Breakaway Read online

“I have hockey practice right after school.” I hastily add, “I’m sorry.”

  He steps back and looks up at Kathy, who’s standing on the scaffolding above me. “What about you, Kathy? Can you stay?”

  When she gives him the same excuse, he stalks off, obviously frustrated.

  I’m frustrated too. Sue won’t be at practice again, which means Whitney will goof off to impress the Bruins, and the Rookies will follow suit. The Regina Rebels are hosting us in an exhibition game on Saturday, and I doubt we’re ready for them.

  “I don’t know why Whitney’s so confident we’ll beat the Rebels,” I say loudly. “She dicks around too much in practice.”

  Kathy’s face suddenly appears, inverted, as she peers at me from the scaffolding overhead. Her long blonde hair is dangling below her face. “How’re you getting to Regina?”

  “I’m going up with the Gedaks after school tomorrow. Evan’s game is at seven.”

  “Will Evan get to play much?”

  “I don’t know. He hasn’t cracked the starting lineup yet.”

  “Your parents aren’t going?”

  “They’re coming up Saturday morning.”

  “Where are you staying Friday night?”

  “With the Gedaks – at the same hotel as the Dinos. I’m not sure which one.”

  The sound of a loud muffler makes us both start. An old pickup pulls in and lets out a loud, rattling cough as the engine dies. A guy in a baseball cap jumps out and climbs onto the rear bumper, leaning way over to grab some garbage bags.

  “Nothing says ‘hug my buns’ like a pair of Wranglers,” Kathy observes.

  “Parker!”

  “Come on, Mac. Get a load of that caboose.”

  I let my eyes wander in his direction. Not bad, at all.

  Kathy pulls off her paint gloves, puts her forefingers in her mouth, and wolf whistles. The guy straightens and looks over his shoulder at us.

  It’s Liam MacArthur. My nemesis.

  I turn my back and start painting.

  “Your caboose isn’t half-bad either,” he says as he walks past. I hear the automatic door swish open and shut behind him.

  Kathy throws herself down on the scaffolding above me, beating it with her palms and soles, laughing hysterically. Finally she leans over to look at me.

  “So whose caboose did he mean? Yours or mine?” she asks, breathless.

  “Since I’m wearing coveralls, and you’re not, my guess is you,” I tell her.

  We resume painting, but I keep listening for the sound of the door. A while later it swishes, and a voice behind me asks, “Trying to get on full time?”

  I turn and open my mouth to say something smart-assed. Then the meaning of his question registers.

  You see, Sarcan employs individuals with mental challenges.

  “It’s rude to make fun of the people who work here,” I say.

  His gap-toothed grin vanishes. “That’s not what I meant.”

  I turn my back and resume painting.

  “Tell her she’s got the wrong idea.” From the increased volume of his voice, I gather he’s directing this comment at Kathy. “I don’t go around insulting hockey girls or people with mental handicaps.”

  “Challenges!” I call over my shoulder.

  “You girls played great the other night,” he says. “Especially you, Jessie.”

  I keep painting.

  “I better get going,” he says. “See you, hockey girls.”

  I hear the sound of boots on gravel. A truck door creaks open, slams shut, the truck coughs again as it ignites, and the loud muffler gradually disappears in the distance.

  “I don’t think he meant to insult you.” Kathy climbs down from the scaffolding and joins me at ground level. She picks up some mineral spirits and begins cleaning her brush with a rag.

  My pocket beeps. I wipe the paint off my fingers and pull out my phone. It’s a text from Mom, asking me to pick up Courtney and drive her to volleyball.

  “Is it from Evan?” Kathy asks.

  “No, my mom.”

  “When’s the last time you talked to him?” Kathy asks.

  “I told you I’m seeing him this weekend,” I respond, irritated.

  “Look, Jessie, if you’re having second thoughts about going out with him, you should tell him right away. Don’t keep stringing him along.”

  “I’m not having second thoughts, and I am not stringing him along.” I drop my phone in my pocket. “I have to go.”

  –

  I wait twenty minutes for Courtney to come out of the school. At this rate, I’m going to have a tough time being on the ice at five. Not that the Bruins will care.

