로그인068FOUR... FIVE CARSAURORA I stare at Jayden, not knowing what to reply to him. He's making so much sense and deep down, I fucking know that he's right. I cannot keep thinking that everybody's intentions toward me are wrong and awful when they actually mean well.I do want to tell him that I really want to open up and let him in. In fact, the words sit heavily on the tip of my tongue, but I can't force them out. He looks at me. "Aurora, say something. Please.""I... I don't..."Before I can assemble a coherent thought, the slide of the glass door cuts me off. The doctor steps back into the room, followed closely by a young nurse pushing a heavy-duty transport wheelchair equipped with an elevated leg rest. In her hands, the nurse held a small brown prescription bag and a stack of discharge papers."Alright, Aurora," the doctor says, holding up a small plastic cup with two pills and a small cup of water. "First things first. Let's get these oral pain medications into your system so
067IT'S OKAY TO TRUST, AURORA JAYDEN"I just hope you don't believe what he said. You are the strongest female I know and yet, you're somehow still the one who shows more emotion. Do you know it's possible? You can be so tough and still fold when things get hard. I'm not going to tell you that Brian is a dick for saying that to you because maybe that was how he was raised and stuff. That... you don't show emotion. But trust me, you need to show emotion. And don't you even think that you're less just because you cry."Aurora nods through the pain I can only imagine she must be feeling. I wonder how much it hurts her to keep her feelings bottled up inside. Fuck that dude, Brian. "Do you still want me to call the doctor?" I ask her. "Yes." She glances at me. "But not because I need the stuff. I just want her to check on me and tell me if the amount of pain I'm feeling is okay." I nod and tap her shoulder twice before leaving. While striding to the doctor's office, I meet her on her
066 - BRIAN POPS UP AGAIN AURORA The pain I'm feeling is second to none of how I felt when I twisted my ankle at the ice. This one is sharper and the throbbing heat keeps radiating from my lower leg in agonizing waves. I don't think I'd find the right word that best describes how much pain I'm feeling right now. One second I was breathing through a manageable ache, and the next, it feels like someone is driving a rusted blade straight through my ankle joint, twisting it with every ounce of strength they have. "Jayden... please," I gasp, my hands moving out to clutch at the scratchy hospital sheet. The pain is so intense that it steals the air right out of my lungs, forcing me to whimper. "Calm down..." Jayden tells me, hovering over me with wide eyes. "Is the ankle? Did you move it?" "It hurts," I sob, tears spilling over my lashes before I can even try to hold them back. My entire left leg is on fire. "Call the nurse. Jayden, press the button, please. Tell them to give me th
065 - OUT OF THE SHIT LIST JAYDEN I tap on search, and a stream of useless articles pops on my screen while I navigate Mason’s car through the late-night traffic. “10 Tips to Win Her Heart.” “How to Use Eye Contact to Make Her Crave You.” “Be an Active Listener.” "Fuck off," I mutter to the dashboard, tossing the phone face-down onto the passenger seat next to the plastic container of bland chicken soup. I pull into the hospital parking lot, kill the engine, and sit there in the dark cab for a minute. I'm appalled at how hard the quiet hits. "Get it together, Jayden," I whisper to myself. I grab the bag of food, shove the car keys into my pocket, and stride through the automatic doors of the ER. The doors are slightly open so all I do is push them apart and they widen. Aurora is sitting in the exact same spot, but the blue hospital blanket is kicked down to her waist now. She's staring down at her lap, but as soon as the door shuts, she looks up, meeting my eyes. She d
064READY TO BE A SIMP JAYDEN"Dude, you don't mean that." Duke murmurs as Harry claps my back and walks out of the room. Duke folds his hand, a rather serious expression on his face. I wonder what he's thinking. He's not usually this serious looking. Have I managed to pull this side out of him?"What's up now, man? Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something you want to say?"Duke traces a hand down his chin before shrugging. "I really don't understand you." He tells me."How?""You obviously care about her, a lot. I've never seen you this invested in any girl.""I care about her. I didn't deny the fact.""Do you love her?" Not that word again. "That is a very strong word considering she just told me all she feels is...""Hey, hey. We're not talking about how she fucking feels. It's you. How do you feel? Do you love her?""Duke, you're drilling me.""Just fucking answer the questions. You're saying everything but what I want to hear. How does she make you feel? I want t
063DONE JAYDENHarry is the first to snort. Of course he will. The other guys look amused and Duke is the only person sober. Harry shakes his head, taking a long swig from his beer can, while amused Tank completely loses it, throwing his head back and laughing so loud.I have the urge to flip him off but I just stay calm."Frienzoned?" Tank says, slapping his knee. "You? Cap, you've been acting like a whole-ass hero all afternoon, stealing Duke's clothes, and you just got hit with 'let's be buddies'? Holy fuck, that is legendary."Yeah, this kid has no fucking filter. "Shut the fuck up, Tank," Duke says, glaring at him through narrowed eyes."Nah, man, I'm serious!" Tank wheezes, wiping a tear from his eye. "The great Jayden, university hockey golden boy. I need to frame this day in my calendar.""I said shut the fuck up," Duke repeats, his voice dropping, dead sober and lethal enough that Tank’s grin falters a bit, fading into a nervous chuckle.Gill looks up from his phone and ch
003HEARTBREAK HIGHJAYDENI 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
002RULESAURORA "You're the figure skater."I stare at him. Then I narrow my eyes. "You say that like that's a bad thing.""Oh, it is," he says dryly. "When she's apparently going to be staying in my room."Excuse me? I fold my arms across my chest. "Your room?" He legs out a humorless laugh bef
001ROOMIE AURORA Her side of the room is a hot mess. My roommate I mean..Clothes are hanging halfway out of drawers and the bed looks like somebody wrestled a bear on it and lost.I stand frozen in the doorway of Dorm C, Room 214, one hand gripping the handle of my suitcase while the other clu
005DATING 101AURORAI stare at my phone after the call ends, my reflection blurry through the tears still clinging to my lashes.Typical.Even from miles away, my mother still somehow manages to comfort me and bully me at the same time.A watery laugh escapes me before I wipe at my face again. Go







