Page 8 of Cloudless
FUTURE BOSS LADY
KAM
My hands shake as I rip off my helmet. “That son of a bitch is lucky there was glass between us.”
My friends are silent behind me as my locker door rattles on its hinges. I turn, expecting my anger to be reflected in my friends’ eyes, but find grins instead. Even Wyatt has a gleam in his usually stoic eyes.
The creaking of Coach's office door alerts us it’s time for his usual end-of-game speech.
His signature three taps on the nearest locker gets everyone's attention. Silence blankets the room as Coach claims his spot near the whiteboard. “You played well tonight, men. You should be proud of yourselves. I know the score was close, but you worked together as a team. That’s one of the best start-of-the-season scrimmages we’ve had here at Summit State. ”
My ears ring from the echoes of fists banging on lockers in the crowded space. “Enjoy a rest day tomorrow. You’ve earned it.” He raises his voice to be heard over the roar brought on by the news of a rest day. “Be here for practice Tuesday at 4:00 pm.”
Coach’s all-knowing gaze shifts to me. “Kam, a word.”
He vanishes into his office as the room erupts in a collective ohhhh .
With a grin, Mace slaps me on the back on his way to his locker. “Good luck with that.”
I keep my face blank and my chin high as I step into Coach’s office. His sigh speaks louder than any word he could say. A thunk rings through the room as his SSU hat lands in the center of his desk.
The fluorescent overhead lights reflect off his bald head as he takes his seat. My knees touch the front of his desk as I lower myself into the lone chair across from him. Family photos and neat stacks of paper crowd the room, adding to the claustrophobic feeling I get every time I come in here.
He crosses his arms as his sharp eyes bore into me. The chair that’s probably older than I am groans under his weight. “Is there something you need to tell me, Kam?”
My face remains neutral under his scrutiny. “No, sir.”
He raises one eyebrow. “Really? No altercation I need to know about with one of our biggest donors, perhaps?”
My eyes stay steady, never straying from his, as my voice remains firm. “No, sir. Nothing to worry about.”
One quick nod is all he gives me before he stands. A clear dismissal for the night. “See that it stays that way.”
I give a nod of acknowledgement as I stand. “Yes, sir.” I feel his eyes boring a hole into the back of my head as I leave the room.
Chatter flowing from the showers nearly swallows the click of his door shutting behind me. The frosted window in the door shows his shadow moving back to his desk.
Tension never leaves my shoulders as I dig my fingers into the rough fabric of a towel. Echoed voices bounce off the tile walls of the damp room as I make my way into the steam-filled showers.
Wyatt's raised brows drip with shampoo as I pass him to claim my usual shower in the far corner. A quick incline of my head lets him know everything is well.
My impatience to get out of the locker room wins over my desire for a hot shower. The cool water sends a wave of chill bumps cascading down my back as I lather the soap in my hand.
My movements turn automatic as the water warms and images of Matt and his dad’s smug smirk flood my mind. I shake the water from my eyes and the images from my mind.
We have a win to celebrate.
Humid air and muffled voices fill the atrium.
Faces of friends and strangers alike blur together, along with their offered congratulations and words of encouragement.
My eyes stay on a swivel, using my height to my advantage, as I search for a pair of mischievous eyes that remind me so much of my own, and an attitude far too big for her tiny body.
Her scowl and crossed arms fall away to be replaced by a splitting smile as I emerge through the crowd.
“‘Bout time, little brother. I’m starving.” The intensity of the natural red streaks of her chestnut hair, that’s only visible in the bright light, move in and out of focus as she closes the distance between us.
The top of her head barely reaches my chin as I pull her into a crushing hug. “I’ve been your big brother since we came out of the womb, Shrimp.” The old nickname hits its mark. Her eyes flare as she pushes out of my hug and punches me in the arm. “Hey! That hurt.”
It did actually hurt. Growing up with an older brother like me didn’t leave her much of a choice in the self-defense department.
Her eyeroll is legendary. “You get much worse than that on the ice, Goose .” She raises her eyebrows, daring me to challenge her use of my childhood nickname.
Her head tilts and her smile falls as my eyes roam around, scanning the surrounding faces.
Her voice is quiet as she says, “She didn’t show.
” Ellie’s jaw tightens as a hardness shadows her eyes.
“Don’t give Mom the satisfaction, Kam. She’s not worth it. ”
I nod as I force a smile back to my face. “You ready to head to The Penalty Box? I’ve got a basket of fries with my name on it.”
She nods as the shadows leave her eyes. “Let’s get going. Are we meeting the guys there?”
“Sure are. They should be on their way already.”
I curse as I emerge into the blinding light of the evening sun.
Pain erupts at the back of my eyes and my bag falls from my shoulder to the nearest bench with a solid thunk.
My fingers quickly shift through the bag's contents in search of my sunglasses.
A sigh escapes my lips from the cool metal of my sunglasses settling on my face.
