if you want a next time, better make it happen."

"Tight, son. I'mma stop all the fuckin' shots, just you wait."

Jared grinned; whatever it took, get Carl psyched to win games.

"Remember, we aren't here to drink. Chase all the pussy you want, but stay dry."

That was said as he hit the doorbell. They could hear the music, some sort of hip-hop, going through the walls of the house, and the party was clearly underway -- they'd seen some people drinking in the stands and there was a definite appearance that things were getting out of hand quickly in there. The door swung open, but it was Maureen; "Hey, uh, Carl and errr, Jerry?" waving with a drink cup in hand, "Come on in!"

[SirensCall]

Krista and Ricki hated the second half of the game, and the longer it went.on, the.more the coach come over to them and read.over their shoulders. "Trenton, what is he passing average for our team?" He demanded and Ricki spoke.

"We normally make 81.43% of the passes, depending on the game and who it's passed to." She answered quickly and when coach walked off, Ricki looked to Krista. "I'm glad you do all this math stuff, I suck at it."

"I know." Krista said as they continued recording the numbers. By the time the game was over, they were so ready to get off that field and to Ricki's house. Maureen had joined them not too long after the gamer ended.

"Ladies!" She squealed, "Time to turn up."

Ricki shook her head and took her car keys into her hands. "Then we better get there before the boys from the team get there." She said as Maureen and Krista looped their arms through Ricki's as they walked towards the parking lot. When they got to her black Dodge Charger, and they piled.in.

"You have all the drinks, right?" Maureen asked.

Krista laughed from the passenger's seat as Ricki took off. "Of course she does. Her brothers overstocked for her when they were in last week."

Ricki sighed and nodded. "Maureen, you're coming with us tomorrow right? We need.to find dresses for the Winter formal."

Maureen nodded from the back seat. "Hell yeah! Got to make sure that my ladies look drop dead goregous." She laughed. "Considering I got my dress in yesterday."

Ricki and Krista smiled to each other as they pulled into Ricki's driveway and headed.into the house, turning the radio up super loud and getting everything ready. People were already showing up, and Maureen was greeting them as they drank. Ricki picked up a cooler and turned around to have it taken from her and she looked up to see David.

"Hey there, beautiful." He smiled, obviously still sucking up after their fight earlier in the week. "Can't let you hurt yourself."

"I'm a strong girl, Livingston." She chuckled, "But thank you, I do have more to do."

She walked out into the living room and saw the place filling up rather quick, and.light weight Maureen was already drunk. "Krista!" Ricki called, and Krista appeared with a bottle of beer in her hand. "Keep an eye on Maureen, for the love of god, we do not need a repeat of fourth of July on the lake." Ricki said, and when Maureen opened the door to show Jared and Carl, she noted how Maureen almost immediately spotted them.

"Pretty Ricki!! Krista Beauty!! Get your asses over here!" She called over the music, and Ricki looked about and saw David wasn't around, so she and Krista walked.over and Maureen gave them each a drunken kiss on the cheek. "Looky, Jerry and Carl found their way here."

Maureen's eyebrows moved up and down as she obviously eyed up Carl and shot him a wink. "Nice to see you could make, beer is in the coolers in this room, soda and bottled water is in the kitchen, enjoy yourselves, and if you need anything
I'll be around."

Krista gave a huge smile. "She means it. A bathroom, a drink, a snack, a condom, a place to crash, she means it." She winked and Krista and Ricki both smiled but before they could walk off, two strong arms came around Ricki's middle and lifted her up as she squealed.

"Bae, are you going to come and take shots with us and the cheerleaders. At least one of us are going to state." He said, and Ricki looked up to him when he caught site of Jared and Carl and cast look down to Ricki.

"You know I can't, big plans for in the morning." She reminded.him, and he gave a pout. "No, D, go have fun, besides, I'm making my rounds, being a good host and all."

David nodded, and shot a look to Jared and Carl. "Enjoy the party, boys." He remarked and as he walked away, Ricki shook her head.

"Why are you with him again?" Maureen slurred and Ricki shot her a look. Really? In front of first timers.

"Maureen, sing for us." Krista caught on quickly as she toted their drunken friend away from Ricki and the boys, and Ricki sighed.

"Anyway, bathroom is down this hall, third door on the left. The guest rooms are down this hallway to the right, if you do have to use one, just be sure to put the hanging take out menu on the door. Its the do not disturb sort of thing. I will start clearing out At about 2 am, so I have time to clean up, but if I deem you too drunk to drive, or your car is blocked in, You will stay here. Otherwise, the second floor isn't off limits, however, the two rooms with take out menus on the knobs are, and just try not to break anything." She said.

She gave them each a smile and she walked into the empty kitchen and hopped up on the counter as she opened a bottle of water and brought out her camera and began looking through the photos on it. She knew Maureen meant well, but to blatantly ask what she had, especially in front of the person who had no idea that David felt threatened by wasn't exactly ideal.

Ricki had barely met Jared and David immediately started suffocating her. It was odd, but she knew that he meant well. He had been so stressed out lately that she had taken the backseat, and when she confronted him about it, It caused a fight. Moat people would have never known, but he was trying his hardest to make it up to her.

She heard someone come on and she automatically spoke, "Water is over here, soda is in the cooler to your right." She spoke, and soon she heard Maureen.

"Pretty Ricki! I need you to play for me." She whined, and Ricki set down her camera and followed Maureen out into the living room that collectively spoke when the.music turned off, and the people doing shots stopped as Ricki Sat at the piano, and Maureen hushed.the.crowd, despite her drunkenness.

"Now, Now, shut your traps, and open your ears. I, the fabulous Maureen, shall be.singing along to our very own Pretty Ricki, so, shut the Fuck up and listen." She said, and Ricki cracked her knuckles as her fingers moved over the piano and.when David sat beside her, Maureen shook her.head.

"'Scuse you! She's my Rick right now, move along, buster." Maureen demanded and Ricki gave him a look as he moved away from her.and.soon Krista joined Carl and Jared.

"You guys are in for a treat. By the way, Carl, is it?" Krista asked, Looking to him, "Maureen wants to see you when they're done. She's kinda got a thing for you."

[HeySeuss]

"Man, half of them are already fucked up," Carl muttered to Jared, which drew a nod; they both worked in a restaurant that sometimes got a hell of a bar crowd going and they knew what it looked like, but it didn't bother them as they got the brief tour of the place; big house, nice furniture, expensive looking sort of stuff. It was a little too TV show, and the football team was very much in here, whereas there was more of the party outside.

They were getting the tour, but more people were piling in and it looked like they knew their way around. Then, of course, they ran into the high school relationship drama, which Jared knew to stay the hell away from. Whatever was going on between Livingston and Pretty Ricki was apparently powder keg material, and the vibe in the place had Jared wanting to find somewhere else to be. Carl, meanwhile, wasn't about to be pried away from the place.

During the little chit-chat, Livingston gave his condescending little 'enjoy the party' comment with a smirk. He knew the two of them were hockey players, and that seemed to make him feel entitled, off a losing game that involved multiple sacks and interceptions, to feel better by pouring contempt all over them. Carl was a bit too busy rolling his tongue out to notice, but Jared just kept his face very deliberately calm; if Carl caught that whiff of condescension, he probably would have done something hotheaded about it all. But it was easy enough to not realize that Jared was every bit as tall as Livingston, and they were looking each other in the eye; Livingston seemed to think he could just do a stareoff with the man, but Landry just returned the stare impassively. There wasn't anything there to get worked up about, in a sense, but in the way of guys, Livingston was trying to find something to dig in on.

Luckily, Carl was getting the nod from Maureen's friend, Krista, which was how women got sometimes; the approval went around a bit sometimes, like a mafia, but that kept Carl out of trouble -- well, one kind of trouble, anyway. The place was crawling with the booze and the hormones, which was a familiar enough situation to a guy that'd been in a Catholic school. Prior to coming out here, he'd seen it all go on with a certain desperation, though there were less hot tubs and swimming pools to work with. He gave a smile to Krista and Carl, and a pat on the back to his homeboy as he started to move off, "Sounds like you don't need a wingman here, man. I know there's gotta be a hot tub here, I'm finding it. Just make sure to text me when you're ready to get out."

