Brie Sheridan has had her heart broken way too many times. Rhett Price is usually the culprit, but, this time, he might be the solution.
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Brooke 'Brie' Sheridan wouldn't necessa...
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RHETT
It's not fun to go through life constantly feeling like everything you do will have catastrophic consequences.
Even when I'm thrust into a situation where everyone is happy and celebrating, even when the normal thing to do is plaster a smile and join in on the enthusiasm surrounding me, my mind still finds a way of ruining it all for me. It's a humiliating reminder I always have to be on the lookout for anything that can shatter the illusion of happiness I've created for myself, regardless of whether those threats are real and tangible or not.
I stand there at a party hosted by someone I barely know just because it's being held at the co-ed frat house (I don't think I've ever said more than five words to Keane Mahoney during the three years we've played hockey together), awkwardly cheering for Jeff as he attempts to do a keg stand just for the fun of it. Just because he can.
At least he's past his 'must impress Paige de Haan' phase, much to everyone's relief, especially since she's been acting all shy and giggly around Keane—the most out of character I've ever seen her behave around anyone.
On my hand, there's a red solo cup filled to the brim with orange juice that I had to pour myself, not trusting anyone from the team to do it for me, while everyone around me binge drinks. My father's stunt in rehab is a secret well kept, one I've been protecting with my life, and we all know I can't afford the luxury of screwing up the family's reputation by getting wasted in public.
If it were to come out that I made a fool out of myself for drinking too much, there would be prying, and, when the right (wrong) people want to find out the dirt on someone else, they'll stop at nothing to get the inside scoop. Simply blaming college culture for my drinking and public indecency habits won't do, no; since I'm a legacy player, they'd look into my past, my surroundings, and that includes my father. He doesn't need the added stress of the press and gossip magazines and websites digging into his personal business.
As such, I find my shoulders and knees buckling with the added weight of yet another responsibility that shouldn't be mine to carry, but I do what I have to do to keep this family happy. I do what I have to do to protect my father's reputation and, by association, my own. The better I behave, the lower the odds of anyone suspecting anything, and the higher the likelihood of my own success.
I know Brie can sense there's something different.
Maybe it's me projecting, maybe she just knows me that well, but I feel like we've returned to that stage in our relationship where we don't have to speak to convey our thoughts and feelings and can just trust each other to instinctively know these things.
I'm not a great communicator. It's a fatal flaw, one that has greatly contributed to Andy being offered both the captain position and a drafting opportunity over me (neither of which I hold against him), and it's also something that hasn't done anything to help improve my reputation or leave a good impression on people. Most of the time, people assume I'm arrogant and self-absorbed.
