Chapter 01 - Is love a crime?

VINE

“Vine, are you sick in the head?” My best friend yanked me up from the cold floor spot of Drew's locker room where I'd been squatting to watch him dress up for the final game.

“What is wrong with you? Why can't you just tell him to his face that he needs to make your relationship public instead of... this?”

She asked, spreading her palms but I quickly cut her short, “It's my relationship, Miriam, not yours, so allow me to manage it.”

I looked from left to right to see if anyone was hearing us, before looking deeply at her.

“I'm really sorry for talking back at you when you meant good, but…” My shoulders dropped and a worried expression appeared on my face as I touched the back of my hair while moving uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"He promised to make us public at the right time. He doesn't just want to put our relationship in the wrong spotlight."

Miriam squeezed her face like she hated every single word that came out of my mouth, “Vine. I know you're in love, but, if nobody knows you both are in a relationship, he could cheat. He could deny your mate bond at any time and go scot-free.”

"That shouldn't be a problem, Miriam, Drew, and I have talked about these things."

Excitement grew in my belly and I held her hands, “In fact, I broke my virginity to him last night.”

Her face lost every color, her eyes widening "What?!"

"See I gotta go cheer my boyfriend early, ‘cause I'm not even a student here to start with. Nice outfits, by the way, Riam." I waved her off, skating myself to the rink.

The winter air kissed my cheeks as I stood, taking secret snapshots of my boyfriend, while trying to cheer other players.

I tried to concentrate on the game ahead of me, but Miriam's words hit me hard.

Could she be right?

Was I giving out my relationship to be betrayed by agreeing to be kept a secret?

Who the hell even loves a person and does not love them proudly?

I looked down at my hands which held a shiny round pom-pom.

I had yearned to kiss him one more time like the other players did with their girlfriends right before they played, but since I couldn't I had resorted to squatting there, hiding and watching him prepare.

I stayed that way, half-cheering and half thinking about my relationship with Drew that the game seemed to end too soon, the scream of joy from everyone seeming to draw me through the haze.

I looked at the scoreboard, and my mate's team, the Vikings had won. I jumped in the air and screamed my lungs out like every other cheerleader.

Drew started walking towards the exit of the rink, his chin slightly lifted, his eyes focused and proud as he blew kisses to the ladies who adored him. I quietly lifted my camera and captured that moment when he basked in his glory.

He was the king of Hockey in Silverclaw Academy, I couldn't expect less.

Suddenly, he began walking straight toward me, making panic bloom low in my belly.

Why was he coming in my direction? He'd never wanted to be seen close to me in public before.

I shouldn’t be afraid of my boyfriend approaching me. But hear me out.

Drew had kept our relationship buried beneath the surface for so long, especially since he went into stardom and we only met at each other's places, or in places where he knew his peers wouldn't catch him.

In public, he dodged me like a scandal waiting to happen, when we crossed paths, I was just another fan in his eyes. Even taking direct photos was off-limits.

“You’re so damn lucky, girl—he’s gonna sign your autograph!”

The girls around me screamed, vibrating with anticipation and gazes of admiration. If only they knew that we've been together for three years.

Then Drew did the unthinkable.

He dropped his stick. Peeled off his helmet. Walked straight up to me—and knelt on one knee. Right in front of the crowd, flashing lights, and the stadium seats behind the rink.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” He proposed, holding a ring in between the fingers of his right hand.

My world spun.

And of course... I forgot how to breathe.

The crowd behind me gasped. Girls looked at me with envy and admiration.

Then, as if in unison, everyone's phones buzzed, notifications lighting up their screens like fire in the night.

I looked behind me to see a thousand camera lenses turned towards us.

A smile broke out on my lips as the memories of how I broke my virginity to him last night, filled my mind. I must have made the right decision because he'd promised to claim me in front of everyone at the right time.

And now, he was doing it just as promised.

“Yes!” My eyes moistened, and I stretched out my right hand, flattening my fingers," Yes, I'll be your girlfriend." Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks as I jumped, waiting for him to slide the ring on my finger.

“Oh my Goddess, is this really happening?!”

Miriam yelled from the crowd before the ring touched my finger.

I turned to look at her in my confusion.

“Fuck me like the slut I am…” My hot, needy voice cried out...

And my gaze flicked to the large display screens...and my face fell.

That was me. The screens were flooded with images of me.

It was… My voice.

My body.

My... Nudity.

I stepped backwards, limbs shaking, hoping the earth could open up and swallow me... Swallow my shame... Wipe out my existence because I couldn't take the shame.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I watched on. This was me, Vine Davis, last night in Drew's bed.

My moans echoed.

The camera focused more on my body, capturing the moment I shamelessly cried for Drew's dick, blurring Drew's face.

And I expressed so naughtily...

How desperate and greedy I was for his dick…

What sort of a shameless slut I was.

People whispered behind their fingers. Then they laughed at me. Cameras clicked. Phones filmed -- and in the center of it all, I stood frozen.

I turned to look at Drew.

He was so calm as he held the ring. Too calm while he watched me drown in my misery.

That's not what a good boyfriend should do, right?

Wait, why didn't he even act surprised?

Suddenly, his eyes... His eyes weren't looking at me the way they had just seconds ago.

They weren't so warm, or proud, or even confused...

Instead, there was a smug look there.

A flicker of guilt quickly appeared in his eyes as he glanced at the display screen but it quickly disappeared as his eyes glinted, his lips spreading quickly, showing that he was amused by my humiliation.

“Drew…” I wobbled, my voice cracking like broken glass.

Anger bubbled right above the surface and found expression through my eyes.

“What did I ever do to deserve this?” I asked, as anger and disappointment mixed, bleeding into words, "What crime did I commit by trusting you? Loving you?"