39. Aurora
T he guys are glued to my side the rest of the fucking day, which is how I find myself sitting rink-side at their hockey practice.
A couple of their teammates looked my way when they first hit the ice, but it wasn’t long before Everest threatened their life, and they haven’t looked at me since.
Coach Locke gave me a confused wave when he arrived too, but I just offered him a smile and a wave and focused back on the guys.
It’s been forever since I watched them like this, without the thrill of a game, and I’m not ashamed to say I missed it.
I’ve lost count of how many times I stalked them at practice when we were kids, though I’m sure Everest could probably tell me, but still, it feels nostalgic in a way.
I watch them warm up because, let’s be honest, that’s the only reason to even come to these kinds of things, and then once they are done I pull out my sketchbook.
With everything going on, I haven’t been drawing as much as I used to, and I wish I could say it was just because of the guys.
However, if I am being honest with myself, I know it’s because of him .
The person I don't know, but who knows me all too well. What happened with my door yesterday was scary, even if I couldn’t admit it, and I’m glad Everest insisted on me staying with him and the guys, because the thought of being alone at my dorm gives me major anxiety.
It’s clear that I have a stalker, I can fully admit that now, even if it’s just to myself, and it’s also clear that he didn’t stay in New York when I left.
Knowing where my dorm is and sending the letters and gifts is one thing, but what happened with the shredded flowers and my door is proof that he’s actively following me.
I mean fuck, does he know where I am right now?
The thought has my eyes flicking around the rink at the couple of other people here.
Coach Locke runs an open practice, so anyone can come and watch if they choose to.
It has panic churning inside of me at the thought of them watching me.
What they saw in the nightclub was bad enough, but what Griffin and I did in the art studio? The fact that someone saw us like that, saw me like that, it has bile clawing up the back of my throat.
I force myself to take a deep breath, my pencil now trembling in my hand, as I flick my stare back to the rink and find Harden watching me.
He’s been doing that since the other night, since the moment Griffin took me onto that dance floor and Harden demanded he make me come.
A shudder rolls through me at the memory, his eyes darkening as if he can read every thought in my mind, before he is forced to focus back on the ice.
Harden Haze is an enigma, he always has been, and that used to be a problem, because all I wanted to do was know more.
It’s why the notes went from Post-its to letters, because those little scraps of paper weren’t enough.
I don’t have that problem anymore though, no, now I know entirely too much about him, and yet still somehow it isn’t enough.
I know his trauma doesn’t define him, that it’s not who he is as a person, but I also know it’s what’s made him the way he is, and as much as I wish we were more, I won’t push, not on this.
After that my pencil flies across the page, sketching line after line for almost the full two hour practice, until I have a perfect portrait of him. It’s almost as beautiful as Harden in real life, and I can’t help but snap a picture of it and send it off to Daemon. He replies almost instantly.
Daemon - You get better with every drawing Rora
Daemon - But you still need to tell Archer about them
The word them is like a beacon on my phone screen, making my heart beat harder in my chest. My eyes flick back up to the guys where they are doing their cooldown stretches.
Everest watching me, Griffin saying something that has his jaw tightening, and Harden moving his stare between me and Griffin.
It’s like old times, but we’re in unprecedented waters, because no matter how much I wanted us to get here, it doesn’t mean I have a clue what I’m doing.
By the time the guys have showered and changed, Everest making it out of the locker rooms in record time, I’m starving.
“Can we order pizza?” I ask, as we make our way to Hockey Row, my stomach already rumbling in anticipation of their answer.
“Sure princess, whatever you want.” Everest is quick to respond, his arm firm around my back as he ushers me along, his eyes darting everywhere.
It makes me realize that even with whoever is watching me out there, I feel safe with them. Guarded.
“My dick is also on the menu.” Griffin cuts in with a wink, positioning himself at my other side, and I hear Harden exhale a sigh.
“Say that again and it won’t even be on your fucking body,” Everest grits out in response, making the man to my other side chuckle.
