Pucking Friendship (UNI Lions 6)

Cora Fiona Hart

I finish getting ready for another day of classes. One of the last days before Christmas holidays. There are voices coming from the living room.

“Put your pants back on, I’m coming out,” I shout as I grab my bag and open the door.

“Nobody’s pantless,” Faye says, and I can hear her both blushing and rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, not now that I gave you a heads up,” I say and walk up behind the couch where Faye is sitting. Her computer is on the coffee table. “Hi, Liam, how’s Boston?”

“Too far away,” he sighs on the screen.

“Don’t worry, I’m keeping an eye on Faye for you.” I wink at him.

“I’m pretty sure she can take care of herself.” His smile is too admiring, so I quickly change the subject before he starts gushing about my cousin.

“How’s the job?”

“The job is good. It’s pretty repetitive, but I’m learning a lot.”

“He’s already impressing them over there,” Faye says with a goofy, proud look on her face.

“I’m sure he is,” I say.

“I’m mostly doing it for the experience,” Liam says. “As soon as we know where Faye ends up, I’ll start looking for a job close to her.”

“You must be excited to see her for Christmas.”

“Hell, yeah. And my mom is looking forward to seeing her.”

“I hope she likes me,” Faye says.

“She already loves you,” Liam assures her. And who wouldn’t? Faye is kind and decent and has always been there for me.

“I still can’t believe you hogged her all summer and now you’re stealing her for Christmas as well.” I pretend to be upset with them.

“You can always come with,” Liam offers.

“No way,” I laugh mirthlessly. “I’m not going to third wheel it and be in the next room while you have sex. I already know how loud you are, and I’d rather not put myself through that.”

“Cora,” Faye exclaims reproachfully, but Liam doesn’t look too upset.

He clears his throat. “So, are you still riding your bike?”

I grimace at the reminder. “No. The roads have been exceptionally bad lately. I can’t believe I was able to ride it almost all of last winter and now I had to put it in storage.” I sigh dramatically. “I miss my baby.”

“I’m sure you’re not the only one. I think you made an impression on the entire team when you pulled up to the Den on that thing.”

I smile. The Den is the hockey arena where the UNI Lions reside. It’s also where Faye works as their social media manager.

“Oh, I haven’t been there in a while,” I say. “I should probably go check out this year’s team, make sure they’re living up to the standards.”

Faye rolls her eyes. “I’m not helping you to walk in on them in the locker room.”

I wave her comment away. I’m sure I can manage that by myself if I want to.

“Do you miss it?” I ask Liam. “I’m thinking working in a lab is a far cry from playing hockey.”

“A little. But Faye keeps me up to date and I still watch as many games as I have time for.”

“That’s great.” I check the time. “But you two are going to have to continue this later. We have to get to class.” I wave at the screen. “Bye.”

Before he can answer, I hurry to put my shoes and jacket on so they can have a moment of privacy. I sigh at the helmet on a shelf. Maybe I’m getting boring in my old age of nineteen, but it really did seem like the best option to store the bike until spring.

Faye joins me, and hurries to get ready.

“He’s really excited about Christmas,” she says. “I just have to make a few more posts and schedule them, and then I don’t have to worry too much about work.”

“At least you can do most of it long distance,” I say.

“Yeah.”

We take the elevator down to the parking garage, and I unlock my pink Chevrolet Spark. It’s a small, cramped four door, with cheap plastic interior.

“I can’t believe your parents got you this for a birthday gift.”

I shrug. “I think they would have given me just about any car they could afford to keep me off the bike during the winter months.” The car starts and I back out of the parking spot. “Except now all my brothers are teasing them for not worrying about their safety.” I grimace. “Popo even called me a princess.”

Faye snorts. “None of your brothers are as wild as you. Least of all Popo.”

“Aww, thanks.” I grin. “But that’s just because they’ve figured out what they want to do, and focused on that. I still have no idea.”

