Chapter Eleven;

Kris couldn’t stop thinking about Emily as he unlocked the door of his apartment. He wished Geno wouldn’t have asked her to be his girlfriend. Since he did, Kris had to keep everything a secret. He wanted to be able to kiss Emily in public. To tell her he loved her and hear her say it back without feeling guilty. But he couldn’t. Not yet.
As Kris walked into his apartment, he was surprised to see that the lights were on. He was even more surprised to hear that the TV was on. But what surprised him the most was seeing Max, passed out on his couch.
 “What the hell?” He asked loudly, causing Max to twitch a bit. “Max!” Kris yelled and Max’s eyes opened.
 “Huh?” He said, rubbing his eyes. “Oh, Tanger. Oh!” He said, fully awake now.
 “What are you doing here?” Kris asked feeling confused.
 “I stopped by after practice with Philippe to check on you. But you weren’t here so I decided to wait for you and I guess I fell asleep.” He explained, “Where were you?”
 “I was visiting my uncle François.” Kris lied smoothly, remembering his story.
 “Why didn’t you answer any of my calls?”
 “I left my phone in the car. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone.” Kris told him. Max seemed to be buying it.
 “Well, do you still feel like that?” Max asked, really meaning if he was still pissed about Geno and Emily.
 “No, I’m good. I worked things out.” Kris said with a subtle smile.
 “That’s good to hear.” Max said genuinely.
 “Yeah, now um. No offense, but you should probably…”
 “Don’t say it.” Max stopped him, “I’m going. Don’t you worry about it.”
 “Okay. I wasn’t worrying anyway.” Kris said, a grin was on his face.
 “Alrighty then. I’ll see ya at the arena.” Max said, getting up from the couch. He studied Kris’s face for a moment, thinking to himself about something, and then headed towards the door.
 “See you there.” Kris waved. Max just smiled and left, leaving Kris to go shower and get ready for the game.



 “Thanks for not answering me yesterday.” Ashley said jokingly as if she were mad at Emily for ignoring her.
 “I’m sorry, I was so lazy all day I didn’t even realize my phone was off.” She lied but Ashley didn’t question her. Ashley had just gotten to Em’s apartment where she was planning on finishing getting ready for the game. “What did you wanna talk about anyway?” Emily asked her.
 “I just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out with me, Jordy and Marc.” Ashley replied simply.
 “Oh god. Did you make fun of his hair?” Emily asked, knowing the answer.
Ashley just smiled, signaling a big fat yes. She knew her too well.
 “You’re awful.” Emily laughed, “Remember Ryan? It took me weeks to find out that he actually had a name, you called him Ginge so much!”
 “Oh my god he hated me so bad!” Ashley laughed at the memories. “But you were so in love with him!”
 “I was so nawt! That kid was a creeper!” She yelled. Ashley had tried to convince Emily to date the kid, insisting that they’d make a great couple. She was so wrong.
 “Whatever you say…” Ash laughed, “But back to Marc…”
 “What about him?”
 “Well, him and Jordan told me not to say anything to anyone but you’re my best friend so I’m telling you anyway.” She said, making Emily feel even more guilty about the previous night she couldn’t tell her about.
 “Telling me what?” She asked.
 “They’re gonna fight today in the game.” Ashley smiled.
 “Fight? Why?” Emily asked.
 “Well they were messing with each other about their hair colors and Jordy challenged him. Said it’d be fun.” Ashley explained, “Oh and I made a sign to take!”
Ashley pulled a big rolled up piece of paper out of her oversized bag and handed it to Emily. She unrolled it and read what it said out loud.
 “Hey Ginge, my money’s on the sexy blonde!” She read and laughed, “Oh my god, you would.”
 “Haha I know, right?”
 “Yeah, well I’m gonna go change. You can do whatever.” Emily told her and quickly went to her room to put on what she was wearing to the game. She picked out a pair of skinny jeans from AE, a light blue and white button down from Hollister with a dark blue cami underneath. She put a pair of small diamond studs in her ears and her lock and key Swarovski crystal necklace on. For her makeup she only put on a tiny bit of mascara and eyeliner. Not wanting to do anything special with her hair plus the fact it was cold out, she put on a white knit hat from Abercrombie.
Once she was done, she walked out of her room. Ashley was sitting on the couch putting glitter on the sign she made.
 “Oooh. Looking good for your new beau?” Ash asked, impressed with Emily’s outfit.
 “Sure, why not.” She replied. No use arguing against it.
 “How do I look? Is my hair alright?” Ashley asked, fussing with her dark brown hair. She straightened it and pinned her bangs back out of her face.
 “You look great, seriously. Your hair’s gorgeous.” Emily told her. Ashley had an obsession with asking how she looked. She would ask if she looked alright over and over again, no matter how many times you told her she looked perfect.
 “Are you sure?”
 “Positive.”
 “Okay, thanks.” Ash said and put the finishing touches on the sign. “Like it?”
 “Love it.” Em laughed as she read it over again. Jordy’d get a kick out of it.
 “So, how’s Geno?” Ashley asked, changing the subject.
 “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him since Friday night.” Emily said. She felt like she should call him and talk to him right now, but she didn’t really want to. To be honest, she didn’t know what she would say. She hoped that when she saw him in person it wouldn’t be awkward talking to him. Yet, if it was, it could be a good excuse to break up with him.
 “You better talk to him today! He’s your boyfriend!” Ashley reminded her.
 “I know, I will.”
 “So, do you think Kris found out yet?” Ash asked, sounding like she wanted him to know and to be jealous. That was her plan in the first place.
 “Yeah I think he knows.” Emily told her, “But I don’t want to rub it in his face or anything. I wouldn’t go out with Geno just to piss him off. He‘s my friend.”
 “Oh. Well, does that mean your feelings for him are just, like, gone?”
Emily sighed at the question.
 “Not quite.”



