Hockey Is My Boyfriend: Part One by Melanie Ting Read Free Book Online Page A

jeans so long you have no idea. You have a great ass! You need to show it off.”
    I looked behind me in the mirror; my butt looked like a regular butt to me, maybe a little on the big side from skating.
    “Wait, what’s wrong with that top?” April asked, frowning. She walked all around me. “What kind of bra do you have on?”
    “A sports bra.” What other kind would I wear?
    “Oh my God, I have to take you underwear shopping too. Do you not have a real bra? Please tell me you don’t wear boxers!”
    “Of course not, I wear boy cut briefs.”
    “What colour are they?”
    “White cotton. Cotton is better because it breathes,” I said, quoting my mom.
    April pretended to bang her head against the wall. “God give me patience. I knew you were socially stunned, but I didn’t realize the extent of things.” She took a deep breath and put her shoulders back. “Okay, we’re getting you a whole new wardrobe today. And when you get home, you have to promise me to throw out your old baggy jeans and any t-shirts with hockey stuff on them.”
    “But jeez, that’s pretty much my entire closet.”
    “Exactly,” said April, nodding. “And I’ll be over later to make sure you’ve done it. It’ll be like an episode of What Not To Wear . Look, Kelly, you came to me to look better, right? And it’s not just for a guy. Looking good makes life go more smoothly.”
    I doubted this idea, but April was full of self-confidence on the subject. I submitted quietly to her advice and bought everything she told me to. My mom would be thrilled that I was finally using my clothing allowance, and hopefully Nicklas would think I looked nice. Whoa, where did that thought come from?
    Back at her place, April sat me down at her dressing table. “Okay, makeup time.”
    “Really? I don’t want to wear a lot of makeup,” I protested. This date was turning into a way bigger deal than I thought.
    “Don’t worry, Kelly. After all these years, I know you.” April and I had been friends ever since I moved to North Van seven years ago. “Close your eyes.”
    I closed my eyes, felt April’s fingers near my eyes and then a sharp pain.
    “Ouch! What are you doing?” I asked. My eyes flew open, and she was holding a pair of zebra print tweezers with one of my hairs in them.
    “Do you know how long I’ve been wanting to clean up your eyebrows? You have nice brows, but when I take out a few stray hairs, it’s really going to open up your eyes.”
    “But it hurts,” I protested. My eyes were watering as she kept plucking.
    “Don’t be a baby. I’m sure getting slammed into the boards hurts more than having your eyebrows plucked.”
    Well yeah, but at least in hockey I had equipment on to protect me. Afterwards, April got some ice to cool my sore skin then continued with makeup. Other than the eyelash curling, nothing else hurt.
    “A natural look is totally your style. You have great skin; so just some mascara, tinted lip gloss, a touch of eye shadow in a nice neutral colour.” She worked on me as she spoke. Then she brushed my hair. “No ponytail tonight. Wear your hair down.”
    When she finished, she put me in front of a mirror.
    I looked totally different.
    I had on these dark navy jeans that were tight at the top, low-rise, and flared. I wore a navy cotton top with a deep v-neck and I had cleavage—yes, cleavage—for the very first time, thanks to the engineering magic of La Senza. I also had a thong on, which was pretty hard to get used to, and it made me think more about sex and Nicklas. I borrowed a crazy fringed jacket from April, and I was ready to go to the movies for my charity date.

10

The Fake Date
    A fter fixing me up , April even dropped me off at the movie theatre on Esplanade. She wanted to stay and have a look at Nicklas, but she had a date of her own. While I was waiting in the lobby, I saw two girls from my hockey team there. I figured they were spying on me, so I went over to chat.
    “Sorry, Kelly. Laura