Chapter 18
eighteen
SASHA
“You kissed him?” Steph screams in the middle of the arena lobby.
I slam my hand over her mouth, “yes. Now shush before the whole school hears you.”
Claire’s jaw hangs open, “who are you and what have you done with Sasha?”
Taking my hand off of Steph’s mouth slowly, I grin like the Cheshire Cat. It’s so completely out of character for me to do something like that, so I can’t blame either of them for their reactions.
“I don’t know, but thirty seconds of bravery sure as hell goes a long way,” I laugh.
Steph reaches over, shutting Claire’s jaw, “I just can’t believe you actually did it,” she gapes.
“Your thirty seconds of bravery sure worked out a lot better than mine,” Claire grumbles. “Lucas ran for the hills when I kissed him the first time.”
Snorting, I lock arms with both of them and start heading towards the rink doors. “You know, I still haven’t gotten the full story on you and Lucas. I’d love to know about how you managed to convert the grumpy captain into a love-sick puppy.”
Claire tries to hide her smile, but I know how hard it is when you’re talking about someone you love.
Yup, that’s right. I’m finally letting myself admit that I’m in love with Johnny Davis. Still working on the saying it out loud part, but we’re taking baby steps.
“Love-sick puppy might be a bit of a stretch,” Claire tells me.
Steph tilts her head towards me, “whipped is a more accurate term.”
I think both describe him perfectly. He’s definitely a lot nicer than I originally pegged him for, but when he’s with Claire, it’s like his whole personality shifts. Not in the way that he becomes a completely different person, he just becomes… gentler.
Claire sends Steph a glare, “he’s comfortable with his feelings, that’s not whipped.” She twists slightly and stops the three of us from going any further, “I promise to tell you the whole story so long as you promise to keep us updated on any and all things Davis.”
I nod, “you’ve got a deal.”
“Perfect,” Claire chirps, “now, I have to go meet the guys on the bench, but there’s two seats reserved for you right behind us.”
“Perks of being the owner of the arena, huh?” Steph smirks.
“Owner?” I ask, looking back and forth between the two of them.
Claire sighs, “long story. I’ll have to fill you in on that one too.”
I watch as the guys zip up and down the ice at a pace I didn’t know was possible. They’re insanely fast, and fucking violent too.
But I would be lying if I said it wasn’t hot as hell watching Johnny throw fists during the first period. I mean fuck, the way he ripped off his helmet and threw his gloves down did something to me.
“I think hockey is my new favourite sport,” I tell Steph, keeping my eyes trained on Johnny.
“Yeah, it’s pretty great sometimes,” Steph laughs. “Especially when you know there’s a guy out there that’s all yours.”
Well, I know he’s all mine, but I don’t think any of the girls sporting his jersey or holding a sign up with his name know that.
Unfortunately, those screaming girls are bringing out a side of me that I don’t like very much.
A very jealous side.
“You get used to it.” Steph puts a hand on my arm, “it’s weird at first, but Johnny is head over heels for you, and he’s not the sleazy type.”
We eye one another for a second before bursting into laughter. It’s so loud that even Claire turns around to look at us through the glass with her eyebrows knit together.
“I’ll tell you later!” Steph yells.
Rolling her eyes, Claire turns back towards the ice and continues to coach the team. It’s crazy watching her up there, with them. She’s different when she’s in coach mode. I understand why the guys are afraid of her now.
“Move your ass’s” She screams, cupping her hands over her mouth.
“She’s kinda… intense.”
Steph jumps up from her seat and starts screaming like a maniac when August gets the puck, heading straight towards the net.
“You’re both intense,” I correct myself.
Steph looks down at me, “something else you’ll get used to.”
Don’t get me wrong, I have fun watching the game, but I can’t help but feel small in this arena. There are so many people, so many girls who are cheering for the guy I like, and so much happening that I wonder if I’ll be able to keep up.
I was surrounded by popular hockey players my entire life, but I was never involved in any of this stuff.
What if I can’t adapt, what if I can’t…
“You and Claire are seriously alike,” Steph suddenly says, pulling me out of my spiral.
“What?”
“You and Claire. Both of you get in your heads so easily, and it reads all over your faces. Stop stressing,” she comforts. “Who cares what all of these people think? We like you, we chose you, and now you’re stuck with us.”
I really hope that’s true.
I kinda like these people, and the thought of having them in my life for a long time makes my heart really fucking happy.
“Besides, your man is looking at you like he wants to eat you alive right now,” Steph snickers.
Turning towards the bench, I see that she’s right. Johnny is sitting on the bench with his eyes glued to me instead of the ice. The grin on his face sends butterflies flying through my stomach, but when I turn around to show him that I’m wearing his jersey, the grin fades.
Before I have the chance to taunt him any more, his coach grabs his head and turns it back towards the ice. The older man looks over his shoulder to look at me, the hard line of his mouth turning up ever so slightly before focusing back on the game.
“That man scares me,” I tell Steph.
She barely looks at me, wholly focused on the game as she responds. “Tony? Nah, he’s a huge softie, he’s just scary cause he’s on the bench and makes the guys’ lives a living hell. Don’t let them fool you into thinking he’s anything but an angel to us girls.”
Tony leans down, saying something to Johnny before standing back up and barking orders at the line of hockey players going onto the ice.
Johnny turns back to me, smiling like he couldn’t possibly be happier in this moment.
I smile back.
“You and me, Pixie,” he mouths.
My stomach drops, the words all too familiar to what J and I used to say to one another, but my smile stays in place.
He didn’t mean to. He doesn’t know.
By the time the game’s over, I think Tony is about to blow a gasket from how many times he’s had to tell Johnny to turn around and focus, but they win anyway.
I couldn’t be prouder of them.
Claire comes to the lobby to wait for the guys with Steph and I, both of them practically vibrating with all the questions they have about Johnny, but they know I’ll only answer when it’s just the three of us.
When the guys finally make their way out of the locker room, Johnny rushes to my side and pulls me into a huge hug.
“Did you have fun?” He asks.
I nod my head, smiling up at him as he brushes a piece of hair behind my ear. “I did.”
August wraps his arm around Steph’s shoulders, “do you wanna take my truck back to the house? I can ride with one of the guys if you wanna head out now.”
“Nah, I think we’re gonna walk,” Steph tells him, looking at me discreetly and smiling. “The fresh air is nice.”
Thank god.
They don’t know the half of it. They all think I’m scared to get in a car because my brother died in one, and while that may be part of it… I’m actually more afraid that I’ll kill someone again.
“Why do you let her drive your truck and not me?” Blair asks, genuinely confused.
“Because you’re an idiot,” August says flatly, “and she’s my girlfriend.”
Lucas chuckles to himself, planting a kiss on the top of Claire’s head before nodding in my direction. “Hey Sash.”
“Hey Lu,” I respond, waving.
Blair’s brows shoot up, “you guys are on a nickname basis now?”
Lucas smirks. “Jealous?”
“Of her? Never. I’ve got twenty years of friendship under my belt, I know you could never replace me.”
Everyone laughs, and I start to think that everything that’s happened to me up until this point can stay in the past. I can move past it…
Until Nathan walks up to us.
“Can I talk to you?”