20. Asher

20

ASHER

N o one can ever say that I don’t go after what I want. After all, it’s the reason why I’m up earlier than usual to talk to Isla before my early morning practice.

Convincing Coach Johnson that I should be the star of the new video series that Isla will help put together was almost too easy. None of the other guys were eager to have their lives taped; honestly, I’m not either. But this opportunity allows Isla and me to spend more time together, something I’ve wanted to do since I thought I saw her on campus weeks ago.

Before the incident at her house.

As I’m headed to my car, I glance at my phone, double-checking the time to make sure that I’m not late. I know I’m not, but checking to confirm I’m not provides some reassurance. Instead of riding over with one of the other guys, I drive myself because I want to talk to Isla alone.

I assume she wasn’t too pleased to learn that I would be the subject of her series, but she didn’t decline the job, nor did she have an issue with meeting me at the arena early this morning. We are meeting to iron out some last-minute details before we start this whole experiment.

The campus is quiet as I drive to the arena, and when I pull into the parking lot, I spot Isla’s car already there. However, I also spot Coach’s and a few other vehicles. It makes sense he would be here because he’s always here before the rest of us, but now I’m almost wishing we agreed to meet elsewhere. But there’s nothing I can do about that now.

You need to remain calm, Bennett.I repeat the mantra as I turn my ignition off and exit the vehicle. I need to control how I act around her with Coach nearby, because he’ll pick up on something wrong if the interaction between Isla and me is weird. Yes, we’re practically strangers at this point, but we spent a significant portion of the summer together when Coach and Mrs. Johnson allowed me to stay with them for hockey camp just before starting my freshman year.

And then we fell in love, and I fucked it all up.

However, I’ve recently had my tongue in her pussy, which tells me she’s not disgusted by the sight of me.

I take a deep breath and enter the arena, my eyes scanning the hallway for any sign of Isla. Since I don’t see her, I approach the locker room. Justas I enter the tunnel, I spot her leaning against the wall, her eyes on her phone. I notice that she has her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and has placed her camera bag on the floor beside her. She doesn’t realize that I am walking toward her because she is engrossed in whatever is on her phone.

“Hey,”I say, trying to keep my voice casual despite feeling anything but.“Thanks for meeting me early.”

Isla looks up from her phone, her eyes meeting mine.“No problem. I think you’re right and that it is a good idea for us to talk before we start this whole thing.”

I nod, shoving my hands in my pockets.“Yeah, I figured it would be good for us to set our expectations for this project. Make sure we’re on the same page.”

Isla tucks her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, her focus on me never wavering.“Okay, so let’s talk. How do you want to handle this? What are you okay with me filming? What should I avoid doing?”

I pause for a moment, considering her questions carefully.“Well, I want to keep it real, you know? I don’t want anything to appear rehearsed. But,”I run a hand through my hair,“there are some parts of my life I’d rather keep private. My family, for example. They’re not part of this, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“I can respect that. This project is about you, and although your family is a part of that, I get not wanting to drag them into it. I’ll focus on your day-to-day as an athlete, routines, interactions with the team, the fans…that kind of thing.”

“Yeah, that sounds good,”I reply, happy that we’ve come to that agreement.“And as for the rest…just let me know if something feels off or you’re uncomfortable filming something. We can always work around it.”

She nods. “Likewise.”

This almost feels too easy. I thought the conversation we needed to have would have been longer, but now I’m left standing here with her, trying to figure out what should happen next. Bringing up the bathroom incident is risky, given where we are, but I’m not sure when I’ll have an opening next.

I’m about to say something else when I hear footsteps down the tunnel. I turn to see Coach Johnson approaching, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the scene before him.

“Asher, Isla,”he greets us, his tone giving nothing away about what he’s thinking.“Everything alright here?”

“Yeah, Coach,”I respond quickly.“Just going over some last-minute details for the video project that Isla will be filming.”

“Ah,”Coach says, as if he just remembered what this could be about.“Good. Remember, Asher, this is a great opportunity, but hockey comes first. Don’t let this distract you from what’s important.”

“Of course, Coach,”I reply, hoping my words don’t give away my true feelings about this.“Hockey is always the priority.”

As if he is satisfied with my answer, Coach Johnson gives me a curt nod before his attention shifts to Isla. His stern expression softens instantly, and a warm smile spreads across his face.

“Hey, kiddo,”he says, opening his arms. Isla steps forward, and he pulls her into a hug.“It was great having you over for dinner the other night. Mom has been talking about it ever since.”

Isla laughs softly.“I know. She already texted me a couple of recipes she wants to try next time.”

“You know how she gets when she’s excited about something. Speaking of excited,”Coach states.“I also know how you get when you’re focused on something challenging that brings you joy. Remember to take care of yourself too. I know this project will be time-consuming, and you have a bunch of other responsibilities.”

