Read Off the Ice (The Penalty Kill Trilogy) (Volume 2) for Free Online Page A

because of us.
    “ Presley, I don’t know what’s going on, but I highly suggest you shut your mouth now.” Dad’s face is red with anger.
    “ We were under a lot of stress when you kids were little. It was harder then, but things have calmed down. Plus, when Trevor gets drafted, we can go as a happy family,” Mom adds.
    That’s it. That’s the straw that breaks it all. “Oh, of course. Let’s make sure that we’re a perfect fucking family for ESPN!” I shout at her. I stand up so fast my chair falls back and slams to the ground.
    “Smarty.” Levi grabs my arm, but I jerk away from him and take off for the door.
    I run into the night air down the street. I’m in four inch heels, on ice and snow, but I keep running. Until I fall. I fall right in the middle of the sidewalk on my hands and knees, and I have no urge to get up as the tears spring from my eyes.
    “Presley!” Levi yells behind me. I feel him as he picks me up fireman style.
    “ Take me home,” I choke out. “Please, get me away.”
    “ Trevor is getting the car.” Marley lays my coat over me as I cling to Levi’s neck.
    I can’t stop crying as Levi places me in the backseat of the SUV. Trevor is driving, and Marley is in the front seat. I don’t want to leave his arms and Levi doesn’t let go. Not a single word is said as we get back to my apartment. Levi doesn’t let me go as he carries me up the stairs and heads into the kitchen. He sits me in a chair, and Marley comes out of nowhere with my first aid kit and a couple washcloths. It’s then I notice my knees are bleeding, and the palms of my hands are too. Marley wipes my face of the tears and makeup. Trevor is standing behind her, and his eyes are sad. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Trevor look so sad. He knows what I’ve gone through with our parents, and I know that he hates it as much as I do. Levi begins to fix up my knees and hands, and I’m finally able to stop crying.
    “I’m sorry,” I choke out.
    “ Hey, Smarty, it’s-” He stops talking as my father opens my apartment door and walks in with my mother.
    “ Presley, what the hell was that?” Dad exclaims.
    “ Honey, are you taking drugs or something?” Mom’s face is full of concern as I stand up to face them.
    “ I’m not taking drugs. I don’t do drugs. And what happened was that you care more about Trevor than me. That’s what that was.”
    “ Presley, stop. You know-”
    I cut my mother off. “No, you stop. You both stop right now because I’m tired of this. I bet you don’t know anything about me.”
    “That’s not true.” Dad’s voice is stern.
    “ Really? Well then, let’s play ‘Who knows Presley?’”
    “ What?” They say at the same time.
    “ Yep, let’s play ‘Who knows Presley?’”
    “ Enough-” My father tries to stop me.
    “ No!” I shout and they are taken aback. “No!” I point my finger at him. My blood is boiling with anger and hurt from all the years of Trevor being their prize child, and I was invisible. “What day does Trevor take Econ?”
    “ Pres-” Mom starts.
    “ Answer me!” I slam my hand so hard on the table that I thought I broke my hand, and I see Marley jump. I look at Trevor and he is looking at the floor. I can feel his pain from all the way over here.
    There is silence before Dad says, “Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
    I nod. “How many goals did he score last season?”
    Silence before Mom says, “42.”
    "Name one class that I’m taking.” They both look at each other, and I know they can’t answer it. “Okay, here is an easy one. How many classes am I taking?” There is more silence.
    “ Presley.” Dad’s voice is low.
    “ No!” I shout again. “How many of Trevor’s games last season did you miss?”
    “ I missed a couple,” my dad says.
    “ Who was the only person at the finish line of the marathon Marley and I ran last year?” Again, my parents look at each other. They had no clue that we trained for months to run