JAIDEN JOHAL: Not to tip you over the edge, Cap…But Rothwell has definitely fucked Summer too.
NATE HAWKINShas leftPUCKBUNNIES
JOE CARTERhas addedNATE HAWKINStoPUCKBUNNIES
NATE HAWKINShas leftPUCKBUNNIES
MATTIE LIUhas addedNATE HAWKINStoPUCKBUNNIES
NATE HAWKINS: Dicks.
I’ve always liked Ryan Rothwell, until now.
I make the strategic but easy decision to put my phone back in my pocket and try to concentrate on learning something, or at least learn somethingnotabout Ryan Rothwell and where he’s sticking his d—anyway.
Actually concentrating seems to help the class go by quickly, but I wish I’d stayed behind as soon as I spot JJ. From the minute I meet him outside his lab, to when I pull up outside the rink, he’s been laughing at me.
Thankfully though, he opts to let me fail in private and promises to wait in the car until the rest of the guys get here.
“Clare de Lune” is blasting over the arena speakers when I walk through the double doors. There are other skaters hanging about but only one pair on the ice, which means I’m here at the right time. Dropping my hockey bag on the benches, I make my way to the edge of the rink, giving Brady a polite “Hello” when she spots me and scowls.
I’ve never seen Anastasia skate before. Usually, one of us is arriving as the other is leaving, so I don’t ever get to see her at work, but today I’m twenty minutes early.
She’s fucking mesmerizing. I’ve been on the ice since before I can remember, and I’ve never, ever moved the way she is moving right now.She doesn’t even look like she’s skating, she looks like she’s floating; I can’t take my eyes off her.
Her arms reach out toward Shithead, they’re not even looking at each other but they still connect perfectly. Before I know what’s happening, she’s up in the air, resting on one of his hands, spinning, gripping the blade of her skate to hold her leg above her head.
I think he’s about to drop her as he quickly lowers her, but somehow, she’s spinning through the air, a combination of limbs that I can’t even keep track of. I wipe the sweat from my brow when her skates are back on the ice and let go of the breath I didn’t even know I was holding.
The pair pick up speed, flying across the rink flawlessly. I can tell something is about to happen by the way Brady’s posture changes; her fingers grip the boards, and she holds her breath.
Stas and Aaron are moving in perfect rhythm, both turning to travel backward. They hit the toe of their boot against the ice, spinning at a speed my brain can’t even register. My eyes don’t even realize what’s happening as Aaron lands, his leg flying out gracefully to finish the move, and Anastasia’s body skids across the ice, slamming harshly into the board on the other side of the rink.
Fuck.
I’ve been slammed into more boards than I can remember, but that’s when head to toe in hockey equipment. She’s in leggings and a long-sleeved sports crop top, doing nothing to protect her, even if she hadn’t hit it with force.
The music abruptly stops as Aaron pulls her to her feet, checking every inch of her in a frenzy, looking at the crown of her head as she points to it. She pushes him off as he tries to scoop her up, instead accepting his hand, letting him guide her as they skate toward where Brady and I are standing.
I feel like I should make myself scarce, but my heart is about to fall out of my ass. I need to hear her say she’s all right, even if it’s not to me.
The short journey across the ice feels like a fucking lifetime. They eventually reach the side, and she looks at me but it’s almost like she doesn’t realize it’s me, because there isn’t any emotion on her face. Not even disgust.
She must be properly injured if she isn’t even annoyed by my existence. Fuck.
Brady grips her face, it’s almost protective, like a mother in a way, tilting it every which direction until she’s satisfied. “It’s coming out, Anastasia. You’ll do the triple.”
“What?” she squeaks, genuinely looking confused. “It’s fine! Give me a minute we’ll go again. I’ll land it. You know I can land it.”
“Anastasia, I’ve just watched you violently slam into a solid structure! This isn’t up for discussion.”
Stassie looks to Aaron, her jaw slack, tears beginning to line her eyes. He wraps his arm around her shoulder, tugging her body to his as she begins to sob. “Triple is still hard, Stas. There’s no shame in dropping the quad, so many people can’t even do the triple, and yours are perfect.”
Her entire body is shaking as she brings her hands to her eyes to wipe away the tears, wincing as she raises her left arm, the side of her body that took the impact. “But I can do the quad. I’ve been working toward the quad for so long. I need to go again; I didn’t take off right. I can fix it.”
Her eyes land back on me as she wipes the falling tears on her sleeve. I try to give her a comforting smile, but it sinks into horror as a dark, red, stream of blood escapes from her hairline and runs down her temple.
It’s like we all see it at the exact same moment. Aaron pulls her to the exit between where Brady and I are standing. We all lunge for her at once, confusion on her face intensifying as the three of us inspect her.