“I will, Dad.”

The two share another hug before Coach’s gaze shifts back to me.“Go on ahead and suit up. The other boys should be here any minute.”

With that, Coach Johnson walks away, leaving Isla and me standing alone once more.

“Well,”Isla says, breaking the silence,“I guess we should get started.”

“Yeah,”I agree, rubbing the back of my neck.“I need to get ready for practice. Meet me outside the locker room in ten?”

She nods, picking up her camera bag.“I’ll be here.”

I give Isla a quick nod before heading into the locker room. As I change into my practice gear, I find myself thinking about Isla instead of focusing on what drills we’ll be doing during today’s practice session. I’m doing the exact thing I promised Coach I wouldn’t do, but what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

I finish suiting up just as the rest of the team trickles into the locker room. Knox, who I’ve barely talked to outside of what went down with us in the kitchen, gives me a curious look as he sets his things down in his stall, which just so happens to be next to mine.

“You’re here early,”he comments, pulling his practice jersey over his head.“Trying to get in some extra practice to keep up with me?”

I roll my eyes, tying up my skates.“Just had some things to take care of before practice.”

Knox smirks.“Things like chatting up Coach’s daughter? You seemed overly eager to be the star of America’s Next Top Hockey Star.”

My head snaps up, and I shoot him a warning glare. I really don’t want to deal with his shit this morning.“Fuck off.”

“Hey, you two,”Levi says as he’s sitting next to me.“We’re not dealing with this bull shit today. It’s too fucking early. Got it?”

Knox holds up his hands, his smirk never leaving his face.“Relax, dude. Just making an observation.”

Levi shakes his head, muttering something under his breath as he finishes getting ready. I don’t know what has snuck up Knox’s ass and died, but I’m tempted to punch him so hard that it falls out.

While repeating a mantra to keep my emotions in check, I finish tying my skates and grab my stick, heading out of the locker room without another word. I spot Isla waiting near the entrance to the rink, her camera already in hand. She gives me a small smile as I approach.

“Ready?”she asks, lifting the camera.

“Mmm hmmm,”is the only thing I say. I’m still heated from Knox’s bullshit in the locker room. I don’t want to take it out on her, so it’s best that I keep my responses short and to the point.

We walk to the rink in silence, and as I step onto the ice, I feel the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. This is where I belong, where everything else fades away, and it’s just me, my stick, and the puck. I take a few laps around the rink, feeling the cold air whip against my face as I pick up speed.

I glance over my shoulder and see Isla standing at the boards, her camera trained on me. For a moment, I feel self-conscious, which is silly. I’m used to being filmed on the ice. But knowing that my every move is being captured on video by her causes me to feel some type of way. Then I remind myself that this is what I signed up for, and I need to push through the discomfort if I want to spend more time with her in this manner.

As the rest of the team joins me on the ice, Coach blows his whistle, signaling the start of practice. We run through a series of drills, focusing on puck handling and shooting. I throw myself into the exercises, finding that although I’m focusing on hockey, Isla isn’t too far from my mind.

As practice winds down, Coach calls us over to the boards for a final pep talk.“Good work out there today, boys,”he says, his eyes sweeping over the group.“Keep this up, and we’ll be in good shape for our next game.”

When we break from the huddle, I can’t help but glance over at Isla, who’s still filming. She catches my eye and gives me a subtle nod, and I find myself licking my lips in response.

Once the entire team is back in the locker room, the next few minutes pass in a blur. None of the guys talk to one another, as we’re all busy getting ready for the rest of the day.

After I’m dressed, I grab my things and head out of the locker room to find Isla waiting for me. She’s fiddling with her camera; I assume she’s reviewing the footage from practice.

“Hey,”I say, approaching her.“How’d it look out there?”

She glances up, a small smile on her face.“Great. I got some excellent footage.”

“Glad to hear it,”I reply, shifting my hockey bag on my shoulder.“So, what’s next on the agenda?”

Isla consults her phone.“Well, according to your schedule, you’ve got class in about thirty minutes. I was thinking I could film you walking to class, maybe get some shots of you on campus, and then I’ll head to my class, and we’ll meet up later. If that’s okay with you, of course.”

“You know my schedule?”I don’t remember sharing that information with her.

She raises an eyebrow at me.“Yes. Because it’s now a part of my job to follow you.”

“Who told you?”

Isla gives me a little shrug.“I’m resourceful.”I stare at her until she responds.“Fine, Dad gave it to me.”

I can’t help but smirk.“Pulling rank to get your way. Okay, but yeah, that works. Let’s do it.”

Isla rolls her eyes, and together, we head out of the arena. Isla walks slightly ahead of me to get some footage of me in motion. It feels a bit strange having her film moments like this, but I remind myself that this is all part of the process.