He ducked off, partially because there was the bad vibe with Livingston around -- the dude would be drinking, pissed off over his season and probably not too happy about his relationship and Jared didn't want to wind up in some kind of crazy fight in the house. In fact, it looked like the football team was sort of crowding the house now. Without letting Carl see him, lest Carl get pissed that he was breaking the rule, Jared snagged a beer or two on the way from the kitchen, smooth and easy, walking normal and acting like nothing was out of place, while Carl gave his full attention to whatever he thought he was going to be doing with Maureen. Carl wasn't the kind to just nurse two beers, but Jared had a plan -- two beers and a hot tub. Sometimes, a friend just had to know when to clear the way, and getting out of there meant that Livingston would probably be normal around Carl, which gave Carl his shot.

Carl would be okay; he was getting himself into the right kind of trouble, but Jared found his way to the hot tub, a California institution, and quickly found a couple people he knew from various classes that were a little shocked to see him there. He exchanged greetings with people as he started to pull off his clothes, wearing shorts underneath the getup, and sunk himself into the hot tub. There was nothing there to be ashamed of, fitness wise, but it wasn't like he was cool as a cucumber. Still, in the end, no one seemed to mind that he was peeling off for the pool and others had done it before. Get over it, Catholic boy, he told himself.

"Jared Landry, out of your mommy's boy shell?" purred Tasha Johnson, who was actually standing over his head as he managed to settle into the hot tub with the beers. She kneeled down in that position, so that she could put a hand on each shoulder, "You here all by yourself?"

It looked like he could find trouble too, if he wanted it, and Tasha came without the strings attached that the girls inside the house did -- like all the territorial football players thinking they owned the girls in there -- but she did come with the string attached that her cousin was his best friend here. Tasha's father owned the Cane Corso, and she was the hostess there, which meant she probably knew him best out of the people in school. She didn't really blend well with the school extracurriculars crowd and she was actually Carl's cousin, though her mom was white. It was complicated, but underneath the party girl stuff, she actually held down decent grades and seemed aimed for Columbia school of journalism. Her dad, Ray, had money from the Cane Corso and years of sweating away as a restaurant owner, but it was rumored that she was getting at least a partial scholarship.

"Nah, I came with Carl, but he's in the big house because one of the girls has the hots for him. His tongue is hanging out."

"Sounds about right. That man is a dog," She giggled, "so how's hockey practice? I haven't seen you guys since that all started."

"Hard work. We're getting tuned up for the first game. We've got the Bruins."

"I can tell you two are training hard," she gave a knead of his shoulders, smelling a bit, that close up, of cigarettes and weed and, notably, alcohol, "you want a line of coke or anything? It's a party after all."

"I've got beers, I'm good."

"I can't believe you went to a catholic school, Jared," she said with a bit of disappointment animating her lush lips in a frown, "You're not even cutting a bit loose now that you're out. I mean, I thought you were all supposed to be closet cases just aching for an excuse to come out and start debauching. You aren't coming out of that tub, are you?"

"Nope," he grinned, "And I'm staying off the coke. I'm a growing boy." He tipped the blue moon in a salute from his boy.

"No, baby, you're all grown up. A bit too grown up," she added pointedly.

"Women weaken knees," Jared growled, in a mock Philadelphia accent.

She laughed, "You're stupid. Quoting Rocky. Fine, I'm going to find trouble elsewhere." She was a lot like her cousin that way, but probably smarter.

"Well, if you find the wrong kind, yell. I'll make sure to punch him out, because I'm sure that's what Carl would do."

--

Jared didn't go looking for Carl because Carl was busy, he was sure, and the last thing he wanted to do was perform an accidental cockblock, and he wasn't really looking to move out of the hot tub, though he did once in a while simply to keep from sitting in it for too long. But because he was saving himself for the upcoming game, he was watching everyone else cut loose for the end of football season -- some were players blowing off the steam, but a lot more were just partying because there was an excuse to do so. Once the music cut on, the dancing happened with people in varying states of undress, mostly down to bathing suits even in the winter because it was pretty mild, especially as far as he was concerned given that he was from Massachusetts.

He was dragged into the dancing once in a while, one partner or the other, with a beer in hand that he nursed pretty effectively -- he had a two beer limit but stuck to it while grinding and bumping out on the patio with the others, which was keeping him busy and enjoying life. Once, a long time ago, his father told him that dancing was half the battle, and it was true even in California; a lot of guys were trying to play it cool by standing outside and on the fringes, watching and figuring that they weren't good enough dancers to try. But, in a sense, Jared knew that you had to just go out there and try, and dare to look stupid.

It worked; some Reggaeton and Jamaican Dance Hall stuff -- whoever took over DJ'ing was definitely not white -- came on from wherever the music was playing from and he and a few other dudes that dared to dance were the ones that were rewarded with the fun of dancing while other dudes watched on in jealousy. The only real interruption was a hand on his ass and a called out, "Nice job, catholic boy!" which was Tasha having her laugh, but things didn't go that far; she'd found someone else to dance and party with -- unlike Livingston, the dude, one of the O-Line for the Bears, seemed to just be cool with Jared rather than weird and tense, so it was like they formed a group in the center of the dance floor all together, with the occasional dive into the pool to cool off from the dancing.

Somewhere down the line, Carl and Maureen made it out, and Carl wasn't about to let any fear of dancing stop him from going out there, not that he was as inhibited as some of the others -- when Jared saw him, he discarded beer #2 as stealthily as he could, even if it looked like Carl wasn't paying mind anyway. People around them were making out, puking, pissing in the flowers, being pushed in the pool and otherwise going through the various stages of party, while some just looked on, unsure of how to participate.

Then, of course, Carl and Maureen disappeared again, but by 2am, as the party was breaking up, he was there, with a bit of a hangdog look on his face.

"How'd it go?" Jared asked.

"I dunno. Only so far."

"Well, don't sweat it, dude, all the way on the first date isn't always a thing, especially with nice girls. Got her number?"

"Yeah, course I have her number."

"Then you're good," He told Carl as they headed for the car -- they were sober but a lot of the people around them weren't.

"I saw Tasha out there, who she with?"

"Football O-Line guy. So how was the party in there?"

"Oh, that's John Randolph, he's cool. And it got a little weird man, Livingston and Pretty Ricki were not doing so hot, he was trying to mack on her and she wasn't having it. Glad we got out."

"Go figure. David Livingston's relationship problems are apparently everyone's problems."

"Dude got sacked like twenty times," not an accurate number, "without Romeo to run the ball and keep the defense guessing, but he's a legend in his own mind. Just because he's the QB, and all. My prediction, that relationship isn't going to last now that football isn't an excuse to avoid breakups."

"That's crazy. Why would they avoid breaking up a relationship because of football?"

"Because it's a football school, man," Carl told him, with some exasperation "And a girl that breaks up with the QB during season is gonna get blamed for his bad performance. Now, no such problem."

"Like I said, that's crazy," Jared shot back.

"Yeah, I know, but that's how it is."

"So you're saying Ricki Trenton's about to be a free woman?"

"Yeah, pretty much man. Watch. Besides, Livingston's gonna be all over her now that season is over, and it's gonna be crampin'. Give it what, a couple weeks?" Carl predicted.

"So is that why he's snapping at other dudes?"

"No, that's why he's snapping at you, dude."

--

The school didn't take defeat well, but the season was over and only Coach Sullivan seemed to be holding on. Well, Coach Sullivan and guys like Livingston, who had difficulty dealing with a return to mortality even as he tried to work out how to snag a college scholarship despite the stats from games without Romeo Holmes. The week passed fast, at least for Jared, because he had two things to do in life, and that made it easy -- he had to do his homework and hockey practice, though right before the game, the slack eased up a bit to let the bruises heal fully and to make sure players were well rested.

The first game of the hockey season was nigh, with an away game against the South Bay Bruins. Dubois had them in the locker room but the speech was short, "Look, this is your first game and you guys are going to want to score goals, but I want you to remember that possession is key. Don't get sloppy, keep possession. Wear them down, the goals will come. Strong defensive play." He also told Landry, especially, "Win those faceoffs, Jared."

That's how he found himself on the ice, facing the other guy with steely eyes, waiting for that puck to drop in the long, thunderous seconds before the game started, hands on his stick, taped up just the way he liked it. He got a good look at this guy with his brand new pads. Jared looked a little more ratty out there, a little more broken in. His heart thundered and the adrenaline keyed up as if on cue, because he knew what was coming next. But his hands were strangely steady, his eyes peering ahead at the other guy, but he wasn't really seeing. He wasn't paying attention to the dude as he tried to make expressions at him like some sort of little kid, trying to distract him in the face off.

This was what made Jared one of the best players to ever grace the ice at Malden Catholic, one of the top hockey schools in the country, and it was kept a secret by Dubois and the team. Jared rarely ever lost a faceoff.

