Puck Me, Stepbrother

an's

little brunette

uined shirt-Dad's credit card can handle a dozen replacements. It's the way he looked at me afterward that won't leave

pect is ea

ood chain at a place like Blackridge, you stay there by making sure every

opping into the seat across from me i

ver I sit, people follow. It's been that way since freshman year. Being captain of the hockey team, havi

nking," I

ut w

ollowed by Tyler and Sean. My inner circle, complete

" Tyler asks, unwrapping his sandwich. "T

't dump it. He crashed in

atching you stand there

us," I s

ng. And the way that kid looked at me afterward-like he

he thin

ally meaning to. I want to see him again. I want another chance to put h

en I s

the sunlight, and even from here, I can see he's wearing another sad outfit that probably came from

rf

atever Jake was saying. "Look

table, and my friends all

is going t

expect things from you. They expect you to be entertaining, to be confident, to never back

disappoi

standing up. "Le

everal people at nearby tables look up. G

people notice. My friends fall in behind me like they always do, ready to follow my le

too busy reading whatever boring textbook has capt

table, close enough that my

my voice carries. "If it isn't

e. For a split second, I see surprise, then rec

o

the dining hall to hear. "You know, the guy yo

y anything. Just stares at me with those big d

head. "No offer to pay for dry cleanin

hear whispers, see phones being pulled out. Social media at

s quietly, so quietly I h

nk about it. "Huh. Must not

ce growing. This is what I'm good at-commanding a roo

can't see where you're going because your clothes are too big. Have you consid

d. Other students start laughing too, and I watch

second, I think he might actually stand up and fight back. Part of me almost wants him

tarts packing

xtbook into his backpack. He won't look at me now, won't look at anyo

ask. "We were just

shoulder. For just a moment, his eyes meet mine again, and there'

point

ch him go, surrounded by the laughter and app

s, clapping me on the sh

he was about to cry,

e I've proven something important. But as I watch the transfer stud

mething that was

ng the feeling down. "L

ves on to other things. Hockey practice, weekend plans,

brunette was sitting, and I can't shake the ima

dorm room trying to focus on

y at the Morrison house. Make sure the

student body will probably show up. Rich kids at Blackridge never pa

transfer student

ondering if he'll come. If he has the guts to show his f

ut him in his place

: Got it. Will

inking about those dark eyes and the way they l

than what he e

thers me more