We wrap up filming and agree to meet on campus near my first class. As I’m driving to the building, I can’t help but be thankful that we both drove to the arena this morning because it gives me an opportunity to take a breather from being around her. My thoughts have been drifting between wanting to reestablish our friendship and wanting to bend her over and fuck her until we’re both satisfied.

Thinking about the bathroom incident doesn’t help matters. The last thing I needed her to see was the hard-on I was sporting just being in her presence.

We both pull up to campus, and I grab my bookbag as I step out of the car. Isla follows suit and locks her car behind her.

“Ready to film some more b-footage?”

“Is that what it’s called?”I ask, not sure if I’ve heard the term before.

Isla nods.“Yeah, we should probably make it quick so we can both make it to class on time.”

Justas we’re about to film again, my phone rings, and I glance at the screen. It’s my mom. I pause for a second, then look at Isla.

“Give me a minute?”I say, already stepping away to take the call. I don’t wait for a response from Isla as I answer the call.“Hey, Mom. What’s up?”

There’s a brief pause on the other end, and when she speaks, I can hear the strain in her voice.“Hey, sweetheart. How are you doing?”

I can tell she’s trying to put off what she wants to say to me, which means it’s not good.“Pretty good. I’m about to go to class. How are things there?”

“Not good. I hate to bother you with this, but we’ve got a serious problem with the roof. There’s a leak, and it’s pretty bad. The contractor said it’s going to cost more than I can afford to get it fixed.”

I exhale what feels like all the air out of my lungs.“How bad is it?”

“It’s bad, honey. Water’s been getting into Avery’s room. We’ve tried to patch it up temporarily, but no dice. The contractor says we should just replace the entire roof. I knew I would have to do it because of its age, but it deteriorated quicker than we thought.”

I close my eyes and shake my head.“Did he give you an estimate?”

“Yeah... It’s going to be around nine grand, Asher. I... I don’t know how we’re going to swing it.”

I run a hand through my hair, pulling on it as if it will lead to us finding money to pay for it. I have some funds available, but throwing this much down will make things tight for us.“And this isn’t something that we can charge to…I don’t know, like insurance or something?”

Mom sighs on the other end of the line.“No, our insurance won’t cover it. They say it’s normal wear and tear, not damage from a specific event. I’ve been trying to figure out a way, but...”Her voice trails off as if she doesn’t know what else to say.

I glance over at Isla, who’s trying to look occupied with her camera, but I wonder if she can hear what I’m saying. She meets my gaze, then quickly looks away, pretending to adjust the settings on her camera.

“Listen, Mom,”I say, keeping my voice low.“I’ve saved some money from those NIL deals I did. It’s not a ton, but it should be enough to cover the roof repairs. I’ll transfer it to you tonight, okay?”

“Oh, Asher, I hate to ask you for this. You work so hard for that money, and?—”

“Mom, it’s fine,”I cut her off gently.“This is what the money is for. You and Avery need the money more than I do right now. Take it.”

There’s a moment of silence, and I can practically hear her fighting with herself to accept the help. Finally, she speaks.“Thank you, sweetheart. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

“We both know you’d figure out some way to make it work. But you don’t have to. I’m happy to help.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much. You know how much I hate asking you?—”

I stop her before she starts crying because I can already hear the emotion in her voice.“I love you, Mom,”I say, my voice softening.“Everything’s going to be okay.”

“I love you too, Asher. More than you know.”

We say our goodbyes, and I hang up the phone. I turn back to Isla, who’s watching me. She’s put the camera away, and I’m grateful for her discretion.

“Everything alright?”she asks gently.

“Yeah, just some family stuff. Nothing to worry about.”

Isla doesn’t push, but the look she gives me tells me she knows I’m not telling the full truth.“Okay. If you ever need to talk, though, I’m here.”

Her words catch me off guard. Why would she want to lend an ear to my shit after everything I’ve done to her?“Thanks, Isla. I appreciate that.”

And I mean every word.

“No worries.”

I glance at my phone, realizing we’re both going to be late for class if we don’t get moving.“We should probably get going.”

“Right, of course,”Isla agrees, bending down to put her camera back in her bag.“I’ll catch up with you later for more filming?”

“Sounds good. Text me when you finish classes, and we’ll figure something out.”

With that, we part ways. As I walk into the building, I still think about the conversation I had with my mom. I know I did the right thing, but I can’t help feeling pissed off. Maybe resentment is the better word for it. Not toward my family, who have made more than their fair share of sacrifices for me, but toward the situation. Toward the fact that no matter how hard I work, it never seems to be enough to get us ahead.

At least for now.

I shake my head, determined to silence the inner voice that tells me I’ll never be good enough. It’s crucial that I stay focused right now and not let anything distract me. I need to focus on my classes and on hockey. I sit in the back of the classroom and pull out my notebook. It is time to force myself to tune into the lecture versus my personal life.