Chapter 2~ Jason.

It’s been two days and Maddox words have continuously rang in my head.

I was seated in the library staring at my phone with my dad's contact displaying on the screen.

I never wanted to bother him. I knew the moment I complained to Dad, Mrs. Donovan would step in to smooth things over—which would only report my weakness straight back to my crazy stepbrother. It would just give Maddox more balls, and God knows he didn't need a reason to make things worse.

Yet what was I supposed to do? Watch as he makes my life a living hell?

"Argh..." I sighed, loudly.

"At this moment, your heart would drop to the table if you continue that way.” Norman, my ex-roommate said as he had his seat across from me along with Tina.

"What am I to do..." I pouted, mumbling the rest of the words.

"Bro, do whatever you want. If he's making life harder for you then exit, I’m still in search of roommates ever since you left me, all alone.” Norman glared.

“Sorry…” I muttered feigning a guilty look.

“It’s not your fault. I guess being a sophomore is starting to have that hard effects on you.” Tina added in softly. “If you want, you can come spend time at my place, how about that?”

"That's not it..." I breathed out. "If I stay too out not coming home, Maddox is gonna report me to Dad. I don't want..." I bit my inner cheek this time aware that I was just about breathing out again.

"Then live with him!" Norman snapped. "Don't act like he's the problem here. I'm pretty sure if you're just as friendly, you two wouldn't be this way. Hasn't it been five years you said your parents married? You both really should have moved on."

"I have, Norman. He hasn't..." I paused. Hiding back the secret I’ve tried to hide all these years.

"I don't know Maddox to be like that though… You seem to be the problem." He defended. Tina smacked his head earning a groan from him and I gave him a satisfied look…

Could he ever pretend to support me?

Just like everyone else in college he's just too hung up on Maddox.

"Hey... You do whatever you want, your mental peace comes first. " Tina said, and I gave her an appreciative smile.

What would I have done without her?

"By the way, aren't you concerned about another thing?" She asked and I raised an eyebrow questioningly at her.

"Huh... so he really hasn't heard." She glanced over at Norman, her expression shifting to one of genuine pity. "Well, I hate to break it to you, Jace. The captain of the senior hockey team is supervising the entire roster ahead of the inter-college tournaments. So... I think you know exactly what that means.”

I narrowed my eyes as though I still didn't understand what she meant but slowly, my eyes widened as the dawn of realization hit me.

"Wait, what? Tell me you're joking." I looked from her to Norman who shrugged.

"Well, you're running late for training." Tina said, and Norman added in.

"Better hurry up."

Hurry... Maddox?

My own stepbrother is going to coach my team ahead of the inter-college tournament?

Why?

I grabbed my bag in a fit of hurry as I hurried away with Norman shouting goodbye.

I’ve always loved hockey because the ice was the one place that showed me I could just be myself, completely limitless. But right now, it felt like I had chosen the absolute wrong sport. I should have seen this trap coming from the very beginning.

Mrs. Donovan had mentioned that her son played hockey, but I always figured the campus was big enough for me to avoid him. I had successfully managed to stay off his radar during my entire freshman year, but now? Being a sophomore was shaping up to be the worst thing that had ever happened to me.

I guess I could thank my own boring lifestyle for this. I was so used to isolating myself from campus drama that I was completely blind to reality. How the hell was I supposed to know about a massive coaching change?

Hurrying against the clock, I stripped down and changed into my gear. I grabbed my hockey stick, pulled my bucket over my head, and skated out of the dressing room, the blades cutting sharply into the fresh sheet of ice.

"Running late on your very first training!" A loud, booming voice capable of shattering the ice echoed through the arena.

I tried to catch my breath as I skated toward him.

We attended the same school for years, but I’d never seen him like this—helmet tucked under his arm, captain’s band hugging his bicep, eyes cold.

"You think this is just another training where you can run as late as you please?" He demanded, throwing glares my way.

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"Excuses are for those who are going to listen to them. Take fifteen laps across the boards.” His cold voice rang out.

"Maddox…" I blurted out, with an unbelievable look.

He hates me but... To this extent? Even a real coach wouldn't—

"What? You don't you want to? Should I report you, and have you removed from the team then?" Maddox asked rhetorically, keeping his voice stern.

"You'd better do as he said..." My teammates whispered, and I could see the rest of the team's faces.

Getting on Maddox's bad side especially on what matters most to me wouldn't be good.

Not only was he after my peace at home, but now he was invading everything about me—as though he had waited so long for this chance to come.

"Your time starts now." Maddox called out, as he turned on his skates, gliding away while the rest of the team followed over to the bleachers.

They should be training instead but I guess Maddox already instructed that they were to watch as he punished latecomers.

I'm never letting this slide past me.

He wants an enemy?

Well he already created the biggest enemy he would ever know.