CHAPITRE 6

6.

STELLAN

This was definitely not happening right now. 

My body moved on its own, rushing in time before her head could hit the ground.

“Calista?” I called out, pulling her closer to my chest. 

My fingers felt her neck for a pulse and thankfully she was still alive. 

I heaved a sigh of relief as I carried her bridal style to her room.

Just as I laid Calista on the bed, my  phone vibrated in my jeans. 

Damn it!

It was Coach Ralph, and if I didn’t know any better, this was about to be bullshit.

“Stellan, I’ve got news,” he said the moment I answered.

“Okay? What’s up?”

Coach Ralph heaved a deep sigh. One that told me I wasn’t going to like what he said. 

“You know how happy I am that you’re this team’s captain but unfortunately…”

“Unfortunate,” I interjected arrogantly with a scoff.

“It’s not my fault. If anything, you have yourself to blame for this,” Coach fired.

My jaws hardened. 

“What is it, Coach,” I gritted out. 

“Apparently your field performance isn’t reflecting in your academic career and the school board has decided you'll be benched for the season..”

“Bullshit. They can’t do that!” I exclaimed.

“It’s already done. I’m mandated to keep you on the bench until your grades start looking up,” he replied.

My jaws tightened as my teeth gnashed against each other.

Staying on the bench and watching others play has never been my thing. Much worse being benched not because of an injury but because of my grades.

That was downright embarrassing.

“Are you saying there is nothing you can do? What about the match we’ve got? It’s only three weeks away!” I yelled angrily.

“Which is enough time for you to get your grade up, boy. If you really want to play, you’ve gotta work for it,”

“Is my father aware of this?” I asked, fuming.

The long silence he gave was all I needed to know.

It was his way of reminding me why I was here in the first place. To excel and take over Winterfang. 

And if that meant taking away the one thing that gave me happiness, he was going to do it.

“Look son, take my advice. Study hard and make sure you ace all your tests. Without that, you might have to forfeit the season,”

My hands tightened against my phone in annoyance. I wanted to break it… to break something.

“Thanks, and Coach, I’m not your son,” I replied harshly, ending the call.

He didn’t deserve my anger but I didn’t care. I was the best player on the team and yet, he had not been able to defend me.

I heard a yawn behind me and turned around to find Calista awake. She looked pale and confused.

“Hello sleeping beauty,” I teased. 

“What…” she trailed off mid-sentence, her eyes widening in fear. “Am I dead?” 

I stood with my arms crossed, watching as Calista panicked. 

Seeing her all worked up was genuinely cute and for a moment, my problems seemed non-existent. 

“Calista, you’re not dead. If you were, we would’nt be talking because I would still be alive,” I said with a pointed look.

“What happened?” She asked, her voice faint as she rubbed her eyes lazily. 

“You fainted,” 

Calista brows furrowed in confusion.

“How? Why?” She questioned.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I did warn you not to go into that room,”

She rolled her eyes and almost immediately winced in pain.

“What did you do to me?” She questioned with furrowed brows.

“Nothing, love. You did all this by yourself,” I replied.

Calista didn’t respond, instead she held her head in her palm with pain written all over her face. 

I cleared my throat. “Are.. are you okay?” I stuttered.

“Calista?” I called out but didn’t get a reply.

She opened her eyes, blinking rapidly.

 “I heard you. It’s just, I can’t believe you actually care,” 

If that was sarcastic, I wasn’t sure.

What did that even mean? I’m the reason Odessa can’t harm her.

“You haven’t answered my question,” I said sternly, ignoring her petty jab.

For some reason, I felt bad for the look on her face. If anything, I wanted her to feel safe around me.

“Apart from the pounding headache, I think I’m okay but I’m also confused,” she replied.

“Well, thank goddess you’re good. Now, please stay away from that room. In fact, I’m getting a lock for it,” I said immediately.

“Wait. But… lysarra…” she whispered to herself.

My eyebrows drew together.

Had she gone mad by mistake? The room was surely enchanted but there has been no history of causing madness. 

Great job, Stellan. If this gets out, I could kiss and say goodbye to playing hockey for the rest of my life. 

“I need to call my grandmother,” Calista blurted out, her eyes wide in panic.

“Wait, what? No, you… you can’t do that,” I said, crossing the distance between us.

“You don’t understand, I need to. I… I’m not sure what happened in that room but it’s…”

“I assure you it’s harmless. One of the reasons no one is allowed is because the room is enchanted. And I promise you’re safe but you can’t tell anyone you were in there,”

Calista furrowed her brows. “My grandmother isn’t anyone,” she snapped.

“Yes, she isn’t but she’s close to my father and could spill this. Under school rules you could get expelled and I’ll be suspended,” I explained.

“That’s not fair! I didn’t even want to be here in the first place,” Calista retorted.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’ll be harder to graduate if you’re kicked out. So… what’s it going to be,” 

Calista glared hard at me. No doubt beating me up in her head and after ten seconds of intense stare, she huffed a sigh of defeat. 

“Fine. But I’m still calling my grandmother,” 

I put my hands up in surrender. "In fact, you could use this. It’ll save you time,” I offered, handing my personal phone to her.

“Oh goddess. I’m never going to graduate, am I?” She breathed out, horrified. 

She looked at me like I was holding a grenade.

“That’s…illegal!,” she exclaimed in fright.

I rolled my eyes at her innocence. 

The rules in Winterfang didn’t apply to me. Which was why my father was going to explain why the hell he was having me benched on the team.

“Calista, for goddess sake. Take the phone and call your grandma,” I assured her but she sat on the bed with that skeptical look that told me she didn’t trust me.

Of all the things I was going through, I couldn’t deal with this.

“Stel—“

I threw the phone on the bed shabbily.

“You can either use it or try the phone line at the school hall. I’m sure you won’t have to wait thirty minutes to use it,” I retorted sarcastically, walking out of the room.

I didn’t have the time to go back and forth with Calista.

Right now, my priority was getting out of the bench.