Ch 2

Chapter Two

Dark hair, pretty tanned skin and spectacular hazel eyes. A taut mouth with a beautiful small scar at the corner, a stubble of hair at the edges of his well defined jawline which meant he had seen better days, and to crown it all up—a varsity jacket with the university’s model colors and a well outlined ‘B’ at the breast pocket.

He was a hockey player. I could already tell from his appearance, and the folder in his hands with ‘player handbook’ written boldly on it. My eyes stung for a moment as we kept eye contact, almost like a game of domineering champions. I was not wavering and neither was he.

He asked again, “What did you just say?”

I felt Mary Jane kick me from under the table, frowning deeply I answered, “I’m having a clear conversation with my dorm mate and you’re interrupting. It’s rude.”

Mary Jane kicked me again, this time more prominent which made my frown crease even deeper. I sent her haughty glare to which she signaled me to not engage any further, I wasn’t sure why and didn’t care to heed her warning nonetheless.

“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” He replied, “I was just walking until I heard some disparaging comments about hockey.”

“Disparaging.” I snorted, “I didn’t think athletes could use big words.”

“Aria.” Mary Jane kicked me again. She looked almost shocked at the words that just came out of my mouth.

“What??” I fired back, “I mean since he has the nerve to listen to a conversation which has nothing to do with him, he can take on a little jab as a repercussion don’t you think??”

A devilish smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he moved in to lean closer. I stifled and moved back a little, disgusted at his blatant attempt to try to intimidate me. His hands went towards my table and before I knew it, he grabbed my student ID to look.

“Aria Blackwell.”

“Yes?”

“I’m Ja—

“I don’t care. You still haven’t apologized for eavesdropping.”

“Has anyone ever tried to curb that nasty mouth of yours??” He glowered at me.

“Yes. Plenty of times, can you go now?” I answered, already tired of the back and forth.

“I’m part of the school’s hockey team and I find your comments very disrespectful.” With the stupid smirk still on his face, “You should apologize to me before it gets ugly.”

I couldn’t help but scoff loudly, “Why?”

“The hockey team is the only reason this school is still standing on it’s two feet—

“Feet. Not two feet…just feet.” I corrected with my face still void of expression.

I saw an instantaneous wraith of anger flow through those hazel eyes of his, jaw clenched and teeth probably gnashing as a grimace appeared on his face. It almost gave me a supple amount of joy seeing a man I barely knew so rattled.

Mary Jane kept kicking me under the table but I didn’t care. He was rude and pompous, thinking he had the right to interrupt my conversation just because he was a hockey player.

I could hear him click his tongue before he opened his mouth to speak again, “The Peckers are the only reason you’re even here freshman. You should be glad that our multiple wins is the only reason you can even—

“I don’t care.” I cut him off again, “You’re probably some bench warming, no good athlete with a 2.0gpa who’s probably in school for the sponsorship instead of actually pursuing an education. I have a life ahead of me, you’re probably going to end up a washed up loser living his high glory days. Go away asshole!!”

He scoffed, nipping his bottom lip like I had just stepped on his foot which I probably did with my verbal assail. I still didn’t care, he had no right coming up to me.

“This isn’t over freshman.” He smirked before walking away.

I finally let out a breath, letting my short strain of anger wash over me before I turned to Mary Jane who had a bamboozled look on her face. I frowned deeply, waving a hand to check if she was still with me and she flinched a little.

“Aria….” Her voice was somewhat hoarse.

“Yes?”

She shot up to her feet, slamming her hands on the table which brought about a warning look from the librarian, “Do you know what you just did?!!!”

“I told a loser athlete o—

“No!!” She cried out, “That’s no loser athlete. That’s the Ice dragon!!”

I couldn’t help but blink with bemusement, “The what now??”

She started to sweat, pacing back and forth with a hand on her chest, almost like she was on the brink of a panic attack, “I…I..I can’t believe you just—

“Just say it MJ”

She breathed heavily, “That’s the ice dragon, otherwise known as Jace Carter!”

“Jace Carter?”

“He’s the school’s star player. He made the dean’s list. He’s almost taken us to the championship. You just called him a loser!!!”

******

Jace Carter, also known as the “ice dragon” on the field, prominent for his skills of being a beast and the number one athlete of Blake University. I let out a deep breath as Mary Jane laid out the basics to me on the school’s book guide an hour later, glossing over his picture which managed to get a whole page dedicated to him, my anger not subsiding any minute.

I simply didn’t care. Sure, he wasn’t a benchwarmer and was responsible for putting Blake on the map, but he was still a rude and condescending athlete who thinks he’s probably better than anyone else. I just couldn’t stand for such behavior.

Snorting again, “That’s alright. I’ve seen enough.” I closed the book guide Mary Jane kept ramblings about and took a deep breath, “It doesn’t change a thing. He’s still an asshole.”

She hit her temple, clearly showing her bid of frustration, “No. You still don’t get it do you??”

My brow arched, “Pardon?”

She took a deep sigh and grabbed me by the arm, leading me straight down the dorm hallway. We stood in the middle, it didn’t take a second before a loud rumbling ensued.

Male cheers. It made my skin crawl.

“Do you get it now??” Her eyes widened.

I shrugged, still at ease, “I don’t understand what your point is.”

“Oh you poor freshman,” She made somewhat of a wincing sound, before taking me back to my dorm room, “You messed with the star player of the school’s hockey team. We live in a coed dorm building. Half of the gents in here are on that same hockey team!”

It finally dawned on me, my expression sunk, “Oh……”

A knock came on my door a few minutes later, I couldn’t help but frown as I walked towards it. I opened to a bunch of guys standing right in front of me, all a clone of each other, with the same branded jackets as Jace Carter. I smelled shenanigans the moment my eyes laid on the sight of them.

“Yes?” My brow arched again.

One of them smiled, “Are you Aria Blackwell?”

“Who’s asking?” I retorted.

There was no answer, instead something else happened. A pie was slammed to my face, and they all ran away with their boastful laughs filling the halls. I heard an erupting laughter from the others whose heads peeked out of their dorm rooms, glad for the pie to have blinded my eyes so I couldn’t see their mocking faces.

Mary Jane placed a hand on my shoulder from behind, “Oh Aria—

“It’s fine.” I grunted, managing to spick out some of the cream from my eyes, “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure??” She asked.

I wanted to see if she was faking, maybe she was probably trying to mock me in a way, but I was met with nothing but pure genuineness from her eyes. My past experience coming to haunt me again, clouding my judgement for an actual kind person.

I forced a smile, “Yes. You can go.”

She was reluctant but left anyways and i stared at the shabby mirror in front of me, a piece I barely noticed when I moved in.

It was my first day of college. I insulted an athlete, now I had a pie thrown in my face.

It was meringue and peaches. The worst kind.