Kat & Mouse by Jacquelyn Heat

Author:Jacquelyn Heat [Heat, Jacquelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC027330, FIC027210
ISBN: 9781733940207
Publisher: Metal Heart Press
Published: 2019-05-29T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

TWEEET!

“White five, blocking out of play!”

Dot didn’t look at the ref. She left the track without a word. But as much as she tried to pretend otherwise, she knew it was Kat who’d made the call. Dot could avoid looking, but she couldn’t avoid hearing.

She sat down in the penalty box, closed her eyes, and exhaled. Their first scrimmage with the agreement in place, and she could already tell how difficult this was going to be. Not looking at Kat, not reacting to her—it took tremendous force of will. It was exhausting. Not to mention it meant Dot wasn’t letting off any steam. She just kept swallowing her anger. Bottling it up.

TWEET-TWEET-TWEET-TWEET!

The jam ended with Dot in the box. Jaw clenched, she leaned back in her chair and rolled her eyes up to look at Pixie.

Pixie checked her now-paused stopwatch. “Twelve seconds.”

“Thanks.” Dot turned back to the track to find the white team had fielded a full four blockers. Unbelievable. Was no one paying attention? “YO, WHITE! AM I INVISIBLE OVER HERE?” Her ire rang out through the venue. Startled eyes looked at her from all directions. She threw her hands up. “What! I can’t yell at my own teammates now?”

Kara exited the track, leaving three white blockers. That had been the whole point, but Dot could still feel eyes judging her. She folded her arms defiantly.

TWEEET!

Start of a new jam.

“White five, stand.”

Ten seconds later, Dot was released back into the fray. She managed to get through the last five minutes of the first period with no further penalties. That put her at three, going into halftime.

She retrieved her water bottle from the rink wall with the intention of refilling it at the fountain. But she thought better of that idea when she spotted Kat heading in the same direction. Whatever. Water could wait.

“HEAVY METAL!” Coach Rex’s voice boomed. She had a way of shouting with a cool, commanding tone, quite unlike Dot’s abrasive outburst. “Take a minute to do whatever you need to do, then meet me in the corner!”

Good, another strategy discussion. That would keep Dot’s mind occupied—and keep her from accidentally making eye contact with Kat.

“Mouse, do you have a minute?”

Dot turned to find Coach’s authoritative gaze fixed on her. “Uh. Yeah, what for?”

“What for?” Coach quirked an eyebrow. “Come on, Mouse. It’s pretty obvious you aren’t quite yourself tonight.”

“Ehh. Yeah. See, Kat and I—”

“Yeah yeah, I know about the thing with Kat. The deal you two made where you’re not acknowledging each other.”

Dot swallowed. “You do?”

“Of course I do. I’m your coach.” She put a hand on Dot’s shoulder. “Look, how you guys decide to navigate that whole thing is none of my business. But its effect on your play is my business.”

Dot cringed. “Shit. Am I doing that bad out there?”

“Well . . . not exactly. You’re not playing poorly, as an individual. It’s just that you’re playing like you’re out there by yourself.” Coach glanced at the bench area. “It’s like you’re not just ignoring Kat, you’re ignoring everybody.

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