  When Courtney finally appears, she’s got Gia with her. They’re breathless with laughter. Too bad I’m immune to their good mood.

  “Can you give Gia a ride too?” Courtney asks, opening the passenger door and flipping the seat forward.

  “Why not?”

  Before I know it, both of them are in the back. Gia’s got her auburn dyed hair pulled up into two perky ponytails that stand straight up in the rearview mirror. Even though she’s two years older than Courtney, she’s a full head shorter.

  On the way over to Spruce Ridge, I try to focus on my driving and forget about the fact that in a few weeks, I’ll be chauffeuring Courtney, Gia and my hockey equipment to bantam girls’ practice.

  “Hey, Jess, can I borrow your Bruin jersey to wear to the game tonight?” Courtney asks as we pull into the Spruce Ridge parking lot.

  “Sure. Who’re they playing?”

  “Yorkton,” Gia supplies. “Are you going to the game, Jessie?”

  “Yeah,” Courtney says. “We need a ride.”

  “Did Mom say you could go out on a school night?” I look at my sister in the rearview mirror.

  Courtney squints back at me. “None of your business.”

  “Putting on a show for Gia, are we?” I ask.

  That shuts her down.

  As I pull up to the main entrance, they gather their stuff and climb out, never saying thank you or goodbye.

  I guess I know what I am to Courtney now.

  A driver’s licence.

  – Chapter Thirteen –

  At lunch on Friday, the Oilers are pumped about playing the Regina Rebels.

  “Have you seen the rink they play in, girlfriends?” Miranda pauses for emphasis. “So cool.”

  “Quit livin’ in the past,” Kathy says. “Nobody calls anybody ‘girlfriend’ anymore.”

  Miranda sticks out her bottom lip.

  “It is cool,” I say, changing the subject back to the Rebels’ home rink. “I can’t wait.”

  The Co-operators Centre at Evraz Place is an impressive facility with multiple ice surfaces. Both University of Regina hockey teams play there, as well as the Rebels.

  “It’s going to be fun beating them in their own rink,” Whitney says.

  “What makes you so sure we’re going to beat them?” Larissa asks.

  “Look how well we played against Weyburn,” Whitney says.

  “Look how well Jodi and Amy played against Weyburn,” I say.

  “You played good too, Jessie,” one of the Rookies says.

  “Is this table Hockey Girls Only?” a voice behind me asks.

  “Hi, Liam,” Amy says. She grabs a chair from another table and pulls it over.

  Liam sets down his cafeteria tray with one hand and slides into the seat next to me. I make a point of not looking at him.

  “You girls nervous about the big game tomorrow?” he asks.

  “Not a bit,” Whitney says confidently. “We’re aiming to improve our record to 2–0 in the preseason. It’ll be a good warm-up for our double-header against Swift Current the weekend after.”

  “What happened to your arm?” Larissa asks, pointing.

  I look over at Liam. The collared shirt he’s wearing over a T-shirt hangs loosely from his right shoulder. Underneath, his arm is bound by a tensor to his ribs.

&nbs
p; “No more football for you,” Amy says.

  Liam shrugs, then winces. “It’s just a sprain.”

  “You play football?” I ask.

  Everyone stares at me.

  “Liam scored the Elecs’ only touchdown last year,” Kathy says. “Did you never go to a game?”

  I shake my head.

  “Will this mess up your plans for Agribition?” Amy asks Liam.

  “I hope not,” he says.

  “How do you two know each other?” I ask Amy.

  “Liam’s done some team roping with my brother Tim,” Amy explains. “We go way back, don’t we, MacArthur?”

  “We’re just one big rodeo family.” Liam picks up his knife and fork and in his left hand and holds them out to me. “Would you mind cutting my meat?” He points to the chicken breast on his plate.

  “I would mind,” I say.

  “McIntyre, are you kicking a man when he’s down?” Kathy asks.

  “Won’t be the first time,” Miranda observes.

  Kathy and Miranda high-five.

  Liam looks confused. “Am I missing something?”

  “Never mind. It’s a long story.” I stand up and pick up my own tray. “Somebody else can help you. I have to study.”

  “Why’re you so angry all the time?” His dark eyes are perplexed.