Max stood outside of Kris’s apartment building with his hands in his pockets as he stared straight ahead at nothing in particular. He didn’t want to bother Tanger anymore, but he had a slight transportation problem. He had forgotten that he rode there with Boucher, and now that Boucher was at his house, he had no way of leaving.
Deciding against standing in the freezing cold for too much longer, Max pulled out his cell phone and dialed the first number that came to mind. It only took two rings for him to answer.
 “Hello?”
 “Hey, TK. It’s Max. I was just wondering what you were up to.”
 “Oh hey. I’m just on my way to pick up Laur and Leah.”
 “That’s cool. You think maybe you could come pick me up to?”
 “Um, yeah sure. Where you at?”
 “Tanger’s place.”
 “Alright. I’m, like, almost there now. I’ll be there in couple minutes.”
 “Okay, thanks man. I appreciate it.”
 “No problem. See you in a few.”
 “Okay, bye.” Max said and ended the call.




It was nearly twelve when Lauren heard a knock at Leah’s door. They were both dressed and ready for the day.
 “I’ll get it!” Lauren yelled happily as she skipped to the door. She opened it swiftly and was surprised to see Max standing alongside Tyler.
 “Hey Laur.” TK said and gave her a hug.
 “Hey, you didn’t tell me Max was coming.” Lauren said, emphasizing Max’s name so that Leah would hear and come to see him. It worked.
 “Yeah, he needed a ride so I brought him with me.” Tyler explained as Leah walked into the room.
 “Hey Leah.” Max said shyly as he stepped around Tyler and walked into the room.
 “Hi Max.” Leah replied nervously. Something about him made her freeze up and forget how to think straight.
 “You look nice.” He told her awkwardly.
 “Thanks. You look nice too.” Leah said back, not sure what else to say.
 “Aren’t they cute?” Lauren whispered to Tyler so they couldn’t hear.
 “Adorable.” TK said, rolling his eyes. Max seemed pathetic, not knowing what to say. He was never like that.
 “Be nice.” Lauren warned him. Tyler just chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist.
 “Whatever you say, babe.”