It's been a week since Grady showed up at my dorm. I hadn't gotten around to telling Pritchett even though I know I need to incase he shows up again. I'm hoping he'll just stay away.

Pritchett, Margot, and I are back to normal thankfully. I told them I was sorry, they told me they were sorry, we cried over bowls of ice cream watching a sappy movie and that was that.

Jack and Dylan have kept quiet about Grady which I appreciate more than they know.

I stop quickly and dart around Jack, my skates quickly picking up traction. "Catch me if you can!" I call out over my shoulder and he smirks at me.

"The least you could do is make it hard for me." Jack says, running a hand through his hair as he pushes off to follow me.

I cut a sharp turn just as he's about to touch the back of my shirt and he laughs. I look at him innocently over my shoulder. "You said to make it hard. I might not be able to skate faster than you, but I can certainly cut sharper turns than you."

"How do you know I'm not letting you do that?"

I guess I don't. I push off again and I hear the sound of skates quickly catching up to me. I start to laugh, slowing because I know he's about to catch me and I'd rather not fall to the ground when he grabs me.

He wraps his arms around my waist and I yelp, grabbing onto his shirt to balance myself. "Jack!" I exclaim, hitting his chest.

"Al!" He mimics with a high falsetto and I laugh, pushing out of his grip.

"That isn't what I sound like."

"That isn't what I sound like."

I roll my eyes and skate backwards, "You suck."

"You're getting faster," He compliments and I feel a spark of happiness rise in me because I am getting faster. My jumps are cleaner and my spins smooth. Slowly but surely, I'm getting back to what I used to be.

"Just not as fast as you," I remark.

Jack shrugs, "You took some time off. Plus, I'm me. No one's as fast as me."

If anyone else had said it, I'd say they're a cocky son of a bitch. Jack saying it is just a fact. "Have you thought anymore about the draft?"

"Eh, Coach thinks if I declare for the draft this year I'll be an early pick. That gives me a year to finalize a contract and finish my degree." He says is so calmly you'd think we were talking about our favorite kind of dog.

I tilt my head curiously at him as we skate slowly, "Where would you like to end up?"

Jack's cheeks flush, "Dallas Stars. It's close to my momma and I grew up watching them. Who knows though? I'm just happy to know that teams are interested. A lot of guys don't even get this opportunity."

"You've put in the work that a lot of people also don't do. They'd be stupid not to be interested."

The cool air in the rink feels like home. I spin and Jack smiles at me. "You're in an awfully good mood today."

"What's not to be happy about? We're alive and we're free. Am I not allowed to be in a good mood?"

"It's a good look on you."

I skate quickly around the edges, my skates gliding easily and I feel the wind against my face. Jack is leaning against the wall watching when I come back around. "You know, I think it's ironic that you're from Texas."

His face morphs into one of confusion, "Why?"

"I was supposed to go to TCU. Had a scholarship and everything."

I've caught him by surprise, "Really?"

I nod, wiggling backwards on my skates. "Yeah. After everything went down with Grady and I got my acceptance letter I thought it'd be perfect for a fresh start."

"Why'd you stay?"

"My parents. They didn't want to pay for it when going here was free." I say, feeling less bitter about it now that I did at the beginning of the school year. "I fought it and them a lot. It helped that Pritchett and Margot were both coming here, but Grady was too. The football coach was eager to get him to commit here."

Jack shakes his head, "I'm sorry Al. For what it's worth, I'm glad you're here."

I hold my arms out and spin, "It's okay. I don't want you to be sorry about it. It happened and I'm glad I'm here too. I just think it's ironic that as one of my friends, you're from Texas where I was supposed to go and you're here."

"I'm not really following, but whatever floats your boat."

I laugh, tilting my head back. "How much time do we have left before morning skate starts?" I don't mind the early mornings where I get up and come here. I actually kind of like it when Jack comes with. Yesterday he put his headphones in and practiced his wrist flick on one side of the rink and I had the other half to do whatever the hell I wanted.

"Probably another fifteen before players start getting here." He replies and I sigh.

"Guess it's time to pack it up then."

Jack skates off the ice gracefully. I still haven't really gotten used to skating with him. I thought he was big off the ice, but on it? He's larger than fucking life. "So Halloween is next weekend. Got any plans?"

I raise an eyebrow at him, "I think my dorm floor is having some get together, but I haven't decided if I'm going or not."

"Coop's frat is having a party. I was just going to say that you could come with us if you wanted to."

"Who is included in that 'us'?"