  Kathy’s right. He is cute.

  “I’m not angry,” I reply. “I’m just too busy for this.”

  I don’t say goodbye to Liam or the girls. I just jam my tray onto the cafeteria cart and walk away.

  –

  When I get home after school, Courtney greets me in the back entrance, a grin splitting her face.

  “Mom said I can go with you to Regina,” she informs me, “and Gia’s coming too!”

  “Really, and where do you plan to sleep?”

  “At Gia’s auntie’s,” she says.

  “It’s short notice, Courtney.”

  She opens the floodgates. “I hardly ever get to go to Regina! I have volleyball next weekend, and it’s Thanksgiving after that, and then hockey will start!”

  “This isn’t my call,” I tell her. “I don’t know if the Gedaks have room for both of you.”

  “Mom already talked to Evan’s mom,” Courtney says, calmer. “It’s all arranged.”

  Mrs. Gedak and my mom work at the same law firm. Mrs. Gedak’s got a soft spot for Courtney because she helped out with babysitting Breanne last summer.

  I check my watch. 3:45. I start stripping off my coveralls.

  “Are you packed?”

  Courtney points impatiently at the duffle bag sitting on the kitchen table. “Gia’s coming over right away, so we’ll be ready when Breanne’s mom and dad get here. Go get changed!”

  I shower, but I don’t have a chance to dry my hair because the Gedaks drive up just as I’m yanking on my jeans and the Dino T-shirt Evan gave me. I can’t find my Sketchers at the back door and have to settle for my old Nikes. I’m halfway down my driveway before I realize I forgot to put on the emerald earrings.

  No time for that now.

  When I open the rear passenger door of the Gedaks’ van, the first person I see is Breanne. Rev. Gedak is driving, and Mrs. Gedak is shotgun. Gia and Courtney are in the very back, though I can hardly see either of them for all the stuff packed around them.

  “How are you, Jessie?” Rev. Gedak asks. He’s a big man with a dark beard, moustache, and sideburns. Today he’s wearing a red U of C Dino hoodie.

  “Great, thanks.” I set my bag and purse on top of the cardboard box crammed between the seats and hop in.

  “Hi, Jessie,” Breanne says.

  Mrs. Gedak reaches around and pats my knee. “Hope we didn’t rush you too much,” she says. “We thought we’d grab something to eat in Weyburn.”

  “Fine by me.”

  Then I look down and see one of my Sketchers propped on top of my bag. I shift in my seat so I can see the other one. I turn right around and see Courtney’s wearing one of my shirts too.

  “Nice outfit,” I say.

  She smiles. She knows I won’t get into an argument in front of Evan’s parents.

  “Thanks for letting us come, Mr. and Mrs. Gedak,” Gia says. “We appreciate it.”

  “The more, the merrier,” Rev. Gedak says.

  –

  Rev. and Mrs. Gedak talk basketball and religion all the way to Regina. The two subjects are so intertwined I’m not sure where one ends and the other starts. Breanne reads to me from an assortment of school and library books in her backpack. She’s a good reader, considering she just started Grade Two. Behind me, Courtney and Gia listen to each other’s iPods and play on Gia’s iPhone. The kid has everything.

  “So where does your auntie live?” I ask Gia while Breanne’s digging in her Taylor Swift backpack.

  “Not far from the university,” Gia replies. “She’s going to pick us up at 8:30. Is that okay?”

  “Sure. Got any plans for tonight?”

  “Just watching movies and hanging out.”

  “And that’s why you’re wearing my shirt?” I ask Courtney.

  My view of her is suddenly blocked by The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist. “I’m ready!” Breanne says.

  We stop at Dairy Queen in Weyburn to grab some takeout. When it comes times to pay, Gia reaches in her purse and comes out with a hundred dollar bill.

  Meanwhile I have to pay for Courtney’s supper.

  “Mom said you’re supposed to give me money,” Courtney says. “She’ll pay you back tomorrow.”

  I stare at her, and she boldly returns my gaze.

  “You’ll have to wait until I find an ATM,” I say.