“Then these two would both be pissed off at you,” he claps back without pause, and I smother a smile, knowing it will only tip Ever over the edge, as we almost reach the house. “Besides, it’s not like Monroe the Hoe has never had a threesome before.”
Everest tightens his hold on me, no doubt as pissed off at that last statement as I am, but there really is no pulling Griffin back.
“I’d really prefer not to hear about my son's coital activities before dinner.” Another voice cuts in, and my head swings around to find my mom exiting the back of her town car.
“Mom?” I say, completely bewildered at her presence, as Everest drops his arm from around me, and I step forward to give her a hug.
“What are you doing here?” Everest asks when I step back, also accepting a hug from her.
“Not having threesomes like you apparently are,” she muses, eyeing him with mock disapproval, and I will for his eyes not to look at me.
When he doesn’t say anything in response, our mom only sighs.
“I had a call from the Dean, so I think the question should be, why didn’t you call me?
” Her accusatory stare bounces between the two of us, and I know Everest will only blow the whole thing out of proportion, so I rush to respond.
“It’s nothing really, just a stupid prank.”
Of course Everest doesn’t have my back on that.
“Someone vandalized her door, Mom, it was a fucking mess.” He tells her, and I glare at him like the traitorous dick he is.
“Do you know who it is? Are you safe there? Have they replaced your door?” She rushes through her questions, and even I can hear the worry in her tone. I swallow thickly as guilt threatens to consume me.
“We don’t know anything, Mom, but she stayed here with us last night.” Everest tells her, and at that my mom smiles at him, reaching out and cupping his face like she’s done since he first moved in with us.
“My sweet boy, always looking out for your sister.” She praises him and he smiles in response, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, and I wonder if he feels as guilty as I do for lying.
“Oh, he’s definitely looking after her, don’t worry, Mrs. Monroe.” Griffin smirks, tossing us a wink, and thankfully my mother doesn’t pick up on his tone.
A tone that has Everest staring him down when my mother turns her attention to me.
“I thought we could all go and grab dinner in town, my treat. I want to hear about how you’re settling in, what you’ve been up to, and about any cute boys you’ve met.
” Her smile is infectious, and in this moment I realize how much I’ve missed her since being here.
“Sure, Mom, sounds great.” I force a smile to my face, as she loops her arm with mine and gestures for the guys to follow us.
“Perfect, because I already made a reservation, and sweet Bishop is meeting us there.”
We spend the ride over to the restaurant catching up on how my classes have been and what charity work she is doing this month, and once we arrive she ushers us all inside.
As stated, Bishop is indeed waiting for us, greeting my mom with a smile and a hug, as we all take a seat around the table.
After putting in our orders she plies the guys with questions about their classes, and hockey and girls, and it’s fun to watch Everest and Griffin struggle to answer those last ones.
“And what about you, Harden, how are you holding up, darling?” Her question is sweet, and I know it kills her to know he’s hurting yet not being able to comfort him.
I’m okay . He signs with a smile as I translate for her, making her smile get a little grimmer, and I’m sure she doesn’t believe him, but he really is doing okay.
“Well you call me if you need anything, okay?” she asks, tears gathering in her eyes for her late friend, and I want to scream across the table, telling her what kind of person Gemma Haze really was.
Harden only nods as anger burns inside of me, and I jolt a little when a firm touch lands on my thigh under the table.
I long for it to be him, but I know it’s Griffin.
He’s probably as mad as I am right now having to sit through this bullshit, but we both know that if Harden wanted my mom to know the truth, she would, it’s as simple as that.
Griffin squeezes my thigh gently before quickly changing the subject.
The rest of the dinner passes without incident, before we say goodbye to my mom with a promise to all be home for Thanksgiving next month. Bishop didn’t come home with us, tossing us only a wink as he left the restaurant, stating he had a workout to get to. Which leaves just the four of us.
“Surprised you didn’t tell your mom about the cute boys you’ve been spending time with,” Griffin muses as we enter the house, and he follows after me as I make my way to the kitchen. “Are you ashamed of us, sweetheart?” he asks, pressing me into the kitchen counter from behind.