Chapter 22
Luna
I slowly push the door open, hoping to avoid Sophie and Annika, but I should have known better.
Sophie is sitting cross-legged in front of the TV with a controller in her hands, but she’s not playing. Her eyes lock onto me. Annika’s on the floor in a perfect midsplit, mindlessly scrolling on her phone like she wasn’t waiting for me.
“Look who finally showed up. You’ve been avoiding us all day,” Sophie says.
She’s kinda right. But I also have been looking into Ellias and how to get into the archives, like Serene suggested. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I have a feeling she knows more than she’s telling me.
I drop my bag by the door and head toward the kitchen for some water. The light from the fridge hits my vision, and I close my eyes against the pressure behind them.
“I just had a lot on my mind.” I swallow.
I want to tell them everything, but it might not be a good idea to bring them into this.
“You promised we’d talk later. We want to know why you were skating with Zayden at the Shadow Rink.”
I freeze. “You know about that place?”
“Just the rumors. That it was a secret rink but got closed down. People don’t really talk about it anymore, and some students say that place is haunted.”
I blink. I didn’t expect her to know about it. How much do they know?
“A few weeks ago, I received a text, no name, just a location to show up to if I wanted to prove I wasn’t an ice princess.”
“And you went? What if they were some kind of serial killer or kidnapper?”
Trust me, I know.
“I thought maybe it was a prank. Or some weird initiation thing. But when I showed up… he was already there.”
“Zayden?” Sophie asks.
I nod, leaning against the fridge. My head’s still pounding.
“I was pissed, so I challenged him. We skated, and he was stupidly good. It was intense and weirdly in sync. Didn’t think much of it until the video showed up.”
“So, it was Zayden, then, the texts and the video?” Annika asks, turning to face me.
“I don’t know.”
“And last night?” Sophie asks. I was hoping we didn’t have to talk about last night. “Did something happen? Like, happen, happen.”
“I don’t want to talk about that right now.”
Sophie and Annika exchange a glance. “We all saw that chemistry in the video, and the sexual tension you two have had since day one,” Sophie says.
“Can we not? At least not tonight.” The pulse in my temple throbs harder. I press my fingers there, like that will make it stop. I can’t do this right now. “I have a migraine, and if I don’t shower and go to bed right now, I’m gonna vomit.”
“Okay,” Annika says quietly.
“You don’t have to talk about him, but we’re here if you want to,” Sophie adds, her tone softer.
“I know.” I give them a smile before disappearing down the hallway.
After my shower, I walk back into my room. I smell chamomile and honey. Sophie sits at my desk, holding a mug.
“I made you tea.” She holds it out to me.
I take the mug from her, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. “Thank you.” I smile softly at her.
She moves from the desk and sits beside me on the bed. “Annika and I are going out for a bit. Will you be okay by yourself?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I’m used to being alone.
She wraps one arm gently around my shoulder. “Okay. Get some rest. And text me if you need anything.”
I nod.
She walks toward the door to leave, then stops. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
The door closes softly behind her, and I’m left alone again. My eyes drift to the window, and out there in the distance, I can see Ravensbourne Hall. I close my eyes for a second, the memory from earlier playing behind my eyelids.
He told me to stay away, and yet he still looks at me like he cares.
But he doesn’t. No one has ever cared before, not even my sperm donor, because that’s all he ever was.
The last time I heard from him was the time I was desperate and naive enough to call him.
Rylee had moved to Paris, and things were getting bad with my mom’s new boyfriend.
He used to hit me when he got angry. So I called and begged him to let me come live with him.
You know what he said?
Some bullshit about how it wasn’t a good time.
Rylee was the only one who gave a shit about me, but she left anyway. I know she had to, but I was still left alone.
I finish my tea and set the mug on the nightstand. Lying down in the bed, I pull the blanket up to my chin. My body is tired, and my head is killing me. But my mind won’t let me rest, even with the white noise playing from my phone.
I flip onto my stomach, hoping that helps, but nothing. I hate that I’m thinking about him, the kiss, the night at the cabin.
I hate him.
That’s what I tell myself every night when I can’t sleep. Every time I replay the way he kissed me in my head.
I didn’t come here to get distracted by the broody hockey player. I came here to skate. To earn my place and make it to the Olympics, not to get caught up in whatever storm is Zayden Aldenhurst.