He didn't see the puck drop so much as he felt it, and the instinct was to snap out his stick and get that thing behind him, to Kluge, their defenseman. Then it was off to the races on skates, pushing into a position to get the puck passed to him, to snap over to the right wing, instinctive stuff, drilled into them in practice.

"Kluge to Landry, Landry's got two marking him, down to Kozlow, back to Kluge, Landry again and then Montgomer-- SCORE!" The siren went off at minute twelve in the first period four shifts in, after a furious fight to maintain possession. Early on, the Bruins figured out that the first line's center was a guy to mark hard, and during a timeout, after a close call where the puck had gotten to the back wall and was swept around and into Jared's stick, and rattled on target, but this time only stopped by a lucky bounce off the frame of the goal, came up with a new defensive strategy; pile on the center guy and keep him from scoring.

But then Jared shifted back and played a bit more defensively, on his own recognizance, drawing the guys marking him further away from their goal and then passing out to Montgomery and Kozlow, the left wing, who took advantage of the defensive focus on their center to stretch the Bruins goalkeeper thin with less support. The other shifts weren't quite as prolific; Montgomery and Kozlow got one apiece, Jared assisting in each, and the third shift put in another. Second period, 3-0, and the fans that showed up for the Buchanan Bears, not even full stands, were screaming their heads off. The Bruins were taken aback, because this was supposed to be an easy game. All Dubois did was say, "Don't get cocky, keep possession, don't disrespect your opponents capability."

The Bruins were a pretty good team, but they weren't expecting this sort of smash-mouth hockey, the hard checks and the passing game that threw them off their usually-aggressive offensive style. The more balanced, possession-focused play of the Bears, and the way they shifted to defensive play and back to the offense very quickly, Dubois' endless drilling carrying them through, put them entirely off balance, particularly when the first shift came on and the Bruins had to contend with a triple threat line with a center that shifted to a playmaking and passing role rather than trying to score -- Jared picked out the passes with superior vision and made sure the puck got to where the other guys were skating toward. The Bruins tried to shift to a more defensive play mode, but they weren't as good at it-- in the second half, they started to live dangerously.

Then came the foul late on in the second, a Bruins player in the box for high sticking Jared, who took the smack to the shoulder, though there'd be a bruise later, with a grunt rather than starting a fight. Kluge started in to drop gloves, but Landry grabbed him by the shoulders and told him, helmet-to-helmet, from around his mouthguard, "Come the fuck on, Mike, it's the first foul. No goon shit yet, stay cool." It wasn't the NHL, and maybe Mike Kluge thought it was his job to play hard man, but Jared was fine with the other team fouling, because it meant a power play. It probably was Montgomery's job, but Jared didn't care -- he was an experienced team captain and knew how to keep guys in line.

There was a shift change about that time, when the Bruins player was escorted to the box, and that was when Jared and his shift, something like the millionth that game, or so it felt like, but that was good hockey -- Dubois was a stickler for forty five to sixty second shifts, but he threw in his freshest guys on the power play, figuring that they'd skate hard. It was all figured out ahead of time, because there was little time to do more than put guys in and rely on what they learned in practice.

Jared, dripping sweat off the brow despite the cold of the rink, was too busy sucking down water, but a hand on his shoulder from behind had him turning around, "Tasha," he breathed, still wrung out but with about three minutes to go until he was back on, "What's up?"

"Where'd you learn to play hockey, like that? Holy FUCK."

"Malden Lancers. You know, that Catholic school you make fun of. One of the best hockey schools in the entire country, I played defenseman but I scored a lot. And I was team captain."

"That's where you're from, in, uh, Massachusetts, right? And you just happened to forget to tell anyone this?"

"Carl knew."

"Well, Carl knowing helps SO much. I'll have you know that I'm the school paper, I'm supposed to be aware of these things before they happen. Not only that, I was watching these games last year and holy FUCK, you're really good! I mean, I hoping Carl would do well in hockey, because how the baseball team went for him, but I didn't realize you two were...well, like this. I mean, didn't you get the memo? You guys are supposed to be a joke. You're messing with the program, Jared. This is making me work harder," she said mock-poutingly.

"Yeah, Carl's on his game. Hey, no offense, I need to watch this, okay?"

"Wow, yeah, don't let me jinx it."

[SirensCall]

Ricki was glad once Maureen finished her song and ushered herself off to whoever had caught her eye that night. It was no secret that Maureen had a thing for Carl Littlejohn, but she never acted on it, or talked to him really. Something weird, but she loved how he had played baseball. Said it was artistic, and Ricki could lie about it, but it wasn't paint worthy.

Soon David found his way to Ricki again and his breath wreaked of Tequila and beer. He tried to place a kiss on her lips, but she turned her head and let him catch her.cheek. He seemed a bit put off by it, but said nothing as he looked around a bit. "So, what are we doing tonight?"

Ricki rolled her eyes a bit. She was probably the only one of his girlfriends that could say she didn't give It up to him, but the fact he felt entitled to it thoroughly sickened her. "You're going home at 2 am with the ride I have lined up for you, so I clean up and start getting ready for tomorrow."

He gave a half drunk nod, and.soon Ricki saw Krista waving her over. She breathed a sigh of relief, thank god. She excused herself and when she got to Krista, it was noted. "Want me to call Paul? He's still got a hell of a crush on you, Rick, even being in community college."

"Nah, besides I can handle D. He's just being a dick right now because of Maureen's little ploy." Ricki said, Krista knowing what the look she just received meant. "Good on her though."

"Fuck yeah." Krista said, "But I need my dance partner, so come on."

Krista dragged Ricki where everyone was dancing and they were dancing together, and Ricki was finally.having some real fun. Krista continued the conversation though. "So, when do we get to do the real partying?"

"After the first hockey game." Ricki said, and Krista smiled.

"Whoo!" She shouted, hugging Ricki almost immediately. "I'm so proud of you, babe."

Ricki laughed, her smile wide as she and Krista danced together, knowing Maureen was off having her own fun. Then Krista asked her.next question. "What about the Winter Formal?"

"Didn't you say that only the best girls go stag?" She chuckled, but soon the party was winding down and it meant clean up time.

The two girls each had black trash bags in hand and soon Maureen joined them, plopping on the couch as Ricki called out to the leaving guest. "Be safe everyone!"

"So," Krista began once the house was emptied, aside from a few crashed in the guest rooms, "How did go with Carl?"

Maureen let out a dramatic sigh, it was painfully obvious that she was beginning to sober up. "Well, we did some things before I had to, well stop... I started my fucking period!"

Both Ricki and Krista spoke in union. "Oh, ouch."

"I know, I have never been so pissed off at my own body! But, I gave him my number and a promise for a to be continued." She gave a classic Maureen wink before she changed topics. "What about the two of you?"

"Well, I finally got my foot in the door with Tyler Rockett, you know the star Basketball player? We're going to the movies next Saturday." Krista smiled wide, and Ricki and Maureen high fived her before Maureen directed a look to Ricki.

"And what about you, baby girl?" Maureen asked.

Krista answered though. "We get to turn up for real after the first hockey game. She's finally dumping that uber loser and getting back in the game."

Maureen shot up and hugged Ricki, tight. "I get my Pretty Ricki back!!" She smiled, and she quickly exited.the room and grabbed three shot glasses and the bottle of Tequila. "I'll drink to that."

Maureen poured them each a shot and passed them out before they flunked the glasses together, gently, and spoke, "Bottoms up!"

Once they got done there, they continued on cleaning. "So, girls, shopping tomorrow, and definitely some extra shopping for Pretty Ricki here. She's going to have that look about her now that says, that's right, I'm too hot for the football captain. I need a real man."

Ricki laughed, and just continued cleaning,

--

The next week had been... fucking fabulous. Most people didn't know that Wednesday Ricki had finally left David, trying to keep it on the down low for a little while, but the popular crowd found the development painstakingly obvious when Ricki was no longer sporting his class ring around her neck and that she was in a bit more attention grabbing get up. She was actually putting effort into herself now.

However, her focus was elsewhere as she and Krista awaited the hockey team to board the bus for their first game. Ricki had some shirts made for her, Krista, and Maureen and was going to ask coach Dubois if he'd like her to have some made for the team.

It was base maroon with the Buchanan High Bears on the back with an image of the Bear wearing a goalie mask and a hockey stick under his paws on the back. The front.had a small bit of writing in the left part of the chest. It said Bears Staff, Statistics on Ricki's and Krista's and on Maureen's it said Bears Staff, Loyal Fan. They were long sleeved, since the rink would be considerably colder, as the two learned last year.

