Page 36 of The Lies We Play

Liv: That’s exactly what a man in a fake coat would say.

Creed: [photo of the arena ice at 8 a.m., empty, lights up, Zamboni in the corner]

Creed: Morning skate.

Liv: The ice looks angry.

Creed: The ice IS angry. This rink hosted a figure skating thing on Monday, and you can see the grooves.

Liv: You can SEE the grooves from there?

Creed: You can if you've spent fifteen years on the ice.

Liv: Show off.

Liv: Are angry grooves dangerous?

Creed: Annoying more than dangerous.

Liv: Annoying Grooves sounds like a bad band Luther would recommend.

Creed: Luther would recommend Annoying Grooves and then tell you their second album is underrated.

Liv: I respect him already.

Liv: [photo of her coffee at Columbia, on a stack of books, His Dark Materials on top]

Liv: I'm at the library. Tell hockey to wait.

Creed: The Amber Spyglass again?

Liv: I told you. Annual September ritual, currently extended to October.

Creed: What page?

Liv: 330. College is harder than I thought.

Creed: You'll be at the end by Friday. I believe in you.

Liv: Just DON'T spoil it.

Creed: You've read it three times.

Liv: Irrelevant. Respect the process.

Creed: I respect the process.

Liv: You mocked the alethiometer.

Creed: I said it seemed busy.

Liv: That is mocking.

Creed: I apologize for the compass thing.

Liv: The alethiometer accepts nothing less than full repentance.

Creed: I’m in a locker room. Full repentance may have to wait.