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Me: I’m back in town Thursday Can we meet up?

The second I hit send, aze shot to the time and I smacked myself on the forehead Who sends a text like that at three a ed it from behind my head and shoved it overThefor her reply

Eventually the

Talk about fucking things up in five seconds flat

“Ford, get your head in the game” Our coach’s voice boomed across the ice

E a sharp spray of ice showering over me “Wake up, man What’s up with you today?”

“Got a lot on h I’d sent the text at three in the , Liv still hadn’t replied We’d been on the road for three days, and it was another two before I’d be back hootten an immediate reply

That was a good thing, right? She wasn’t still hung up onmyself had worked,out and talk without anything other than platonic feelings—if she talked todown the et to the locker room to see if she’d replied?

“Earth to Ford!” Heath knocked on my helmet

My head snapped up, and I lifted my face mask “Would everyone just leave me alone?”

“Dude, you’re spacing big-ti?”

I batted his hand away as he feigned concern, trying to feel ot some stuff to handle, that’s all”

“Maybe if you came out of your shell, we could help you, little heroal

Glaring at hi I can’t handle Would you two get back out there to practice and stop stalling over here with hts about Liv, the text, and my phone deep down until practice was over