The worn fabric of my bag’s straps falls from my fingers as Lila comes into view. Waves of long, blonde hair cascade down her back, shining like a beacon in a field of asphalt and dust.
My feet are moving before I give them permission. My sister and my hunger forgotten in favor of my classmate and the open hood of her car.
The delicate strands of the white ribbon in her hair reach for me in the evening breeze. They pull me to her like the tide pulls shells onto a beach.
She turns at the sound of my footsteps. Tears leave streaks of wetness in their wake as they fall silently down her beautiful face. My gut twists as her red-rimmed eyes meet mine. “What’s wrong, Sunshine?”
Jasper answers for her as he emerges from the shadow of a nearby tree. "Our car is broken."
Lila's frustrated breath blows a few strands of hair out of her face before they stick to her tears. “It won't start. I don’t know if it’s the battery or what, but it was fine when we got here. I just, I don’t know what to do.
Normally I would call my dad, but I— I can’t do that anymore.
” Her voice breaks, defeat ringing clear in her tone.
She brings up her shaking hands to cover her face.
Her voice is muffled as she rambles, “I’m so embarrassed.
I don’t know why I’m crying. I think I've hit my limit for today.”
I wrap my calloused hands around her delicate wrists and pry her hands away from her face.
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.
” A warm breeze blows through my damp hair.
Tendrils of her blonde waves reach toward me as the scent of mangos fills my lungs.
My shoulders lose some of the tension I didn’t realize I’ve been holding as I breathe her in.
“I won’t leave you here until we get this figured out. Okay?”
Her shoulders sag with relief as her chin wobbles. Dark dots appear on her red SSU shirt as fresh tears drip off her chin onto the cotton. “Really?”
“Really.” I reluctantly release her. A chill replaces the warmth from her skin despite the blistering August air. “Let’s take a look.”
I ruffle Jasper’s hair on my way to the driver's side door. “Hey, Tank! Did you have a good time at the game?”
He grins as he takes the place of my shadow and follows me to the car door.
“The best time ever!” My eyes fall to the black puck clutched firmly in his little hands before returning to the splitting smile on his face.
“You played so good! That goal at the end was awesome! I didn’t doubt you for a second.
” His voice drops to a whisper as he gazes down at the puck in his hands. “I can’t believe you gave me the puck!”
His genuine praise is in such stark contrast to the meaningless congratulations I just received in the atrium. “Thanks, Tank.” I clear my throat to usher away the sudden emotion. “That, uh, that means a lot to me.”
The driver's seat squeaks as I push it back as far as it will go. The scalding air trapped in the car hits me in the face as I fold my limbs to fit in her miniature seat.
A rapid clicking noise fills the air as I turn the key. Lila appears next to the driver's side door with red-rimmed eyes. A crease appears between her brows. “What does that mean?”
“It means your car battery is definitely dead.” Her eyes shine with oncoming tears once again, so I hurry to say, “But I have some jumper cables in my Tahoe. It’s an easy fix.”
A huge smile accompanies the wave of relief that takes over her face. “Really? That’s great! Thank you so much!”
I have to suppress a groan as I unfold my sore muscles from the cramped space. “It’s no problem. Just let me bring my car over real quick, and we’ll get you all fixed up.”
Jasper’s hair sways on top of his head as he scratches his chin like he’s a scientist staring at a whiteboard. “Are you going to fix our car, Kam?”
“Sure am, buddy.”
He shouts over the top of the car to the passenger side. “I told you he would fix it.”
Lila’s mini-me materializes out of the shade of the nearest tree that lines the parking lot.
The ribbon tied around her pigtails matches Lila’s.
“Good. I’m tired of sitting out here. It’s too hot, even in the shade.
” Her crystal blue eyes lift to meet mine.
Her brows draw together, and her eyes fill with scrutiny as she walks to her brother’s side.
“Who are you?” She crosses her arms as she glares at me, waiting for my reply.
I can’t help but smile at the snark oozing from the very essence of this little spitfire. “I’m Kam. It’s nice to meet you, Posey.”
Her eyebrows draw together even further. “How do you know my name?”
My smile only grows with her resolve. “Your brother told me about you during hockey camp yesterday.”
The fire in her eyes fades to a simmer as she accepts my explanation. Her pigtails bounce as she steps forward, hand extended in front of her for a professional-grade handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Kam.”
Future boss lady right here.
My hand swallows hers as I accept her handshake. “It’s nice to meet you too, Rosie Posey.”
I turn to find a much more composed Lila in front of her car. Still, I soften my voice to keep her tears at bay. “I’ll be right back.”
She bites her plump bottom lip as she nods.
I stuff my hands in the pockets of my shorts and watch the sun make its final descent of the day as I walk to my Tahoe.
One thing Lila said really stood out to me.
Normally I would call my dad, but I can’t do that anymore.
Her statement repeats in my head like an echo bouncing between the buildings in a city. My desire to know her story only grows with every step I take away from her.