  While we’re waiting for the Gedaks to get their order, Courtney and Gia disappear into the bathroom. When Courtney comes out, her eyes are made up with black liner, just like Gia’s.

  “You look ridiculous,” I hiss. “Go wash that off.”

  Courtney tosses her head.

  As I follow her to the van, I wonder if this is an improvement: Courtney moving from the Coven to Gia.

  My gut says...

  Not likely.

  – Chapter Fourteen –

  The Regina Cougars men’s basketball team play their home games at the complex attached to the Education building on campus. We don’t arrive in time to see much of the warm-up, but there’s a huge crowd wearing Cougar green and gold that does. For a while it looks like we could be the only people cheering for Calgary, but Rev. Gedak manages to sniff out some other Dino parents. He introduces me to Mr. and Mrs. Blah-Blah-Blah, whose son is Blah-Blah Blah-Blah-Blah.

  When we go into the gym, Breanne and I sit to the left of her parents while Courtney and Gia sit in front of me.

  I look for Evan on the court and he’s there, focused on executing the drills. He’s put on some muscle since I saw him last. Before he goes to the bench, he looks up at the crowd, as if he’s trying to find us.

  “Wave at him, Jessie!” Mrs. Gedak urges me.

  I stand up and flail my arms.

  “Call out to him!”

  “The music’s too loud.” I sit down again. “He’d never hear me anyway.”

  “I hope he gets lots of court time,” Rev. Gedak says. “He did at the Lethbridge tournament. Too bad you couldn’t come.”

  “It was the weekend after the U of S fall camp. I didn’t want to miss another day of school so early in the year, not with all the classes I’m going to miss because of hockey.”

  You wouldn’t have cared if Mark had invited you to watch him play, my little voice says. You’re only going out with Evan because he’s safe. He’s too religious to push the physical stuff.

  I make Evan happy.

  My little voice chirps in my ear, you don’t call Evan. And sometimes you ignore his texts.

  I’m very busy with school and hockey. I never dreamed we’d have to practice so much in AAA.

  The voice whispers, you’re going to have to kiss him later.

  Of course I wi
ll. And I’ll let him hold my hand and put his arm around me. If I spend enough time with him, eventually I’m going to start to feel about him the way I used to feel about Mark.

  Used to feel?

  “Basketball is a lot like hockey, isn’t it?” Mrs. Gedak observes. “Minus the skates and the goaltender.”

  “Evan wants to be like Steve Nash,” Breanne says. “He watches Steve Nash all the time.” She yawns. “I hate Steve Nash.”

  “Steve Nash is the best point guard in the NBA,” says Mrs. Gedak.

  “Breanne, do you know what a quarterback does in football?” Rev. Gedak asks his daughter.

  Breanne nods her head uncertainly.

  “Well, a point guard is like a quarterback. It’s his job to know the game plan and execute it. He needs to be able to speed up or slow down the game and set up plays. He needs to have great ball-handling skills, especially in heavy traffic.”

  While he’s telling her this, I think about how closely this relates to defence in hockey. I want to be exactly like a point guard. I want to be the smartest and most skilled player on the ice. I want to quarterback the power play, like Jodi does. I want to play shutdown defence and bust-their-balls offence.

  While the Gedaks continue to educate Breanne about basketball, some university guys sit next to me. At least I assume they’re in university because they’ve got their faces painted and they’re carrying noisemakers. One of them asks if he can look at my program, and we strike up a conversation. It turns out one of the Cougars is from his hometown, and Indian Head Guy is there to cheer him on.

  Courtney stands up and asks if she can borrow some money for licorice. I give her a twenty.

  “When are you going to get me some money?” she asks.

  “I just gave you some,” I reply.

  Courtney and Gia leave.

  A loud buzzer sounds, and the teams go to the sidelines, towel off, and get ready. While his coach issues last minute instructions, Evan stands near the bench, facing the court, so I gather he isn’t starting. The Cougar fans start cheering, and the guys sitting next to me fire up their noisemakers.

  Since Evan isn’t on the court, and since Indian Head Guy is playing “Twenty Questions,” I don’t pay much attention to the game once it’s underway. I do notice that the Cougars jump out in front early in the first quarter, and the Dinos struggle to find their stride.