“And you gave it to me?” I say, looking at him feeling very emotional.
“Of course I gave it to you,” he says. “Coach said your little brother wasn’t well. I saw him sitting in that rink freezing his ass off and coughing.”
“He’s okay now. He’s better than okay,” I say to Coach.
“I know that too. Your brother has quite the stats. You McAvoys got hockey in your blood,” Coach praises.
“I don’t know how that would be possible. What I do know is that Logan and I have worked our asses off to get out of Detroit.”
“You’re a good kid, Declan. Your brother will have a bright future in hockey too,” he says.
“He will?” I say, but I don’t mean for it to sound like a question.
“Boy’s got asthma. It’s controlled so no problem there.” Coach shrugs.
I go out on a limb. “He wants the Dragons.”
“His coach told me,” Coach says. Which means he was back in Detroit to see Logan.
I wait silently, even though I’m so on edge.
“Just to get something straight. I chose you based on your skill and merit. Doing the same with Logan,” Coach confirms.
“Seriously?” I ask and tears spring into my eyes, which is so freaking embarrassing.
“Yeah, kid. Offer is on the way to him now,” Coach says.
Tears fall down my cheeks and I can’t help myself. He did it. Logan did it.
“Thanks for telling me, Coach.”
“What are you going to do about this, McAvoy?” he asks and he lifts the paper.
I look at Coach.
“You aren’t one to back down from a fight. You’re also honorable and whatever happened here reads as underhanded,” Coach says.
“Bonnie is Poppy’s roommate. I don’t understand where she would get such a ridiculous story about me though,” I question, trying to rack my brain on how that happened. I come up empty.
“Maybe you should find out,” Coach says.
“I think I need to head over to The Gazette.”
“Yeah, and Ryse was in here. He told me you and him are okay. Good luck getting the girl,” he says, and I feel my cheeks flush.
“Thanks, sir. I’m going to need it,” I say.
“That’s it, McAvoy. Get out of here,” Coach says.
“Thank you, sir.” I stand. “For everything.”
“I did my job, McAvoy, nothing more than that.” He grins.
I nod and leave his office.
THIRTY-FIVE
Poppy
I wake up feeling like utter crap. The Spotlight released today and it has Bonnie’s name as the writer on it. Surprise, surprise. Looks like I called that one. At least Elijah didn’t throw me off the paper completely, although he still might when he finds out what I’ve done. It serves him right for giving Bonnie the story. She doesn’t even know Declan. To think that she can write the story based on the times we hung out together or spoke privately in our dorm room is insane.
I get ready for my day, feeling like shit. I’m in no mood to be noticed so I revert back to my old baggy clothes and turn my hair up in a messy bun on my head and put my glasses on. This will have to do. I head to my morning classes, which go by in a blur, and by lunchtime Blossom texts me that the girls are meeting in the Student Center food court.
I walk up to my friends’ table and slump down in a chair. “Hi.”
They all say hi but look at me, giving me sympathetic looks which just makes this whole situation sting more.
“Do I look that bad?” I ask with a half-smile.
“You always look beautiful,” Cait says. “Did Declan try to reach out to you over break?”
“No, his coach won’t let him,” I sigh.
“This is so crazy. It isn’t fair,” Holland says with conviction, and I love her for it.
“I worked things out with my brother though, so I mean there’s that,” I share.
“Good,” Paris chimes. “Ryse was complaining nonstop.”
It’s weird that Paris is a good friend of Ryse and me. We’ve never had a friend in common like this before.
“Yeah, well we spent all of Christmas and New Year’s not talking. My mom wasn’t too thrilled about it and I got sick of him looking like a lost puppy,” I chortle.
“That’s tough,” Holland says.
“Declan will come around,” Blossom assures.
“I don’t think so,” I say sadly. He has to focus on hockey. It’s his life and I get it. He’s worked so hard to get where he is.
Holland pulls out today’s Gazette. “Did you see the Spotlight?”
“Not per se,” I say vaguely. I just know that Bonnie was gloating about getting the piece, but boy can I imagine all the lies it has in it.
“Holy shit. The writer wrote a bunch of BS about Declan. She made you out to be some puck bunny that tricked him into ending his dry streak with the ladies on campus. Someone should really call her out,” Holland says, clearly angry for me.
Everyone at the table watches me. Should I be having a different reaction?
“What?” I ask.
“This has to be bothering you,” Paris says angry for me. “First, that awful TikTok video of Ryse losing his shit on Declan and now you make it into The Gazette?” Paris’s face twists with disgust.
“Your famous,” Cait says.
“Trust me, I hate the attention,” I say, and it isn’t a lie.
“Are you going to call this Bonnie chick out though?” Holland asks.
“I don’t know that it’s my place. This is Declan’s story. It’s his moment in the Spotlight,” I say with nonchalance.
Holland’s brown eyes narrow on me. “What’s really going on here?” She really is a smart cookie that one.
“Hmm?” I ask like I’m the epitome of innocence.
Now all the girls are looking at me. “Do I look guilty?” I ask them. “Because you’re all staring at me funny.”
“Not at all. Just I would think you’d be freaking the fuck out,” Holland points out. Then she stands up from the table. “Come with me,” she says and she pulls me away from the other girls. We leave the main area of the student hall, which is like a big food court with lots of tables. “What’s really go on here? This girl tried blackmailing you. She stole your story and threatened to out you and Declan. She’s been a jealous bitch. I don’t believe you don’t care about any of this.”
“I may have done something,” I say, looking at my unmanicured nails.
“And that is…” Holland waits for me to elaborate.
“I write in a journal. I’ve been doing it ever since I was little and I’m kinda old-school. I write everything down. Even private things. It’s a way for me to express myself and understand situations better,” I explain.
“Hence, why you’re a journalism major.” Holland nods. “But what does that have to do with anything?”
“I would feel Bonnie watching me sometimes when I would be writing in my journal. She was so nice when we first met but once she caught me and Declan, well you know. . .” I nod.