Plié and Clout

Chapter 9: What About Focusing On Hockey? Liar.

God, okay, this corona vacation is whack. 

MUSIC: Eyes off You - PRETTYMUCH

Also, double post because I'm mad bored.

-rabid

***

STEPH:

I flop into the car, grinning like a madman. Jilly is blasting music and immediately turns it way down to cover her blunder but I don't really care.

"So it went well then?" She's giving me a peculiar look. I blush pink again and slouch down in my seat, giving her a nod.

"Yeah." I mumble.

"What did you find out?"

"Nothing, but like, everything," I look up at her. "I'm a mess."

"Yeah, a mess for her."

"Ohhhhhhhh god." I can't wipe the smile from my face. I lean forward and start the car, but we don't go anywhere. "I'm pretty sure if she so much as brushed against me I'd explode."

"Like a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Good, very good, oh so good, everything about her is good." I look over at my sister, who's trying not to laugh at my slouched position in the driver's seat. "You probably don't get that do you."

"Stephan, you're going to be a fool for her, aren't you."

"Uh-huh." I nod.

"I mean I'm looking at the way you're smiling, and I watched you walk her to her car, Mr smooth."

"Oh god, no, no," I start to laugh. "I was nowhere near that, I was a stuttering mess, it was god awful."

"Alright so are we going home or are you going to keep gushing while the meter ticks further past legal zone." I look over at the grey thing, oh shoot. I kick the car into drive and move from the spot. "So, you didn't tell her who you are, right?"

"No, I'm under an alias." I stop at a cross and then continue straight, cities are hard to drive through, but the rink is on the outskirts so I needed a car. "Stephan Gallagher, civil engineer, I work on dams."

"This is going to end so badly." She laughs. "We need to make sure your alias is secure. Can we find you a company to say you work for? Can we make you fake social media?"

"No on the social media, I can just say I'm a bit stiff and don't have any, and yeah, go for it on the company."

"So you need to look professional every time you pick me up, no more shower head, Mr hockey. Collared shirt and slacks, it's going to suck, but you gotta if this is going to work."

"That's going to be an attention grabber with the guys, they're going to think that's funny."

"Do it for the girl." She whispers. "Also I've noticed you've completely forgotten about the 'I'm not going to date because I'm focusing on hockey' thing."

"Oh, zip it Jelly Beans." I look over at her. "Yeah, that was a big heap of BS. This girl is a once in a lifetime thing."

"I never knew you were a romantic." She laughs. "Fits."

I start to laugh with her. "Shush."