Soon Coach Dubois and the team were heading to the bus, and as the team got on, he approached Krista and Ricki, handing them their books. "Ladies, on the bus, ask all of your questions there, okay?"

The two nodded and when they got on, they sat in the bench seat beside the coach's and they heard a few of the players compliment their shirts and they smiled.

As the trip began, the girls were asking Coach Dubois a million and a half questions as they wanted to be sure they were as accurate as they were with the other sports. Ricki had he camera to her right, being shoved.to the window seat.

Once they arrived, the girls let the team off first, and Ricki and Krista walked with the coach. "Coach, mind getting me shirt sizes, including your own? It feels bit wrong that all the other sports get shirts, but hockey is being brushed off."

He gave her a silent nod, and soon they were in. "I am super psyched." Krista smiled as the two were led to their seats by the opposing team's stats people. The two sat, and Maureen sat behind them, relishing in her psyched glory, and soon Ricki was.prepping her camera.

And not long after, the game began, and Ricki was multi tasking more than she ever had, snapping multiple photos and taking a moment to record her stats. Coach seemed pleased, or at least she thought so, and she and Krista found themselves cheering the more the game went on, and at the break between periods two and three, the game was considerably favoring the Bears.

Maureen was leaning over Ricki's shoulder as she showed the girls the pictures she had been getting. She wouldn't dare speak that there was one in there of Jared Landry that she was going to paint. "Damn, Rick, these shots are phenomenal." Maureen complimented.

"Its easy when you have such great material." She stated off handed.

"Hey!" A couple of the Bears fans began approaching the trio, "Where did you get your shirts?"

"We made them," Krista asked.

"When can we buy some?" The parent asked, and Ricki looked to Krista, and she pulled out a few forms she had leftover from when she did the football shirts. And by a.few, she had about fifty.

"Just get these back to me, and I can order more and have them to you ASAP." Ricki said, and the parent began passing them out. "Who knew Buchanan High would take to hockey?"

Krista nodded, and soon the third period began. The second period had been explosive. There was the foul, and Carl was expertly blocking shots. South Bay was.already breathing an air of defeat, but Ricki knew more about South Bay than that. They fouled a lot in every sport they played, and she was sure the ugly was just about.to begin.

She was sure Coach knew, but after the foul being mild, she had a bad.feeling. However, Ricki had never been.so genuinely interested in watching a sport, but this was.certainly getting her eye.

"Everything set up already?" Krista asked.

"Yeah, I set It up during our hour before the bus left." She said, and Krista nodded.

"Good, because this is going to be one hell of a party." She said.

[HeySeuss]

Third period was getting messier; the Bruins were getting rougher. Not better, but they were starting to take people out a bit more, and the last hit rang Kyle's bell. There was a foul on that and another Bruins player in the box, for two minutes at least. He was about a minute in from his last shift, drenched in sweat like the other guys, sucking down water and breathing before the next shift and his just came up early.

"Watch it out there, these guys are getting ugly, and they're gonna be making it worse on your line, Landry," Dubois told him. He had a way of communicating the tactics directly to Jared, keeping him in the loop on what to do, though others could hear it. "This is your time to shift tactics again, I want you to see if you can break past and score from the center. Even if we don't score, the shooting should unnerve them and force them to react. Kozlow, Montgomery, I want you to be there to take the puck if it bounces back and make that shot. Strong finish, defend in by keeping it on their ice. We've got five minutes left, put this game in the coffin and nail it shut!"

The play stopped for a moment with a whistle for icing, and that's when the change happened, Montgomery on a face off on his side; Jared nearby to take the puck if he won it. It was a blink and the puck hurtled back to him, and he had it and started driving, with a clear view of where and how he'd shoot, seeing the lane and the goalkeeper distracted-- and them a flash of pain as his jaw took a bad hit from the butt end of a stick that made him go down, spitting blood out, even as the ref started blowing the whistle. One of the Bruins players went to the box with a smirk, but it was another powerplay for the Bears.

"You okay man?" yelled Gabe, Montgomery, and Jared grunted, "Yeah, I'm good. Let's do this."

There was some booing and cussing from the Bears side, but that was a rush heard in the distance as they lined up for a faceoff in the powerplay.

The Bruins seemed to realize that three-zero was a bad result to go home with, and the power play defense was furious; they subbed in defensively minded wings and tried to stop the whole thing. Even with the skating at full velocity and the passing razor-sharp, they were having a hard time breaking it down. When Dubois subbed out Montgomery and Kozlow, he waved at Jared but Jared shook his head; Coach seemed to accept that.

Puck to the backboards, and Jared flew into it alongside a Bruins player trying to ram him against the boards, but he managed to twist it so that guy got smashed against the plexiglass instead -- years of skating gave him the edge there, using the momentum to disorient the other guy while he took possession. He passed back to a guy named Meyer, a second line wing, swung around the goal and took the puck back from Meyer.

The move worked, he hooked the puck right into the net and the sirens went off. There was a bumping of gloves in celebration as he went off his last shift of the game, after putting in a minute and a half on the ice but getting a damn goal against the bastards.

His jaw hurt like hell though. It was nothing compared to all the guys howling in the Bears' box, pounding his back.

--

"So yeah, the doc said no fracture, thank god. Getting that thing wired would have hurt," he told a guy in first period, English IV AP, for what felt like the millionth time. Beating the Bruins down was no mean feat -- the Bears were supposed to go down ugly, but instead Carl stopped every shot, which was the mark of superior goalkeeping and heretofore unknown in Buchanan High School Hockey, and Jared came out with two assists and a goal to his name, as well as a huge bruise on his jaw where he'd taken a hockey stick to it. He came from a place where wounds taken in battle, hockey that is, were no big deal. "I mean, Kyle's the guy with the concussion."

His mom wasn't entirely happy to see him beat up like that, because she'd been thinking he'd take it easy on hockey and worry about getting into college, but she seemed resigned to the whole affair; Jared Landry, hockey, inseparable, even in a place like California.

Carl had texted, "I love being a winner! :D :D :D" later that night, and there was no doubt what happened there. Jared was happy for his buddy, even while he and Kyle spent the rest of their damn night in a hospital getting X-rayed, cat scanned and all kinds of other shit done to them. So he missed the victory party Carl and the rest of the team were having and spent the next day sleeping off the game, which was a bruising ordeal even when you didn't take one to the head.

But by Monday, he was good, back in school and ready to go. Naproxen numbed the bruise pain and helped with the swelling, which he used very judiciously. The bell rang, class started and morning announcements got read off on a TV screen, with the commentator going, at the end, "Meanwhile, we were just wondering what Coach Dubois is feeding those guys and if maybe we could get some for the football team next year. Next hockey game is a home game against the Santa Clara Sabretooths, and I think we speak for everyone when we say, 'Maul 'em, Bears!'" That kind of produced a cringe.

[SirensCall]

The game was exhilarating, to say the very least, but Ricki found herself watching more and more closely, he hand zooming across the page when we'd be, and when Jared got hit in the jaw, a hand flew to her mouth. It looked painful, but in the end, the Bears won and Krista and she hugged. "That was amazing!" Krista exclaimed, and Ricki nodded.

"No kidding." Ricki said, and the whole way back to town, Krista and Ricki were whispering about the party that was to ensue afterwards. "So, is Tyler coming?"

"Of course. But he knows that I have to show you off, babe." Ricki said, and once the party began, it was a riot. Maureen disappeared early on in the party with Carl, and Ricki wasn't at all surprised to see that two members of the hockey team were.missing.

"Ricki!" A deep voice called from across the room as he made his way over to her. Gabe Montgomery, one of David's old best friends before they had a falling out when Gabe chose hockey over football. "How is the hostess of this awesome bash? Never thought hockey would ever be worthy of a Trenton party. Not with your old ball and chain."

Ricki chuckled with a shrug, a beer in her hand. "Well, 'old' ball and chain is.actually quite accurate, Gabe." She said, and he looked down to her with a smug look. "Hey, say I told you so you want, I didn't think football brainwashed him like that. He wasn't the same. That and, as Maureen likes to say, I'm too hot for the football captain and I need a real man."

The two chuckled, and Gabe threw his arm over Ricki's shoulders. "Beautiful, I told you so, and if I knew your brothers wouldn't kill me, I would try barking up your tree."

Ricki chuckled, taking a sip of her beer as she walked with Gabe. "That and I thought you were chasing after Heather Voss." She said, and he nodded.

"She is out of town right now though, her family took her to Sacremento to shop for the Winter Formal." He said, and Ricki looked to him. "I'm asking her to it Monday when she gets back. Pointers?"

