What You Don't Know

By the time I get to English 3 Honors, my last class of the day, I have a shitload to tell Jake and Owen. I'm not sure if I'll tell them about Grace. I'm not sure if she wants me to call her Grace or Gracie. I mean I've played hockey with her cousin for years, and I've seen her at almost all the games except for last year when everything happened. I still don't know the whole story, but I've heard stories. Most of them untrue according to Brettly. I'm pretty happy Grace is my partner though. I hate most of the people in that class and the rest are tolerable. She's the only one that I can actually get along with and chat to when we have a barely existing break. At least calculus won't be complete hell.
I quicken my pace so I can arrive before the bell to either save seats for Jake and Owen or be there before someone takes mine next to them. I arrive with definite time to spare, but of course they're already there waiting for me. I shuffle to my seat, dreading hockey practice after this. I'm already exhausted enough. It doesn't really matter. Coach will work us twice as hard if we complain, so no use in complaining. Before I can even sit Jake asks me, "So you meet any chicks today? Any transfers? Any girls who changed over the summer?" I can't believe that's the first thing out of his mouth. I swear ever since they both lost their virginity at the end of last year, they haven't shut up about girls since they can't get any other girl to the same thing Sammie and Eleni did.
"I swear if you ask me one more fucking time-" I get cut off quickly.
"Look, dude you're going to have to get the fuck over Lani (pronouced lane-ee) sometime, and right now is about time," Owen breaks his silence.
"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about," I fight back irritably, "I AM over her. She cheated on me though and then embarrassed me in front of everyone. I don't need more shit like that."
"Come on. She just pulled your pants down in front of everyone-" I quickly stop Owen in his tracks.
"And she told everyone about what my dad did to me and what the scars are for! It was no one's damn fucking business wha-"
"Excuse me! Do not use that language in my classroom ever again and do not ever raise your voice like that again in my classroom. That goes for you, too, Owen and Jake Spezza." {Not alluding to Jason Spezza of the NHL}
The bell rings right after she stops talking. God, how could no one have been in the room. Everyone poured in during or after the bell. I turn towards the white board and Smart Board (Promethean Board). Jake and Owen do the same. This is going to be a long year.
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All throughout practice, I think about running skate blades over everyone's faces. Everything and everyone is pissing me off. At least I'm taking out my anger in a good way. Coach says my slap shoots are the best they've ever been. My face-offs are going just as well. At the end of practice, coach lets Brettly, Adam (the other alternate captain), and I do announcements. We comment on how well everyone's doing and what we all can improve on. Coach is happy to have us as captains and alternates. The three of us take our roles very seriously. After we all shower, I ask Jake and Owen if they need a ride home, but they said they were going home with one of the d-men, Frankie. Right as I get to my car, Brettly calls out to me, "Wait up, dude!" I wave then throw my bag in the trunk. I can't believe it's only 6 pm. Practice felt longer. Brettly takes place in front of me.
"I heard you got my cousin as your partner in calculus," he eyes me.
"Yeah, I'm pretty happy. I can't stand most the people in that class. They're all either assholes or shitheads. She's the only one that's normal in there," I say truthfully because I know how protective it is when it comes to Grace.
"You better treat her well and don't push her to say or do anything she doesn't want to, okay? She's finally okay this year. She deserves to be treated right. She always has deserved that. Okay?"
"Yeah. Don't think that I'd ever do that to her. You remember what Lani did to me, and you know what happened with my dad. I know to never let anything happen to her or anyone for that matter."
"That's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure. I'm sorry I had to bring that up. I'll see you, man."
"It's fine see ya."
I jump into my car and head home. Hopefully, my mom didn't let Maggie invite Sophie over. I can't stand having post-surgical sister. I don't know how I'll manage her and Sophie. It won't matter though. I'll have to eat, do homework, shower, then sleep with some texting and web-surfing in between. No time for Maggie or Sophie to annoy me or piss me off. No time for Lani to cause me anger even though she's been gone for a while. The only person who seems to be permeating my mind is Grace. I don't know why, but she's ingrained in there and will be for a while, I'm guessing. Now, if only I can stave her off my mind until my mind is clear. SHIT.
I have to put my attention on the road. I almost just ran myself into the tree 100 yards from my driveway. That's it. I need to get in my house. I park in the driveway, rush in through the side door, and run up the stairs to the bathroom where I can be at peace under the hot drops of water. I always shower after coming home from hockey even though we shower after practice. There's nothing like a shower at home. I'm able to reign in my emotions here. Maybe now, I can lose my focus in the sprinkle of scalding water drops rinsing down my body.