Chapter 7.

Nadia's POV.

I dabbed my eyelids repeatedly, "what are you talking about, Mom?

It isn't true, it can't be.

You must be mistaken, okay?" I stuttered, trying to process her words, but she pushed on.

"He ruined your father's life. Don't you understand what I'm saying?

That man, that devil, was the reason why your father lived miserably after he lost his hockey career."

I shook my head; her words were too heavy to swallow.

"He framed your father, took away his joy and his ambition.

He clearly ruined your father's life. Don't you get that?"

Her voice was growing louder and my hands trembled even more.

I remembered clearly the story of how my father was withdrawn from his hockey team, the story of how his career became non-existent.

It was all a conspiracy, a plot fueled by greed, and my poor dad was at the receiving end.

"I don't have to remind you, do I?

I don't have to remind you how your father was humiliated and outcast for something he knew nothing about."

She sneered, and I glared at her, my eyes weak with tears.

"Even though your father worked hard for his team, a single lie made them abandon him.

He lost... he lost his dream of being a star player and hockey coach all because of Deluca."

"He lost everything, Nadia." She yelled, and I turned away, my chest tightening as the memories flashed before my eyes.

I had always vowed to avenge my father's betrayal, but now that I knew who betrayed him, my chest felt so heavy.

"You will have to make him pay... make him suffer."

Mom said, and my neck snapped toward her.

"You heard me right.

You will avenge your father's humiliation and betrayal by ruining Mr Deluca's life."

She gritted, and my lips fell ajar.

"How..." I mouthed, leaning on the side couch for support.

"His son—use his son to make him pay."

She sounded determined, and it only scared me.

How was I supposed to use his son, to use Jeremy?

"Get closer to him, become his friend, and strike them when they least expect it."

She groaned as if reading my thoughts.

"I... I can't... I can't do that, Mom." I shrieked, wiping my tears with the back of my hand.

"I barely know him. Now befriend him to ruin his father?"

I asked, trying hard not to be persuaded, but she stood in silence, her widened bloodshot eyes glaring at me.

"Then you have failed your father.

You have chosen to let those who betrayed him win over and over again."

With this, she walked out, leaving me to my controversial thoughts.

My legs failed to keep me standing as I fell to my knees.

***

I sat on the bench, my eyes fixed on the dudes practicing on the rink, but my mind was raging with overwhelming thoughts.

I couldn't even blink even though I wanted to, my eyes stinging from the breeze within the arena.

"Noah... Noah, dude, are you okay?"

The player behind me asked, with a heavy tap on my shoulder, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"I'm fine... I'm fine."

I mumbled, more to myself than to him.

"Noah... You are up." the coach yelled, causing me to raise my gaze.

"Get into the rink, now!"

I nodded as I got up from the bench, grabbed my hockey stick, and walked into the rink.

The cold air lingered around me, but it wasn't enough to soothe my mind, my aching heart.

As my eyes landed on Jeremy, who wore a warm smile that reached his eyes, I felt my heart bleed even more.

I skated through drills, the blade of my skates and hockey stick carving sharp lines across the rink.

I had no idea what I was doing.

Dammit, I couldn't even control my thoughts.

Mom's words kept replaying in my head, over and over again.

I needed to take revenge; I needed to make them pay.

Them?

Who were they?

Jeremy was his father's son.

His father was the one who had committed the evil act of betrayal.

But I guessed he was going to pay for his father's sins.

He was my weapon to avenge the wrong done to my father.

I was going to use him to make Albert Deluca pay.

I had made up my mind.

I would ruin the Delucas.

Each stride took me closer to him, closer to the goalie, as I took a shot, a sharp shot, sending the puck into the post.

"Amazing, Noah!" Jeremy beamed, throwing his hands up for a high five.

"Underestimating your skill and play, and then watching you perform, is quite entertaining," Chris said, his eyes tender.

It was the first time he had spoken to me, probably because his friend Jeremy had been kind to me.

I only managed a weak smile as I turned and began to skate out of the rink.

"Noah, whoa, dude wait up," Chris called out, but I didn't respond, as I continued skating away.

But my shoulder slammed roughly against someone else's shoulder.

His shoulder was so firm that I stumbled back, losing my balance, my butt crashing onto the ground.

Ouch.

"The fuck..." I cussed as I looked up to see who it was, and cussed even louder when we locked eyes.

It was the jerk who had locked me in the locker room.

"Ruben, what the fuck, man."

One of the teammates growled as they rushed to our side.

The jerk wore a smirk.

He wore a fucking smirk.

"What?

It wasn't my fault lanky Noah here couldn't watch where he was going.

Better still, keep his feet to the fucking ground."

He mocked, and I grimaced as I tried to get up.

"You should stay the fuck away from him, you hear me?"

Jeremy's voice shot from behind and his shadow cast over me.

I gasped as I felt his hands under my arms, lifting me up.

"You don't... I can..." I tried to protest but my words were inaudible mumbling.

"Yeah right, the hero steps in to defend the new player."

Ruben scoffed and at that moment I longed to smack him across the face.

"Fuck off!"

Jeremy growled and grabbed onto my hand, leading me away from the rink.

"Are you okay?" he asked as we skated away, but before I answered, the coach appeared before us.

"Jeremy, I think Noah here should work on his stamina."

I bowed my head as the coach's eyes gleamed with disappointment.

"He can't keep falling every time.

Scoring just won't be enough."

He said strictly and I shook Jeremy's hand off me.

Oh so he saw I fell too often but never saw that that jerk-ass Ruben pushed me every time?

Great, just great.

"Sorry coach, I will be careful next time."

I said and walked away to the bench.

"Coach, I want to talk, a moment?"

Jeremy said as they walked behind me.

"The fire... were the firefighters able to find out what caused it?"

He asked, and I could hear the coach groan as I took a seat, taking off my skates.

"A cigarette, it was caused by a lit cigarette."

He said, then turned to look at me.

"So... isn't he supposed to be punished?

The player who dropped the lit cigarette into the fucking trash?" Jeremy barked and I continued listening attentively.

"We didn't know who it was for sure.

There were no CCTV cameras in the locker room nor anywhere close to it."

"You should drop the talk, Jeremy."

The coach dismissed and walked away.

Why was he so edgy about the discussion?

I had told him Ruben locked me in the locker room after tossing his cigarette into the trash.

"Are you okay, Noah?

Did you hurt your leg?"

Jeremy gulped as he sat beside me.

"I... I didn't."

I said, his presence bringing a new wave of uneasiness.

"What's wrong?

You seem moody.

Don't let that jerk-ass get to you.

I know how to teach him a lesson."

He said, patting my shoulder gently, and I shifted with unease.

"I'm fine, Jeremy.

Leave me alone."

What?

Was I saying that?

I didn't want him to leave me alone.

In fact, I needed him.

He was the weapon I was going to use to ruin his father.

I needed to get closer to him, to his bloody family.

But my anger was going to ruin things.

Argh...

I stood up sluggishly, hoping for him to stop me from leaving.

"Wait... my father wants to have lunch with you," he said, and I nibbled my lips in an attempt not to smile.

"He asked to see you," he added, and I turned to him.

I guessed getting closer to Mr Deluca wouldn't be as hard as I had imagined.