“So that was a no to math?”

“Yes, definitely a no to math. And a no to biology and geology. And thanks to Liam I know it’s a no to chemistry, organic or otherwise. It’s also a no to history, nursing, computer science, and marketing.”

“That’s a lot of no’s.”

“Well, at least I’m that much closer to figuring it out.”

“Sure.” Faye is distracted. She pulls out some notes and starts going through them.

When I park on campus, Faye waves at me and heads off to do her thing. I head in the opposite direction to the arts building.

I make my way to the classroom and take off my jacket as I enter.

“Ah, Ms. Hart, you’re still here?” the teacher, Ms. Herald, says with a small smile.

“Yup. Still here. I figured I’d at least get the credit.”

Ms. Herald raises an eyebrow and gestures to an open spot.

I take a seat behind the easel and pick up a piece of paper. I clamp it to the easel and grab my charcoal pencils. We’ve tried so many different mediums and I’ve sucked at all of them.

“This is the last thing we’ll do,” Ms. Herald says. “So make sure to ask any questions and do your best.”

I look to the center of the ring we’re forming. She’s arranged some flowers in a vase and strewn some around on the table.

“I suggest you pick a detail to focus on. We have limited time to work on this.” She walks behind me. “Or just try to create something recognizable,” she says to me.

“Fat chance,” I say and start to focus.

“Just do your best.”

Ms. Herald is not one to hold back her critique. At first I thought she was mean, but I’ve come to the conclusion she’s just very blunt, but means no harm.

Besides, I’ve had Faye guess what I’ve made, and she’s gotten it wrong every single time. So, if anything, Ms. Herald is kind to me.

At least now I know I don’t have an artistic bone in my body.

“There’s a party tonight, if you want to come,” Beamer, the guy sitting next to me, says.

“Yeah, you should come,” Cassie says, and has already created a perfect replica of one of the flowers. “It’s the last party before we all leave.”

“What’s the theme?” I’ve learned by now that art parties at UNI, the University of North Irondale, have a theme.

“Venetian non-masquerade.”

“Non-masquerade?” I frown at them.

Cassie shrugs. “It’s what was decided. Weed may have been involved.”

“So it’s not a masquerade.”

“No,” Beamer says.

“Sounds fun. Send me the details.”

I end up with some smudged blobs on my paper. One of the blobs is vaguely recognizable as a flower, which is strange because that was the vase. But I’ll take it. It’s a pass fail course, and with this, I’ve passed.

Carlos calls me as soon as I get out.

“Well?” he asks.

“I passed.”

He laughs. “They really don’t demand a lot.”

“Hey, I’ve shown up to almost every single session. And I’ve done everything that’s been asked of me.” I wave at my classmates and head outside into the snow and wind.

“Yeah, but you have no talent.”

“I do too, just not with drawing.”

“Anyway. Do you want to hang out tonight?”

“Can’t. I was invited to a party. I’m sure you can come if you want.”

He sighs. “Sure.”

“You’re going to hate it,” I say and pull my jacket closer. “You really don’t have to come.”

Carlos has been a friend since middle school. And I love him, but he can be a bit of a downer. The only time he comes to parties is when I make him. He’d much rather stay at home and read.

And honestly, sometimes I’d rather he didn’t come. He starts off acting as if he’s too good for the party, and trying to keep me from talking to people. Then he starts complaining about everything, from the music to the lack of non-alcoholic beverages.

“I want to see you before we leave, and if this is the only way, then I’ll just have to put up with it.”

“Great.” I make sure to keep my disappointment to myself. “I’ll let you know what time I’ll pick you up.”

“We won’t stay out too late, will we?”

I stifle a sigh. “No, probably not.” Sometimes I take him home and go back to the party without him. I just have to make sure he doesn’t find out, because I don’t want to hurt his feelings.

“That’s good. I’ll see you later then.”

“See you.”