"Dylan, Ruby, Coop of course. Probs a couple of other guys from the team but I promise they're cool. Peyton and I are going in matching costumes." He says, unlacing his skates quickly, stuffing the laces inside the shoe. Not quite sure why he's taking them off when he's just going to have to put them back on when everyone else gets here.

I can't help but chuckle at that because now I'm intrigued. "What are you going as?"

He grumbles under his breath, "Cowboys. She picked and thought since I already have boots from home that it'd be perfect."

"You sound so thrilled."

"Meh, I'm proud I'm from Texas, but I don't particularly enjoying up like a cowboy. When I was six, I loved it. At twenty-one? Not so much." Jack shrugs, dragging a hand through his dark hair. "What are you going to go as?"

"Pritchett's usually in charge of costumes. I tend to just wear whatever she picks out. I think last year we went as..." My voice falters because I didn't go out last Halloween. I was with Grady. We stayed in because that's what he wanted to do. "I don't remember what we went as last year. I do know that she is in charge this year."

"Well she and Margot are more than welcome to come to the party if you decide you want to come."

So I have a bit of a guilty confession to make. I'm not the biggest fan of Peyton. She seems perfectly nice and all, I've just noticed that she gets a bit standoffish when I'm around. For instance when I was in Jack's room changing and she asked if I was stalking him.

She's never been like mean to me. She hasn't been nice though.

"Thanks for the invite, I'll talk to them and see what they want to do." I smile at him and I know that the party is where we'll end up going. Margot and Pritchett love hanging out with Jack and his friends.

They said it makes them feel like part of an elite status since we're freshmen and they're upperclassmen.

"When's your mom coming up?" I ask and a smile grows on his face.

"She'll be here Thursday. Her flight gets in late so I'm going with Dylan to pick her up. Momma promised that she'd bring extra cookies this time since she heard Ruby complaining she never gets any."

"I bet it'll be great to see her."

Jack reclines against the bench, "I can't wait. You're coming to the game Saturday, right?"

"I don't know," My answer comes out hesitant. First of all, my dad would spot me in the crowd out of anyone. Second of all, I really don't know.

He juts his bottom lip out, "Please Al. You have to come. You already missed last weekend's preseason game. You can't miss this one."

"Jack, you're a grown ass adult, why are you making a puppy dog face?" Not that it isn't adorable, but seriously?

"Because I want you to come to my game and this face works on everyone." Jack says matter of factly and I shake my head at him.

"I'll let you know, okay?"

"Perfect. I'll set aside another ticket for you. Now, as much as I enjoy spending time with you, if you don't want to get caught by your dad, you better get going."

I feign a dramatic gasp, "You like spending time with me?"

He smirks and pushes my shoulder, "Of course I do. You and your sparkling personality. Seriously though, you should go."

"Think I have time to put these back in your locker?" I ask, nudging my skates with my foot.

Jack looks at his phone, "Probably not unless you want to see a bunch of dicks hanging out as the team gets ready."

Gross. Not an image I needed in my head. I shudder and pass them to him so he can fit them in his bag. "I appreciate you a lot."

"Damn right you do," He winks at me. I make my way out of the rink with a smile, relieved that today has already started in the best way possible.

Jack hasn't treated me differently since he found out about Grady. I wish he'd told me that Grady had approached him, but I get why he didn't. I wasn't exactly forthcoming about what we used to be.

It's just a relief that Jack is now aware of the situation.

Since Grady showed up at my room, I've been a little more cautious around campus. We're not in any classes together which is nice, but he clearly has been keeping tabs on me.

I've been trying not to stress out about seeing him again because I know it's only a matter of time. He brought up how I haven't been to any of the games. I'm not sure why he thinks I would go?

Hell, I don't even really want to go to Jack's.

I got out of going last week because I had a test I needed to study for, but I don't have an excuse this week. Plus I kinda want to meet his mom. She sounds great. Jack's roommates have really been hyping her up.

So I guess it sounds like I'm going to Jack's game.

I think it's bullshit that Grady misses me. He doesn't miss me. Grady just misses having someone to push around.

I'm not that person anymore.

I'm really having a nice time hanging out with Jack. I feel more like myself with him than I do with anyone other than Pritchett and Margot. Maybe even more than I do with them. I still haven't told them I'm skating again.

I'm just going with what feels right to me at the current moment.

I know they'd be happy for me. I guess I'm just enjoying having that knowledge for myself.

Maybe I'll tell them soon.

There's no harm in waiting, right?