Page 12 of Pucking Good Girl

Gen shrugs, checking her cuticles as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world. Cuticle care is one of her obsessions; she could talk about it until I literally fell asleep.

“Victor thought about everything. He already made me take another quiz after I blew him. And he forged one for Talia that would get her an F. It’s up to her if she wants this to go away or if she wants to fail the class. And before you ask any more stupid questions, he’s holding onto the original quizzes, so he has something to hold over our heads to make sure we do what he wants until graduation. All Talia has to do is put out like I did, and everything will be fine and dandy.”

Isn’t it sad that I’m not surprised by her reaction?

But I still make one last-ditch attempt to change her mind. “Gen, why don’t you do the right thing for once in your life? Talia has nothing to do with this. I’m asking you this as a favor. I’ve always defended you when other people called you a bitch. I’ve always thought that you were a good person deep down. If you’ve ever cared about me like you say you did, please make this right.”

For a second, something flickers in Gen’s blue eyes. But it’s gone so quickly that I might have imagined it.

“Ok.” she says. “I’ll go to Cantucci with Talia and report Victor. On one condition.”

“What is that?” I ask, ready to go live with her on social media or help her get whatever brand deal she has her sights set on.

But I should have known better. I should have known that making a deal with Gen is like dealing with the devil.

“Break up with Talia and get back together with me. I have a whole plan for us, babe. You’ll propose to me during winter break.” Her gaze softens, smiling as she tells me the rest of her plan. “You’ll sign with the Seattle Guardians and won’t come back for your senior year. You don’t need a college degree when you’ll be making millions from the get go. Even if you had to sign an entry level contract—and I doubt it—I’ve been in talks with the TV network that produced this summer’s reality show during training camp. They’re offering us seven figures to follow your rookie year as long as we marry before next season starts. Our wedding would be the television event of the year.”

Jesus Christ.

I would do anything for Talia, except break up with her. Especially to get back with Gen.

My mom raised me and Becks, telling us that justice will always triumph. That even when it seems that all is lost, karma has a way to punish the people who deserve it. People like Genevieve.

I have no idea how I’m going to fix this for my girl, but I know that breaking up with her isn’t the way to do it. Even if she didn’t want to keep seeing me when our deal is over, leaving her for Gen would destroy our friendship.

One realization hits me square in the gut the second I think that thought. Even if Talia didn’t reciprocate my feelings and wanted to be with Becks, I would rather have her in my life as a friend than not at all.

With that certainty, I shake my head at my ex-girlfriend.

“I would rather let the entire team use me to practice their slapshots without any protective gear than ever touch you again.” I say.

Gen’s smile fades at my words. “Then enjoy dating Victor’s future cum slut. Unless Talia prefers failing out of the class. She won’t be able to graduate in time, and she’s so broke that she might never be able to graduate at all. I wonder if you’re still going to enjoy dating her when she’s a full-time waitress.”

I look at Gen as if I were seeing her for the first time. “Do you really think that what job or how much money someone has matters to me when it comes to who I love?”

She laughs as if my question were ridiculous. “Of course it does.”

“We’ve been in each other’s lives since we were born, Genevieve. You were my first everything. But you don’t know me at all if that’s what you think about me.” I say, equally shocked and disgusted.

“Oh, come on, Mack. Drop the act. You’ve been dating Talia to make me jealous and to make me pay for what you considered cheating.”

It’s my turn to laugh, but there’s no mirth in it. “What I consider cheating? Correct me if I’m wrong, but when two people are in an exclusive relationship, and one of those two people fucks someone else behind the other person’s back, that isn’t considered cheating. It is cheating.”

Gen has never known when to admit defeat and quit talking. “If I ever strayed, it’s because you were the worst boyfriend ever. I always came second to hockey, and I felt lonely.”

“We’ve had this same conversation many times, Gen. I did my best juggling our schedules. You knew I would never be able to be at your beck and call twenty-four-seven even in high school. If you didn’t like how much time I had for you, you should have ended it with me rather than finding someone else to fill in for me.” I’m so tired of her constant recriminations. Bone tired.

“I ended it with you many times.” She shoots back. “I just couldn’t stay away.”

That’s true. And every time she asked me to get back together, I thought it was because she loved me.

Now I know better. It was because she couldn’t find someone better to put the plan she had just laid out for me into action.

I run my hand through my hair, frustrated. “We aren’t a good match for each other, Gen. I’m a hockey player and I want to be noticed for my skills on the ice. I’ll never be the social media star you want by your side. And I’ll never have the amount of time you want me to devote to you.”

“You have time for Talia.” She says bitterly. “Every time I see you around campus, in class or at a party, you’re with her.”

“Talia understands that I have an obligation to the Cove Knights. And she’s just as busy as I am between classes and her job. We both do what we can to make time for each other.”