"Nothing extravagant, she's very simple." Ricki answered, and he nodded, heading off with that in mind.

"Oh, babe!" Krista smiled. "And what were you and Mr. Montgomery discussing?"

"He gave me an I told.you so about the whole David ordeal, and asked for pointers for Heather." She answered, and soon Krista grabbed her hand and brought her out to dance.

--

Monday came around quick, and Ricki was about to show off her single self. And really show herself off. She was wearing neutral toned make up to highlight her face, a pair of black skinny jeans with a pair of heels and white backless blouse. Maureen and Krista flanked her when they walked in. She caught some attention and she looked to Maureen. "I feel ridiculous." Ricki whispered as she got to her locker, and Krista chuckled with Maureen.

"Babe, you have to show your shit. You're gorgeous, and yeah, the football team might hate you for leaving David, but you waited until after the season, and you can do way better than that meat head." Krista said, and Maureen nodded.

"Baby girl, it's time you own how gorgeous you are. Be a show off. Act like the catch you are, and don't settle for anything less than what you deserve." Maureen smiled. Krista and Maureen were both dressed to impress too. Maureen in a yellow sundress with a denim jacket, and Krista wearing her signature pencil skirt and red.blouse with her own heels.

"And we'll be here all day with you." Krista smiled. "Except AP English because you're our goddess there."

Ricki sighed. "And that's the class I'm most worried about." She said. "David's in the.class too."

"Oh, ouch." Maureen and Krista said.in unison.

"You'll be fine, baby girl." Maureen said, catching sight of Carl. "I have to go," she said, kissing both her friends on the cheek. "Own it, baby girl."

When Maureen took off, Ricki looked to Krista. "Walk with me to class?"

Krista nodded as they headed down the hall, books in their arms. When they got to the English room, Krista smiled. "Knock them dead." She said, heading off to her class, and Ricki walked in, and took her normal sear in the front.of the class, not wanting to look around and make.eye contact with anyone.

She could hear Jared's voice from behind her, and soon David entered the classroom, and he hawked, taking a seat behind Gabe, who looked to her and moved into the seat beside her. "Look at you, Rick."

"It was all Maureen's idea." She quickly said, and he chuckled.

Gabe smiled. "You were right, She said yes right away."

Ricki gave a smile. "I told you so." She said, and he nodded.

"Well, if I may extend you the olive branch, there have been.plenty of eyes on you before you did yourself up. You were always too hot for the football captain, and you do need a real man." He said and the announcements came on, and Ricki looked over to David who seemed.livid, but Ms. Andrews took the front of the classroom.

"Alright, class, today we are beginning our Shakespeare unit, and to start it off, we will do a partners project. I have your partners assigned, and you are to pick one of Shakespeare's work and select a passage from it to perform in front of the class in the middle.of.next week."

Ricki felt her stomach tie into a knot as Ms. Andrews started naming off the pairings. "Ricki and Jared."

"But, Ms. Andrews..." David spoke out, and Ricki turned.to look at him. "Isn't it unfair to put the top two in the class together?"

"Actually, it makes it very fair. Neither one has.to pull any weight but their own." She.retorted, and Ricki bit her lip, and she could hear Gabe trying to stifle a laugh.

This would be fun.

[HeySeuss]

Jared had worn what he always did in school; a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. California winter didn't impress him that much, but if it got cold enough, he might throw on a hoodie.

It was just as well Gabe Montgomery was enjoying the whole thing, because Jared wasn't liking that Livingston was taking out so much of this on him; it's not like Jared did anything to break them up. But it was what it was. Ms Andrews must have been taking notes from Gabe or something, who started to laugh when Ricki and Jared were put together and Livingston started to argue with the teacher.

Jared shot him a look of, Gee, thanks bro. Gabe just returned it with a sly shit-eater grin that made it clear he regretted nothing.

Jared's response was to make like one hand was turning a crank while his middle finger went up, flipping the bird Jack in the Box style, in Gabe's direction. That got a look from Ms. Andrews and an "Is everything alright, Mr. Landry?" once she was done arguing with Livingston, an exchange he missed. Used to nun discipline, he straightened up in the seat and started at least pretending to pay attention.

And while he was paying attention, he saw the look on Livingston's face out the corner of his eye, that wasn't good, but he wasn't some punk kid to be bullied around, even if he looked like someone's punching bag this morning.

"Don't worry about Jared," Gabe told one of the other girls near him in a sotto voice, "Livingston isn't a hard hitter and Landry has a thick jaw. I mean, DID you see that hit?"

So when Ms. Andrews told all the pairs to get together, he grabbed his bag, a courier-style bag, brown hand-me down leather from one of his mom's ex-boyfriends (not that he'd ever admit it) that had a certain beaten charm to it, and slid into a chair opposite Ricki; however acquired, he wasn't sure he figured himself at his best with a big bruise on one side of his face and an ex-boyfriend ready to rip him to shreds except that people were watching, but he gave a go of it.

He wasn't entirely out of it, he'd been raised by a mother and knew what it meant when a girl suddenly started dressing up after an apparently rocky relationship ended, and he didn't make it look too obvious that he read the situation somewhat. So the next words, David Livingston be damned, in that nasal Boston accent of his, were, "Nice smokeshow there, Ms. Trenton."

Unlike a chick, a guy didn't give compliments to get back at someone, or when they did, they made it a bit obvious and hamfisted. All the same, Livingston was looking like he'd shoot laser bolts from his eyes if he could, and Gabe was there stifling laughter again.

"So," Jared said, trying to ignore Gabe, "what scene do you want to do?" Seemed a good place to start, or at least move on from the fact that her ex was there making roid rage faces.

[SirensCall]

Ricki was glad to hear that Ms. Andrews had the amount.of faith in her that she did, and the bonus in hearing her shut David down was absolutely beautiful, but she noted Gabe, who now had to deal with David as his partner, was still laughing. She also heard Gabe's comment to the other girls... even Ricki knew that it wouldn't be Jared to worry about. It would be David. He might talk a big game, but Gabe should have been the first to say he was all bark and no bite.

"Boys." She grumbled just before Jared slipped into the seat. She looked at him briefly before he spoke, and she gave him a look.

"Maureen's idea. She wouldn't let me leave my own house this morning. Neither would Krista." She said, almost chuckling as she did. For a moment she didn't answer his question, really taking in his accent. It was a bit of her own personal thing, but.certain accents just made her mush.

Finally, she spoke though. "Definitely no Romeo and Juliet, if I have to recite anymore lines from that play I may spontaneously combust." She began, opening her.notebook. Shakespeare was one of her favorites, and she looked at a page in her notebook. "Taming of the Shrew could be fun to try from, or A Midsummer Night's Dream, even Hamlet."

She pulled up her book of Shakespearean plays that had been purchased for her for Christmas last year. Her older brothers knew her too well. She opened to Taming of the Shrew. "I think comedy would be the way to go though, I can tell you right now most everyone in here will most likely do Romeo and Juliet because it's easiest. Or Hamlet, but mainly Romeo and Juliet. Most likely the end and the balcony scene, because who can forget that?"

She looked up from her book to him, and gave a smile. "Any scene you had in mind?" She inquired.

She just wanted to hear him speak. His voice was... well, gorgeous, and she saw his face a bit better since the game. You could barely tell from how normally he talked, and soon she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, but decided it could wait. Then it vibrated again.

She slid her phone from her back pocket and saw one from Krista and one from her mother. She sighed, opening the message from her mother. She tried her hardest not to show her disappointment when she saw they wouldn't be home for another few days and.shoved her phone back in her pocket.

"Anyway, I know Andrews will expect perfection, so when you're done with practice, you could always come over and run lines with me, or whatever." She said.

Andrews then began passing out the grading sheet. "Oh, and before I forget to mention, I do want a modern spoof put on whatever you choose."

Ricki sighed a bit, that didn't make things hard, but it was the AP class, she knew.she'd be throwing a curveball in. At least they would have class to work on it, but Ricki also knew the.pedestal that Andrews put her AP classes on.

[HeySeuss]

"Modern twist..." Andrews made it intentionally hard, and yeah, most of the class was probably going to borrow a page from the DiCaprio Romeo and Juliet. "So she probably wants us to rewrite the lines a bit, if we're gonna get the A." And that was important, because his mother was a stickler for getting the grades in order to play hockey, and his old school had nuns that made that happen.

"Well, we could always do Romeo and Juliet, but in Jersey accents," he joked, but then put his hands up, "but seriously, the big problem I see is that a lot of scenes involve more than two characters. Richard III has quite a few good ones, but a modern twist worries me because Ian McKellan already nailed a modern Richard III."

