007

ISABELLE

The game came faster than I expected.

I almost talked myself out of it three times before I even left the house.

I stood in front of my locker in a grey hoodie and dark jeans and told myself it was just a hockey game, I had watched hockey before. I was familiar with the concept.

The fact that I had agreed to go for someone who wasn't Lucas Graham was entirely the point.

The rink was loud by the time I got there.

I found a spot in the middle of the bleachers, and tucked my bag under the seat. The crowd was already restless, someone blowing an airhorn two rows back, the usual noise that bounced off the ceiling and made everything feel larger than it was.

Then the team came out, the cheer that went up was automatic. This school had perfected over years of watching Lucas Graham own the ice.

I watched him skate out with the others, easy in his movement, his name already being called from somewhere in the upper rows.

I looked away before it could become the whole picture.

Tyler was three players behind him.

He came out without any cheers or his name being called. There wasn't any fanfare like they did for Lucas. He was just a new number on a familiar jersey. He was scanning the bleachers when his eyes found mine.

He pointed once, like he just wanted to confirm I was there.

I nodded and then he gave a quick smile and skated off.

The game started quietly, a clean assist that made the section near me murmur appreciatively. Then a shot that hit the back of the net so fast half the rink didn't process it until the light came on.

"Who is that?" the girl beside me asked her friend.

"He is a transfer student. I heard his name is Brooks, I think."

"He's really good."

"Yeah, and also really hot." They both giggled.

A few minutes in and they were chanting his name.

It rolled through the bleachers in very loud noises and the girl two seats down was on her feet and the airhorn behind me went off twice and Tyler scored again and the entire rink came up with him.

I looked at the ice because Lucas was standing near the blue line watching the celebration with a frown on his face.

Then he skated back into position.

After the final buzzer the crowd spilled toward the exits. I stayed in my seat until most of them cleared, then pulled on my bag.

Tyler came out still in half his gear, hair damp, talking to a teammate. Then he looked up at the bleachers and found me immediately like he had known exactly where to look.

He said something to his teammate and came to the boards below my section.

"You stayed," he said.

I pulled out my notepad. *You were good.*

"Yeah?" He wiped his face with the back of his glove. "Good enough for a second game?"

*You scored twice. I think that qualifies.*

He laughed while touching my shoulder, then he looked at me for a moment, his smile was warm.

My face went hot before I could stop it and I looked down at my notepad like something urgent had appeared on the blank page.

"I'll see you Monday, Isabelle," he said, then winked, already pushing back toward the tunnel.

I kept my eyes down until I heard the ice door close.

Then I pressed the back of my hand against my cheek and told myself it meant absolutely nothing.

******

I got home to the smell of food and Lily's voice carrying from the kitchen.

"Seven o'clock!" she called the moment she heard the door. "We eat at seven. That's the rule, everyone at the table."

I dropped my bag at the stairs and walked in.

Lucas was already in his seat, arms crossed, phone face down in front of him. My father sat at the head of the table, unfolding his napkin.

Lily appeared from the kitchen carrying a dish, her smile already fully assembled. "Perfect timing, sit, sit."

I sat in my usual chair, the one closest to the window, and reached for my notepad out of habit.

"Phones away, Lucas," Lily said without looking at him.

"It's already face down."

"Away means away, I mean it."

He picked it up and dropped it into his bag close by, with exactly enough force to make a point without being loud about it.

Lily set the dish in the center of the table and settled into her chair. "So, you guys,” she said, looking between all of us like she was running a meeting. "How was everyone's day?"

My father cleared his throat. "It was good and productive." They smiled at each other, I looked away even though I cringed hard.

"Lucas, how was the game? Sorry we couldn't be there today."

"It was fine."

"Isabelle?"

I reached for my notepad and wrote.

*I had a nice day.*

Lily looked at my father. "She went to the game tonight."

He looked up. "The school's game?"

I nodded.

"That's great, Izzy." He smiled, genuine for once. "Really great."

"Did you go with a friend?" Lily added, like she was presenting evidence of something.

I nodded again. Then I wrote down on my note pad. *Tyler,*

Lucas stared at my notepad then rolled his eyes.

"Tyler." My father repeated it with the tone of a man filing information away carefully. "Is he a good kid?"

*Yes, I guess.*

"That's good."

Lucas reached for the serving spoon without a word.

Lily watched him for a second then turned back to me. "Isabelle, can I ask you something?” I looked up.

"Your mother," she said, her voice dropping into something deliberately soft. "What was she like?"