Chapter 6 The Locker Room Talk
Chris POV
The locker room smells like sweat, tape and wet gear it always does after practice most days I do not notice it anymore but today I do probably because half the team will not stop staring at me.
I drop my gloves onto the bench and start unlacing my skates the room is loud with the usual noise. Guys arguing about plays, someone blasting music from their phone and someone else complaining about Coach making us run extra drills the normal except every few seconds someone glances at me.
I know why Dylan finally says it out loud. “So,” he says leaning back against the locker beside mine. “You want to explain that?”
I keep working on my skate laces. “Explain what?”
He laughs. “You know exactly what.”
Across the room, Mason tosses his towel over his shoulder and joins the conversation “Yeah, Captain,” he says. “You going to pretend we didn’t see that?”
I pull off one skate and set it down. “See what?”
“Don’t do that,” Mason says. “You were staring at her the entire practice.”
I look up. “Who?”
The entire room groans. “Oh my God,” someone mutters. “He is really doing this.”
Dylan folds his arms. “The Roosevelt sister.”
The name sits heavier than it should I start pulling off the second skate. “So what?”
Mason drops onto the bench across from me. “So what?” he repeats. “That is Rebecca’s sister.”
“I’m aware.”
“And Rebecca is your girlfriend.”
“Was my girlfriend,” I correct automatically.
The room goes quiet for half a second then three guys start talking at once.
“Wait.”
“You actually broke up with her?”
“When?”
Dylan stares at me. “You are serious.”
“Yes.”
Mason whistles low. “Well that explains the death glare she gave you after practice.”
I pull off my socks and grab a towel. “Can we drop it?”
“Absolutely not,” Mason says.
He leans forward with his elbows on his knees. “Dude, you were staring at that girl like you just discovered oxygen.”
I throw the towel at him. “Shut up.”
He catches it laughing. “I’m serious.”
Across the room, Tyler joins in. “I thought Rebecca was going to start a fight right there on the ice.”
“She almost did,” Mason says.
Dylan does not laugh with them he is watching me too carefully. “That is Casey,” he says.
“I know.”
“She is Rebecca’s sister.”
“I know.”
“And you are the captain of the hockey team.”
“I know that too.”
Mason grins. “This is incredible.”
Dylan shoots him a look. “It’s not incredible.”
Mason shrugs. “It’s entertaining.”
Dylan ignores him and keeps his eyes on me. “You understand what this looks like, right?” he asks.
“I was talking to her.”
“You were staring at her.”
“Same thing.”
“Not even close.”
The room quiets again everyone is listening now I toss my shirt into my locker and grab a clean one. “Why do you care?” I ask him.
Dylan sighs. “Because Rebecca Roosevelt doesn’t lose things quietly.”
“I’m not a thing.”
“That is not what I meant.” He pushes away from the locker and walks closer. “You know how she is.”
“Yes.”
“And if the campus starts thinking you are interested in Casey, Rebecca is going to lose her mind.”
“That sounds like Rebecca’s problem.”
“It becomes Casey’s problem.”
That gets my attention. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dylan gestures toward the door. “Half the campus saw you watching her.”
“So?”
“So rumors spread fast here.”
Mason nods. “He is not wrong.”
Tyler jumps back in. “Dude, it’s already spreading.”
I look up. “What do you mean?”
Tyler shrugs. “People were talking about it outside the rink.”
“About what?”
“About you and her.”
I lean back against the locker. “There is no ‘me and her.’”
“Tell that to everyone else,” Mason says.
Dylan shakes his head slowly. “You don’t see it yet.”
“See what?”
“You are the most visible guy on campus.”
“I’m aware.”
“When you look at someone,” he continues, “people notice.”
“That is not my fault.”
“No but it becomes her problem.”
The room quiets again because everyone understands what he is saying Rebecca, her temper and her reputation.
Mason rubs the back of his neck. “Okay, yeah,” he admits. “Rebecca is going to go nuclear.”
Tyler laughs nervously. “She already looks like she wants to murder someone.”
I close my locker door. “That is not Casey’s fault.”
“No,” Dylan agrees. “But Rebecca won’t see it that way.”
I lean against the bench. “She fainted yesterday.”
Several heads snap toward me. “What?” Mason asks.
“In class,” I say. “She passed out.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“That is why you were holding her?” Tyler asks.
I glare at him. “I was helping her.”
“Relax,” he says quickly. “I’m not judging.”
Dylan frowns. “She fainted?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“You didn’t ask?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“She said she was fine.”
The room goes quiet again Mason looks thoughtful now. “That girl barely eats,” he says.
I look at him. “How do you know that?”
“I have seen her in the convenience store a few times,” he replies. “She buys the cheapest stuff they have.”
Tyler nods. “Yeah, I have seen that too.”
Something tightens in my chest and Dylan watches my reaction. “See?” he says quietly.
“See what?”
“You are already invested.”
“I’m concerned.”
“Same difference.”
“No, it’s not.”
Dylan sighs. “You know what Rebecca is going to do if she thinks Casey is a threat.”
Casey.
The word sits strangely in the room like it suddenly means something more. “She is not a threat,” I say.
“You know that,” Dylan replies. “Rebecca won’t.”
Mason leans back again. “She already hates her.”
“Exactly,” Dylan says.
I run a hand through my hair. “So what do you want me to do?”
“Be careful.”
“About what?”
“About how obvious you are.”
I frown. “I’m not obvious.”
The entire room laughs Mason points at me. “You are incredibly obvious.”
Tyler nods. “Like painfully obvious.”
Dylan crosses his arms again. “You looked at her every five seconds during practice.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
I shake my head. “You are exaggerating.”
“No,” Dylan says calmly. “I’m not.” He pauses for a second before continuing. “If this keeps going the way it’s going, Rebecca will make Casey’s life hell.” Something cold settles in my chest. “More than it already is,” he adds quietly.
I look at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dylan hesitates. “Nothing.”
“Dylan.”
He shrugs. “I’m just saying I have seen the way Rebecca talks to her.”
The locker room is completely silent now because everyone has seen it everyone has noticed and no one has said anything until now. I grab my bag and stand.
“Where are you going?” Mason asks.
“Out.”
Dylan watches me carefully. “Just think about what I said.”
I nod once. “I am.”
As I walk toward the locker room door, Tyler calls after me. “Captain?”
I stop and see him grin. “You might want to stop staring at her.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Why?”
He laughs. “Because half the campus is starting to notice.”
I push the door open and step into the hallway but the words follow me out half the campus is starting to notice and if they have noticed then Rebecca definitely has too.