Actually, something went off in his mind and he rewound it. Jersey accents, "We could do MacBeth in Jersey accents. Mob guy and wife, trying to shoot their way to the top. Or a congressman and his wife...but that's a little House of Cards, isn't it? I mean, we could make that vaguely funny while keeping it dark and even these guys know the Sopranos."

Still, sounded better than some of the other options out there. Shakespeare with a modern twist was done in quite a few films, but he couldn't think of them all at the moment. He was about to rub his jaw as he thought, but stopped that motion suddenly as he remembered that his jaw was fucking throbbing and that would really hurt.

The scheduling sort of hurt, though. He had AP's on top of athletics and it took some doing to get homework done, "Next monday is good, Sunday is good, Saturday is good after the weekend practice. After practice today is fine too, we do weights, so I'll be good to go."

The practices, not that anyone really got to watch them like football, tended to be airhorns, timers, and highly organized to get people out as often as possible. And when the guys did take a bench, Dubois had them learning tactics, getting that stuff crammed into their heads, and then sent out to practice it. Drills, drills, drills, water was given to them quickly rather tha a big water break around a cooler, more drills.

On the other hand, the practices were compact and people managed to get out around five PM to have time at night to work on their homework and projects.

[SirensCall]

Ricki Sat there taking down a few notes from the rubric, so she didn't need.to read through the whole grading outline every time she double checked, and when he brought up Romeo and Juliet in Jersey accents, she laughed. "Good in English and funny. My, My, Landry, I didn't think you would joke about spontaneous combustion." She kidded as she took down a few more notes before she looked back to him.

MacBeth? Mob style? Her pen came to the corner of her mouth, and she bit her lip. Jared Landry had to be the best partner she had ever had for English. Ever. Before she could comment, her eyes looked upward before they closed and she nodded. Finally she snapped herself back to reality. "That is paint worthy there."

A girl behind them spoke. "Paint worthy?"

"Oh shit, sorry, I didn't realize I said that aloud." She said, a furious shade of red coming over her face. "Its my way of saying it's a good idea."

The girl nodded and Ricki looked down, flipping her book to MacBeth before anything else could be said about it. Not many people got to see that part of her, they always saw her with a camera, and assumed that she only painted for assignments. She painted in her free time, her.room lined with her work, as well as the room next door thay her parents allowed as her studio. The only two rooms that were.off limits.

Sure, Krista and Maureen knew, but virtually no one else.

When he told her.times that were good for him, She nodded. "Works for me. I tutor on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Wednesdays I have art club, and I'm sure you could guess the rest." She Said, and her phone vibrated again, but she left it alone.

However, the door opened and the principal was standing there. "Ms. Andrews, do you have a.minute?"

The teacher.nodded. "I'll be just a minute, class."

Ricki couldn't take it and she opened her.messages.

babe, tots horrible secret about you is out. Text you dets as I get them.

She didn't scroll down, she just cursed under her breath, and finally she scrolled down and her phone dropped. She picked.it up, and she looked.to Jared. "Um, I'll be right back to discuss more on this, I just... I need.a.minute." she said, and when she poked out of the room, she looked to Andrews. "Can I go to the washroom?"

She nodded, and when she got to the bathroom, Ricki found Krista already there. "How did that get out? We all swore silence." Ricki said, and Krista sighed. "And it's not cheating if we were.on a break while he was in Hawaii because he didn't think that the two weeks should be affected.with relationship drama."

"I don't know, but if it gets to David, major shit is going to hit the fan." Krista said. "Maureen and I are on damage control, you have to talk to him."

"First period English gets more fun by the day." She said, and Krista gave her a look. "I told you, it was the class I was most worried about."

"Alright, um, I can get Maureen on pulling you out. You need to talk to Gabe though. Between David, and Heather, it will just cause a ton of drama." Krista said. "I have already started stirring a bigger pot. Get back to class, I'll see if I can recruit a couple others."

"Thanks Bae..." Ricki said. Ricki got out her phone and opened a text to Gabe.

we need to talk. She sent and when she got back into the classroom, she didn't bother to look his way, even as her phone.vibrated again.

"Anyway, sorry about that. So, how does one successfully pull off a Jersey accent?" She asked.

[HeySeuss]

He had a pretty good idea of what scenes out of Hamlet would be suitable for that sort of mob rendition of it, since most of it was the wife egging on the husband to kill, it made a certain sense to render it into modern day New Jersey.

"Watch the Sopranos, you'll get a good idea how it works. Just pay attention to how Carmella Soprano speaks," which was to say, Jared learned it off watching James Gandolfini talk on HBO. "Or just google 'How to have a New Jersey accent' because that video is hilarious." It was true, she'd have to do more work, over here in Cali, but at least they'd have something a little different from the usual modern rendition in California accents.

Jared was kind of oblivious to the bathroom trip and vibrating phones, because it really wasn't a part of his life, though Gabe's phone went off. Vibrate was not on, so it started a strain of "Sexyback" which made Jared turn around and give the dude a 'really?' look. He didn't care about the phone, but the ringtone...that was comedy gold. He turned back to Ricki with a smirk on his face.

Montgomery and he got on alright, albeit with an edge of competition involved since the hockey season started as they were working closely together as teammates. Prior to that? Jared was the gray man. Gave looked a little green around the gills but recovered fast, which meant that something was up, but Jared's back was to him already and he missed that look.

By the time the bell rang, enough was figured out that he said, "Okay, so after practice tonight."

Once that was confirmed, he got up and gathered his stuff; he and Gabe usually hit Lit together late, but Gave waved him off with a shake of his head -- that didn't look good, but Jared just gave a nod as he got ready to roll out. Livingston was watching him too, with a look on his face, but Jared Landry was getting pretty good at ignoring the many faces of David Livingston. Anyway, discussion in World Lit was about "In the Time of Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez, and the book was anything but boring.

He didn't realize that high school politics was about to rear its ugly head.

[SirensCall]

Ricki nodded to his advices and smiled. "Best. Research. Ever." She said, and her eyes brightened slightly. "Sopranos and YouTube. What more could a girl ask for?" She said, and when the bell rang it took every fiber of her being to not look back to Gabe. "Yeah. I'll be there, so if I don't answer the door, just walk on in. The house is big, and if I'm not in the main room I won't hear it."

Ricki slipped out of class and messaged Gabe again. The art room was.in a relatively quiet part of the school, so she assumed it would be the best place to meet.

Gabe found her with Relative ease, and he saw the look on her face. "What's up, Rick?" He didn't even attempt to be funny, and when Ricki showed him the picture.on her phone, he took it and his jaw dropped. "But... how?"

"I don't know. I guess someone was watching us. Krista and Maureen are doing as much as they can right now, but I have to know who you told." She said, and he sighed.

"I mean I told Aaron but dude transferred out, and Lacey is my sister, she wouldn't do me like this." He said. "I'll do what I can, but, how did.it come out?"

"I have no clue, but between David already pissed and Heather and I don't really talk much because I dumped ol' meat head." She said, "so I don't know she'd react to the idea of us hooking up."

He shook his head. "We'll talk more at lunch, I'm running late. Meet me, well, here."

"I've got a safer place. Art room 3." She said, "and I'll try to get Krista and Maureen too."

He nodded, and when the bell rang, she opened the art door. "Sorry about this." She said, entering the class and sitting with Krista and Maureen. "Lunch sound good?"

"The usual place?" Maureen asked and Ricki nodded as the.lesson began. They were working on landscape sketching, and soon her phone vibrated again. She didn't look, frankly being too scared to, so she decided.to ignore it until later.

[HeySeuss]

"Yeah, Mr. Andres, Gabe wasn't feeling so hot, he ducked to the bathroom." So Jared was covering for the dude long enough to get in, and figured that made a good excuse. Jared wasn't always above the small white lies, what teenager was, and it wasn't like a teacher was going to check toilet bowls or whatnot.

World Lit was the sort of class that he didn't really need but took anyway, because it made him read books, as opposed to simply just getting through school, though the discussion was sometimes just too banal. Sometimes, Mr. Andres wanted to bore down into all the symbolism of every line and, in Jared's opinion, overthought the whole thing. When he said that early this year to a kid, the kid snottily replied, "I cannot think of the downside of ever over-thinking something."

It was just one of those moments of total pomposity that stuck out in his mind. But hey. Come to think of it, that kid wasn't there, and there was shouting out in the hallway. Jared realized it was a chant of 'fight! fight! fight!' and that caused Mr. Andres to dip out into the hallway, ironically just as Gabe was sliding in the door-- Jared thought for a moment that it was Gabe in a fight, but the guy looked fine, "Dude, I covered for you with Andres." All the joking aside in the last class, he wasn't about to leave Gabe hanging on dumb shit like that.

