Page 106 of Offside Attraction

“Hmm-mm,” I mutter, turning my focus to the plate of food in front of me.

The rest of the meal passes by quickly, and by the time I get to my room, I feel like I can breathe again.

I bring out my laptop and place it on my desk. Clicking the FaceTime icon on my laptop, I click on Seth’s name as I watch it ring.

The familiar ringing tone fills the quiet room, and I lean back in my chair, exhaling heavily as I wait for Seth to pick up. I run my fingers through Shepard’s fur, listening to him purr softly beneath my touch. The sound is soothing, a grounding contrast to the storm brewing in my head.

After a few seconds, his face pops up on the screen, his expression immediately brightening when he sees me.

“Hey, Coty,” Seth says, flashing a grin. “What’s up? You look like you just survived a war.”

“Really? We’re going with Coty again tonight?” I ask, smiling despite myself.

“Yeah. Go with it,amigo,”Seth says, leaning back on a chair as he smiles at me. I imagine he’s in his living room, probably playing a soccer game. “You good?”

“I don’t know, man,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “It’s been a day.”

Seth raises an eyebrow, leaning closer to the screen. “Let me guess—Griffin?”

I scoff, nibbling at my bottom lip as I glance around my room just to stall.

“Dakota?”

“What?”

“You’re hiding something from me and you better start to spill it out. These past few days you’ve been avoiding my calls and texts. What’s going on, man?”

I glance down at Shepard, his amber eyes half-closed as he stretches lazily across my lap. “It’s just… school stuff. Hockey.”

“Hockey,” Seth repeats, dragging out the word like he doesn’t believe me. “Or a certain someone on the hockey team?”

I wince, hating how easily he sees through me. “Don’t start.”

“I’m not starting,” he says, grinning. “I’m just saying, if this is about Hayes—”

“It’s not,” I cut in, though my voice falters enough to make it clear that it is. “It’s just… everything feels off lately.”

Seth hums thoughtfully. “Off how?”

I sigh. “I don’t know. Like, one minute I’m fine, and the next… he’s in my head again. And I hate that he gets to me like this.”

“Maybe because you haven’t let go of whatever it is between you two,” Seth says simply. “You keep saying you hate him, but hate doesn’t look like this, Dakota.”

I groan, rubbing a hand over my face. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”

Seth laughs, his eyes glinting with something I’m too tired to point out.

“Coach is making us work together—team bonding or whatever. And now I’m stuck with him tomorrow. He’s showing up at my house at 10 a.m., acting like he’s doing me a favor.”

Seth whistles, his grin widening. “Team bonding with Griffin? That sounds… intense.”

“That’s one word for it,” I mutter, crossing my arms. “I swear, he lives to make my life miserable. He doesn’t even try to hide it.”

Seth’s smile fades slightly, and his tone softens. “Are you okay, though? Like, really okay? I know he gets under your skin, but—”

“I’m fine,” I say quickly, cutting him off. “It’s just frustrating, you know? Being around him all the time, the way he looks at me like—” I stop myself, realizing I’ve said too much.

“Like what?” Seth presses, his gaze sharp now.