003- HEARTBREAK HIGH

003

HEARTBREAK HIGH

JAYDEN

I hate days like this, man. Days where I attend all classes, show up to the gym for practice, pushing my body to its limits, and all I want to do is crash when I'm in my room, sinking into the mattress and disappear for a few hours. But then something morbid comes up and I can't fucking crash.

My muscles ache and now... this.

The second she said please, I was cooked. Like actually finished. I don't even know why. Maybe it was the way her voice got all quiet and tight like she hated asking for anything. Maybe it was because five minutes ago she'd been arguing with me like a rabid little raccoon, and now suddenly she looked... nervous.

Either way, I can't leave her here. Doesn't stop me from being annoyed though.

"You could've led with that," I mutter, shoving clothes into my duffel. I don't know why I even bother. It's not like I'll be staying there for a long time. I have my stuff stashed for when I visit anyway.

I glance at the girl standing in front of me, her arms still wrapped around herself. How can she be a figure skater? She's fucking small, tiny even, barely reaching my shoulder. I hate to judge a book by its cover but I can't help it. Figure skaters always looked tougher on the ice than off it.. My mind struggles to reconcile her delicate appearance with the brutal demands of her sport.

"Even if I led with that, you'd still would've left."

"Yeah. Probably."

"You're a jerk."

"Shortie." I reply, oblivious to why I'm exchanging words with her. I am supposed to be the bigger person. I sigh and grab my bag.

"C'mon."

Her brows pull together. "Where are we going?"

"Hockey house."

Her lips part. "That does sound horrifying."

I nod. "It is."

She stares at me like she's reconsidering every decision that led her here. Smart girl.

The walk across campus is quiet at night. Cold as hell too. The wind bites at my exposed skin. She keeps rubbing her hands together inside her sleeves while I try not to notice how tiny she looks beside me.

Doesn't work.

I think I'm trying to distract myself from the fact that my phone sits in my back pocket cold, heavy, and silent. Not a single call from home. I don't know what to think. If it's a good or bad thing that Celina hasn't called all week. The worry about my sister, about my father, gnaws at me.

The last time I talked to my sister, she tried to convince me all was well at home. That our father was acting good. I didn't trust his goodness. Hell, I don't think that man has any atom of goodness in him.

"So..." Aurora starts. "Where exactly are we going?"

I inhale deeply. "My buddy Duke's place."

She nods slowly, then tilts her head at me, a curious expression on her face. "Do you know a Brian?"

I frown. I know tons of Brian. The name is common. "Brian who?"

She says his last name. I glance at her with a brow raised. No fucking way she knows that guy.

“Brian Carter?” I ask to confirm if I've heard her right.

“Yeah.” She smiles a little, a small, innocent curve of her lips, completely unaware of the bomb she's about to drop. “Small world, right? He’s my boyfriend.”

Oh.

Oh, that’s bad.

Everybody knows Brian. His reputation precedes him, a notorious flirt.

Dude flirts with literally anything that breathes. My internal assessment of Brian's character, the immediate concern for Aurora, surges with disgust.

I glance at Aurora walking beside me, looking all innocent and clueless, and suddenly I feel weirdly irritated. It's an unexpected surge of irritation.

I'm not saying I'm a saint when it comes to these matters. I've had my fair share of hook ups. It only gets worse.

But dude, when you've got a girl sticking her neck out for you? When you decide you want to be in shitty relationships, you fucking do that.

Either be single or commit to your girl. Pick one.

“…Yeah,” I say finally. “Small world.” The flat tone betrays my true feelings.

I don't say another word after that. Because honestly? I have a feeling this night is about to become a disaster. The premonition is strong.

And surprise.

I'm right.

The second we walk into the hockey house, I know something's off.

It's too quiet.

Well... not quiet quiet. The TV is blasting, idiots are yelling over a game in the kitchen, somebody upstairs is probably breaking furniture... but the living room gets noticeably awkward the second I step in.

Then I see why.

Jesus Christ.

Brian's on the couch with some blonde practically in his damn lap. His tongue halfway down her throat. Classy.

Aurora freezes beside me.

Completely freezes.

I look at her just in time to watch the color drain from her face.

“...Babe?”

Every guy in the room immediately looks like they want to teleport out of existence.

Brian’s head snaps up so fast I thought he’d broken his neck.

“Aurora...”

The girl scrambles off his lap while Brian stands up looking panicked as hell.

“Aurora, wait...”

“What the hell?”

Her voice comes out small.

Too damn small.

And for some reason, that pisses me off.

Brian starts moving toward her. “Baby, listen to me...”

Nah.

Absolutely not.

I step directly in front of him before he can touch her.

“Move, man,” Brian snaps.

I fold my arms. “Nah.”

“That’s my girl.”

His girl? Why'd he say that like she's some property? Like he hadn’t just been caught sucking face with another girl two seconds ago.

I look him dead in the eye.

“Not anymore.”

Brian blinks at me. “What?”

Honestly?

I don't think that far ahead.

The words just came out.

But then Aurora looks up at me with those huge shocked eyes, and something in my brain completely malfunctions.

So I do the dumbest possible thing.

I grab her waist and kiss her.

And yo.

I expect her to shove me.

Slap me.

Something.

But she just freezes against me, soft and warm and smelling like vanilla or some shit, and suddenly my brain goes completely blank.

The room erupts instantly.

“Oh Shit...”

“Captain...”

“Nahhhh...”

I barely hear any of it.

Because Brian looks like he wants to kill me.

And maybe I'm a little insane for this, but honestly?

Worth it.

I pull back just enough to look at him.

“She’s my girl now.”