Dare You to Catfish the Hockey Player (Rock Valley High 6)

I glared at Michael one last time before turning my attention to getting my textbook out. “Well, you know, someone’s got to stand up to him.”

It took me several seconds before I realized the silence between us had grown heavy. I glanced over at Gabriel to see him glaring at his book as if he’d like to drill a hole through it with the power of his mind. That little tension line between his eyebrows was back and deeper than ever.

“That wasn’t meant to be a punch at you,” I said quickly, reaching over to place my hand on his arm. “I was just frustrated.”

His gaze shot straight to my hand where it rested partially on his sleeve and two of my fingertips brushing against his wrist. I could’ve sworn the tips of his ears reddened. Electricity pulsed up my arm and straight to my head, where I was quickly trying to think of all the reasons why I should drop out of the tournament and abandon it all for the boy sitting next to me. Pulling my arm away, I swallowed hard and hid my hands in my lap. No more touching. Not until I knew exactly what I wanted.

“All right, folks, quiet down,” Mr. Hart announced as he walked into the room. Behind him trailed a portly man wearing a stark white lab coat. “Since I know you’re all working hard on your projects with your partners and getting ready to present on Tuesday, I thought we could have a special guest today. I’d like to introduce Mr. Boyer. He’s a lab tech at our clinic in town

and he’s going to show you all how to test your partner for their blood type today. Come grab a finger stick and a test.”

I jumped up, grateful for the distraction. Everyone in the class grabbed their supplies and eventually made their way back to their seats. Mr. Boyer gave an in-depth lecture about blood types and what they meant, but I was having a hard time focusing on what he was saying. Every time Gabriel shifted next to me, his knee would bump mine and cause a thrill to go through me. I wasn’t sure if he was doing it on purpose, but I was about to miss out on an entire class-worth of test material because of him.

“Are you ready?” he asked suddenly.

I blinked over at him, unsure what had just happened. “For what?”

“To test our blood.” His lip quirked into a half grin. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little needle.”

“Never.” I rolled up the sleeve of my cardigan and displayed the bluish veins at the crook of my elbow. I never wanted anyone to be able to call me a sissy. Especially not the boy next to me. “I’m ready when you are.”

He arched a brow and chuckled. “Easy, tiger. Put the guns away. It’s just a finger poke.”

“Oh, right.” I blushed and yanked my sleeve down. That was what I got for not paying attention to the lecture. I reached for the finger prick and fumbled with it. “How’s this thing supposed to work?”

I was totally losing my mind. I was going to make a fool of myself in front of Gabriel. That was what I got for messing with him last night. I should’ve just let the whole thing go. If I’d gone on letting myself think that he was just playing me, I wouldn’t have been acting like such a klutz. Instead, my mind would be solidly on the final round of the gaming tournament on Saturday morning instead of trying to figure this dang contraption out.

“Here, let me.”

Gabriel gently took the poker thing from my hand and held out his hand, palm up. My gaze flicked up to his and back down to his palm as I slid my hand into his. If touching knees was distracting, that was nothing to having him cradle my hand in his. Softly, his hand closed around mine and maneuvered my fingers so that he could aim the device at the edge of my pointer finger.

“It doesn’t hurt as much if you prick the side of your finger,” he explained. With a last glance up at me, he gave me a solemn expression. “Ready?”

I nodded, unable to speak with him looking at me like that. He held my hand steady and then pressed the button on the top of the device, which released a spring action needle into the side of my finger. Gabriel was right, it barely stung. And when he let go of my hand, a bright red droplet of blood sat on top of my finger.

“Here.” He slid a testing strip over to me.

I caught the drop of blood on the strip and then used a cotton ball to dab my finger. In the meantime, Gabriel didn’t flinch as he did his own finger pricking with a new contraption and test. I was kind of in awe at the confident way he moved. It was as if he’d done this a thousand times before. Looking around the classroom, most of the other kids were still figuring out how to use their pokes or get up the courage.

“How did you know how to do that?” I asked.

He shrugged then smiled at me. “My mom’s a home health care nurse. Once in a while, I stop by to see her on her weekend shifts. She’s got a couple diabetics who have to do this all the time.”

“Wow. That’s intense.”

“It can be.” He shrugged again. “But she loves the people. And it’s pretty much a guarantee that I can’t see one of her clients without leaving with a plastic container full of cookies.”

“Ha! Now we know the real reason why you act all sweet. It’s for the sugar, isn’t it?”

“Got me.” He chuckled and then glanced hesitantly over at me. “You think I’m sweet? After the way you ran out on Saturday, I wasn’t so sure you’d even want to be in the same room as me anymore.”

My heart stuttered to a stop. I flapped my mouth uselessly, grasping for the right words to say. What I would’ve given to be able to come all clean to him. To put everything out on the table. But I knew I couldn’t. Not now. Not after I’d manipulated him.

“It’s okay, Beth.” Gabriel chuckled, although there wasn’t any humor in the sound. “We’re still friends, right?”

The hope in his eyes was enough to make me want to kick myself. He tried to mask it with an easy-going smile, but it was still there. Wanting more, but happily settling for something less.

“Of course, we’re friends.” I nodded.