Toni’s Reviews > The Long Game > Status Update

Ilya laughed. “I love you so much it sucks.”
“That’s too bad, because this is as good as it’s going to get.” “No,” Ilya said fondly. “I don’t think it is.”

“Uh-oh,” Ilya said. “Are we getting a lecture from Dad?”
Scott looked at Shane. “Is it possible for him to not be an asshole for five seconds?”

“You are Shane fucking Hollander,” Ilya growled. “If you ever forget that, I will drag you back in here and f*** you until you remember.”

It was after ten o’clock at night when Ilya’s phone finally lit up with a text from Shane: I ate a Snickers bar. -- I cried a lot after just this...

Shane realized that most of Ilya’s posts were, in weird cryptic ways, about Shane. His entire account was like a secret diary of their relationship, full of inside jokes and little references that only Shane would understand.

“You wouldn’t even choose me, would you?” Ilya said. “If it is between me and hockey.”

“We are very good at pretending to not be in love. Maybe we are bad at showing it when we are allowed.”

He was terrified that one day Shane would realize he could be with someone who wasn’t a dark secret. That it could be easy to love someone.