"Yeah, uh, thanks dude." He didn't look too good, come to think of it.

"You sure you okay? You look like something happened." He could always get the guy on the Justin Timberlake ringtone at another time -- that sort of thing had a shelflife of decades -- but he was making sure his teammate wasn't in some kind of trouble.

"It's nothing dude," Gabe reassured him, "no worries."

After a moment, Gabe shifted gears. "So, did you get far in this book? Cause there's sex all over it."

"Yeah, how'd that get past the PTA."

"Easy, dude. PTA around here is a bunch of moms that dream of a poolboy seduction and read fifty shades while riding the dryer, they probably loved the fucking novel, sex and all..."

[SirensCall]

Ricki knew her expression showed so much, she probably looked ill. God knew she felt ill. This drama could turn ugly really quick. Did she regret what she did? Fuck no. She and Gabe had both been pissed at David, and to be honest, at the time, Ricki had a bit of a crush on him. Now though, she was certain it was in the past, but whoever snapped that photo clearly had a problem with both her and Gabe.

At least she knew one thing, it was a female. Very few men were this underhanded. Most felt the need to recognized for their work, but girls... girls were sneaky bitches. Krista nudged her when Dancy ran out of the room, and she looked at her phone. Gabe again. David was fighting Hector South? The kid that did the announcements?

"Oh shit." She said, showing the message to Krista and Maureen.

"He's out for blood, babe." Krista commented, and the knot in her stomach tightened.

"Rick? You feeling okay?" Maureen asked. What a loaded question, but she then looked down to her sketch pad and saw why she asked. Normally, Ricki could just mindlessly doodle, but her page was near blank.

"I feel sick." She admitted. "I May ask Dancy if he'll pull me out of my next two classes to work on the backdrops for the drama club's play."

Krista nodded, but soon screaming came from down the hall adjacent to the art room's hallway and the small class filed out and saw David, though vaguely, punch Hector in the face. Dancy and Sullivan managed to get to the front of the crowd, but the damage was done, and briefly David caught eyes with her before looking away.

Ricki headed back to the class and slumped.in her seat. When Dancy finally returned.she walked.up to his desk and after a few brief words, he allowed her the request of working on the backdrops. She left the classroom and headed just.up the hall into the third art room where.the.other art club members from the class joined her as she pulled.on her painting apron.

--

Lunch could not have come quickly enough, and Ricki had her ear buds in, so she didn't notice when Gabe came in until he set down a tray near her. She jumped and looked to him. "Thanks." She said, placing her brushes in the sink and drawing warm water for them to soak in. She then took off her apron and sat at the empty table with him and soon Krista and Maureen came in.

"I hope this doesn't take long, I have a lunch date with Carl." Maureen teased, but both Ricki and Gabe shot her.looks.

"God, you two look worse than when I caught you in the act." Krista said, and Ricki sighed.

"Well considering we thought this was going to stay in the past, yeah. Not to mention that Gabe has Heather now, and it's all coming out after I dumped David. Someone has beef with both of us." Ricki said, and Gabe nodded.

"Well, Amber, the girl who sent me the message said it had only been sent out to a few people and she was nipping it at the bud after she sent it to me." Krista said.

"Its got to be a girl." Gabe said, and he received multiple looks that were along the lines of no shit, Sherlock. "Sorry, I haven't been in this kind of situation before."

"Well, who would have it out for you?" Maureen asked. "And was around on Fourth of July."

Ricki and Gabe looked at each other and looked away, a little too quickly. "It happened after that too?" Krista asked, and Gabe looked.to Ricki.

"I thought you told them." He said.

"No, not after Krista caught us."

"So, who all was around?" Maureen asked.

Then it clicked. "Erin." Gabe said, and Ricki looked to him.

"Your ex?" She asked.

He nodded, but Krista looked at them. "Guys... it's getting sent out to everyone now. Tyler just told me He got it, and David did too."

Ricki sighed. "I'm leaving the school, like, now."

Gabe shook his head. "No, no, no, Pretty Ricki. I can explain this to anyone who asks, but let's not give Erin the satisfaction." He said, and she gave him a look.

Krista nodded. "You're sliding into the.skid?"

Ricki shook her head. "Gabe, that's not a good idea." She said. "David is pissed as it is, and you can't get suspended for fighting. Its hockey season."

"I won't fight back." He said, But his face said he was just as mortified as she was.

Maureen pulled Ricki up. "We've got your back, babe. We'll get them back."

Gabe threw his arm over Ricki who pulled out her phone that was non stop blowing up. She looked up to Gabe. "We made.or bed, now we have to lie in it."

"Bad pun," she grumbled, and once they got to the lunch room, Ricki went to turn and.leave, but.Maureen and Krista pushed her back.

Let it begin.

[HeySeuss]

He wasn't entirely shocked to see Livingston still in school after that; clearly, Hector got punched, but Livingston pulled what strings he had to stay in school without a suspension. Meanwhile, the hockey table was conspicuously missing Gabe, and then he saw why when Carl showed him the picture that seemed to make everyone's smartphones but Jared's -- too new...wait, no, there his went too. Well, that meant it was all over the school, because Jared was relatively new and not in the immediate loop.

"That doesn't look good," he told the guys at the table, "And we have games to play." He was talking as if he were captain, even though Gabe was. He had experience and someone had to get the team to think straight.

"Look guys, it's wicked important that Gabe Montgomery has cover from the rest of the team until Livingston cools off, or fucks up bad enough to get suspended. You heard what he did to Hector South for joking and you also see him still sitting there," and there was Livingston at the football table, near the hockey table, but not close enough to hear because the hockey table wasn't quite cool kids country yet, "so you know the first thing the dude is going to think of is a way to get Gabe into a fight, because Gabe will go down harder than he does now that football is done."

There were nods from some of the other guys, though it was Kluge that looked a little disturbed, "Yeah, but doesn't the guy have a point, I mean, Gabe did screw his girlfriend, right? I mean what if he decides he likes Mandy?"

Jared grimaced, "I dunno. I mean, you've met David Livingston, right? He's a bit of a dick and no one's perfect. So just don't leave our guy out to hang. You can always tell Gabe to keep his fucking hands off. Just stick to the man like glue to and from class and to practice."

"I guess that's how Ricki got through those long, awful nights of dating Livingston," quipped Carl, "But this is fucked up man. Gabe's dick means we're gonna get in trouble?"

"What's this 'we' shit? You've got too many tardies anyway, Carl, you'll get detention if you're late again to class. Just tell Maureen what the hell we're doing."

"So how long, man?"

"How long what?"

"How long we gotta do this po-lice escort shit for Montgomery?"

"Hopefully not long. Teachers are bound to get wind of it fast."

"What they gonna do about it?"

Jared shrugged, and this was about the time that Gabe was re-entering. When he slumped into a chair, there were some accusing stares, but Jared and Carl weren't among them. The mutters and the sotto voice comments went up though -- it was like a wave crashing on breakers throughout the lunchroom, and Livingston...well, Jared didn't need a rearview mirror to know that Livingston was looking at this table with a 'roid face.' The rest of the school seemed to expect something to happen immediately, but right now the tables involved were in a Mexican Standoff. Football table and hockey table were far enough apart that they couldn't hear each other without shouting, and shouting brought down teachers. Cheerleading table, which included Heather, was far enough away from where Ricki and her friends wound up that the same applied, though he assumed the girls were less likely to physically assault each other.

"Looks like word got around," Gabe said lamely.

"Yeah. Even to my phone. That means that even the Freshmen are enjoying that picture. Surprise, you're news."

"I have square this with Heather somehow," Gabe didn't look very confident on that front, and Jared didn't blame him.

"Sex?" Carl interjected. He tended to think sex solved everything.

Gabe shot Carl an incredulous look, but didn't seem to have a good response besides the skeptical look.

Jared cut in, "Well, can't do much here at school anyway, too many eyes. Besides, she's kinda surrounded by her friends, and they don't look happy."

And that much was true, Heather had a small pack of friends and they were showing stony faces and stiff upper lip, but there would no doubt be emotional stuff later. Girls tended to travel in packs anyway, and worked together to keep a guy away if a specific girl in the pack didn't want to see the guy in question. Gabe wasn't going to get through then and there anyway.

Gabe didn't reply, he just shrugged and got up, clearly intending to get some sort of lunch, or at least something to drink. Carl and Jared shot up to go with him.

"What gives, you guys gonna follow me to the bathroom, too?"

"If you gotta use the shitter, one of us is gonna be leaning against the stall, man."

"You sure about that?"

"Hey, you're the one that said Livingston didn't hit very hard."

"Yeah, well what about Hector South?"

"Hector's a little guy, man, and you know that Tasha wrote that line anyway," Carl pointed out. "Livingston always picks the easy target, because my cousin would have pepper sprayed his ass."

He just hoped the football guys weren't planning on backing up their guy like that. Then again, their season was over. They could pretty much do whatever without fear of consequence.

---

Halfway through the strength and speed training, weights and the like, they did every Monday in the gym instead of the rink, according to the schedule, Jared realized that he had to go to Ricki's house. He cussed a bit halfway through a bench press, Carl spotting. And then he told Carl about the assignment.

"Man, maybe you need the damn po-lice escort," Carl told him, all too cheerful. He seemed to be getting a kick out of the whole thing.

"Yeah, well Livingston knows it, doesn't he? But he probably wants to kick Gabe's ass more than he wants to kick mine."

"Yeah, but he just might settle for you. That man does not look picky about whose ass he kicks right now."

"It's strictly business. Besides, his relationship is over, he can't seriously expect people to not interact with her now that he's not even her boyfriend anymore."

"Guess he didn't get that memo."

"I hope this shit is over soon."

"Look at it this way, some girl is bound to have the hots for him and this is her golden opportunity."

Jared lowered his voice, "Better hope that girl isn't Heather."

"Oh, shit." Carl realized. It could go that way, potentially.

Despite the vague fears that Livingston might have been parked outside of practice, waiting, or parked outside of Ricki Trenton's house, waiting, Jared managed to take his bike all the way up without being molested by the entire O-line of the Bears and when he knocked on the door, David Livingston didn't jump out of the bushes with a machete like some sort of Viet Cong.

[SirensCall]

Ricki felt Maureen and Krista loop their arms through hers as they sat at their normal table. Ricki put her head down, and she looked to her phone. She found one message that wasn't at all about the drama. It was from her mother, and she sat there and read the message before she rolled her eyes and began reading the messages. Then she saw the one from David. It was long and she just didn't feel like reading it so she deleted it, and when she got to a slew of messages from the drama club, she couldn't help the laugh.

She hadn't been listening to Maureen and Krista at all, but they looked to her. "Half of the messages are asking me how he was and the other half I've been deleting. Oh my god, the student.population here is fucked up."

"Obviously, but we need.to work on how to, you know, exact our revenge." Krista said, and the next thing that came out of Ricki's mouth Maureen smiled at.

"I'm going to play ball." She said, and Krista looked to her. "I know, but if I try to justify, no one is going to hear it anyway. If anyone actually cares about what really happened, they'll find out one way or another, but for now, I think I kicked tis whole thing up. Everyone knows.now."

"She makes a point, Krista. Everyone knows, she can own it or forever be looked at as a lying bitch." Maureen said. "Plus, it may work out better in the end."

"So, you're using this as a good thing?" Krista asked.

"I'll explain more at home. Besides, the people who are judging me don't know me. Same for Gabe." She said.

Krista sighed. "Well, babe, looks like we're going to have fun with you the next.few days."

Ricki nodded, and soon she saw Heather glaring at her, and Ricki gave a sigh as she handed Maureen some money and she brought Ricki back a salad and food for herself and Krista.

"So, operation vengeance is on hold, but operation babe Ricki is a go?" Krista asked. "Definitely sleepover time, we have to get you ready for tomorrow. Attitude, wardrobe, everything."

Ricki wasn't sure she was going to like this, but she had a.feeling that it would surprise the student population. It was sad that of all the people she talked to, very few knew enough to ask Her what happened. She played with her food and when lunch was over, she checked herself out for the day and went home. She needed to work on some things, and needed time to herself.

--

About 4 that afternoon, Ricki heard the doorbell ring. She wasn't expecting Jared for about another hour, and when she opened the door, she found David there. With Krista and Maureen not coming by until later on, She was alone. And he still looked pissed.

"Really, Ricki? Really? You wouldn't sleep with me and we were together for almost a year, but you'll sleep with Gabe?" He was shouting, but his next statement caused her to pause. "Are you really that horrible of a person?"

Ricki stood, her arms crossed and she looked up to him. "Really? Don't you think you had a part in this? You wanted a break for two weeks while you were in Hawaii so you could bang anything that gave you a passing glance, and don't.pretend that wasn't the reason." She began and he looked at her. "I told you for the beginning I wasn't going to sleep with you until you proves to me you earned.it, and let's count up points, David, since you know, you're into that shit."

David looked at her. "We were together.for almost a year! And just because I ask for a break It didn't mean you could take that opportunity Too."

"Lets see, you got with me because you thought I'd be a quick lay, left me to get laid and came.back to me, and I was stupid.enough to take you back! Fuck, David. I thought you were a good guy, you used to be so nice, and then you changed at the beginning.of the year. Yeah, I fucked Gabe Montgomery fourth of July. I don't regret it. What I do regret is giving you the benefits of the doubt." She said, walking to the door and.opening it.

"Just leave, and I'm going to tell you a little.known fact. I came on to him, he didn't proposition me." She slammed the door.in his face and.once she heard his car leave the driveway, she sat on the couch, taking the Sopranos off pause, and laying back.

She went into the.kitchen and got out the leftover pizza from the night before. She took a cold piece and walked around eating it when the door bell rang. She nearly started screaming, but when she opened the door she saw Jared. She swallowed her bite, hard, and waved him in.

"Come in, Come.in." She said, picking up the TV remote and.turning it off before she sat down. "Sorry, I just um..." she began but stopped herself. "Anyway, I suppose we should just get right down to it."

[HeySeuss]

It was awkward, mostly knowing that there was all this drama swirling around Ricki and Gabe and Livingston was in the background looking for something to whale on. But life had to go on, and it Livingston taking it badly was expected -- the guy was a spoiled rich boy, and as Gabe pointed out (also a spoiled rich boy himself) he went off to Hawaii to get laid.

That was mostly stuff said at the practice, and Jared tried to tune it out. That stuff happened in his old high school, but it was Catholic school and the nuns didn't let things fly out of hand. Here, at Buchanan, it seemed like things were being allowed to proceed into this area where guys could get into a fight in a hallway.

In any case, he'd never seen this house without a huge party going on, and it seemed cavernous and quiet, though the living room looked lived-in at the moment with the TV and the smashed cushions of the couch. He had his courier bag cinched tight against his body, to keep it from snagging stuff while he rode his bike -- not, he knew, the coolest seeming thing in a place where everyone seemed to have a car, and not merely a car, but a pretty nice model car, but useful in terms of working up a sweat, which he did on the way up to Ricki's house, even after a workout session.

At least the ride was mostly downhill from here. Kind of like the day, except that was downhill from when it started. "So, where should we start? Jersey accents or scene?"

[SirensCall]

Ricki felt weirdly exposed. She felt so exposed without the cover of Maureen and Krista, but there was so much more to it. She had changed once she got home, into a white tee thay had paint all over it and a pair of jeans in similar condition, and her hair was back, and she wasn't wearing any make up. She had never been this dressed down in front of anyone aside from Maureen and Krista. She shouldn't have get so odd, being in her own home, but she did. Setting aside her feelings of vulnerability and aggravation, she had gathered her things from her backpack and flipped through the pages of her book.

"The accent shouldn't be too hard to grasp on my own. So, perhaps the scene? I found Act one, scene 7 and act two scene 2 the best candidates in my mind. The flow of them and all being nice all around. That and there aren't a ton of extras in those scenes either. If you had another one in mind though, I would love to hear your thoughts." She said, opening her notebook to a blank sheet, and she tossed another glance up to him. "Can I get you anything? A drink? Something to eat?" She asked.

It had been pounded into her head young to be a good host, and she stuck by it as she got up and excused herself into the kitchen, getting herself something to drink and her phone sounded from her pocket. It was Krista saying she and Maureen would be there soon, and Ricki just sent back an okay before grabbing a couple other things and heading into the living room.

She seated herself again, her hot tea now resting on a coaster next to her notebook as she wrote down a couple more notes. "Oh, and Sunday isn't any good for me, if we needed to work on this then. I have a Calculus test next Monday and needless to say, I need some extra help, so I'll be working on studying for it.most of the day." She said, "I completely forgot about it earlier."

She was sure she didn't need to give any other explanation, so she just directed her attention to flipping between the two scenes she had.marked.