Chapter 8 #2
String music flowed through my ears, and as play resumed, I couldn't take my eyes off the ice.
The scrimmage was definitely more entertaining than I'd thought it would be—and surprisingly beautiful, like a dance.
The players weaved with the notes. Even the crashes seemed to go with the music.
I had a hard time looking away from Tolliver.
His confidence, his natural talent for knowing where the other players would be, the way he effortlessly glided past and around them, how they seemed to follow his lead, it was clear from the look on his face how much he loved this.
Loved being out there. Hockey was like breathing for him.
Just like violin was for me.
As the music reached the final build, my favorite part, it made me a little sad.
I missed playing music. It had always been my happy place.
I moved my wrist experimentally, trying to recreate how I would play this section.
For a moment, even though the piece was complex, my movements felt good, easy, as natural as inhaling and exhaling.
But I'd forgotten I did my PT exercises before coming here.
I made one wrong move, and pain shot through my wrist and up my arm.
I winced, trying to rub the soreness away, as my eyes began to fill.
Before I could blink, Tolliver was there, reaching for me.
Looking up, I could see his mouth moving.
He gestured to my headphones, and as I nodded, he gently removed them.
"What are you doing?" I asked. "Is the scrimmage over already?"
Instead of answering, he said, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
He gave me a look.
"I'm good, Tolliver. Go back out there."
"Nah, Xavier needs the practice more than me anyway," he said.
"But—"
"We rotate out all the time in a game. Everyone's got to practice."
Tolliver gently took my wrist, touched my skin with care, but I sucked in a breath when he accidentally hit a tender spot.
"Seriously, it's fine," I said as his eyes lifted to meet mine. "Just sore because I did my PT exercises."
"Did you ice it afterward?" he asked.
"I...didn't. I came straight here."
"We have icepacks. I'll get you one."
"Aren't those for the players?"
The look Tolliver sent me was withering, so I shut up. When he came back with an ice pack in his hand and laid it softly on my wrist, I couldn't hold back a shiver.
"Too cold?" he asked.
"No, it's good," I said.
Tolliver nodded then sat back in the chair beside me.
"Dad's going to be mad," Eli said to his brother. "You never sit out."
He shrugged.
"You never miss practice either."
"He'll understand," Tolliver said, "when I tell him my friend needed me."
"If you say so."
I turned to him then. "I don't need you. You should go. In fact, I wish you would."
He just smiled.
"You hovering like this isn't helping anyone."
"Ah Kent, you say the sweetest things."
I laughed, and he grinned.
"What were you doing over here anyway?" he said. "Looked like you were playing air violin."
"I kind of was," I said.
"How did it feel? Playing again?"
"Not nearly as good as it will when I have a real bow in my hand."
"Can I hear what you were listening to?"
"Okay."
We listened to a song, watching the action on the ice, then Tolliver said, "String music goes surprisingly well with hockey."
"That's what I was thinking," I said.
After a few minutes, Tolliver did go back out, rejoining the scrimmage when his dad threatened to take the car, and after I assured him I was totally fine and would he please stop making such a big deal out of it.
Elle got some fantastic saves or blocks, whatever you called them in hockey, and Hudson was impressive, always making plays.
But again, Tolliver was who I watched the most. When the scrimmage ended, I heard my name and turned.
It was Hudson.
"So Freya, how was your first scrimmage?" he asked.
"Surprisingly not boring," I said, putting my headphones away.
Hudson grinned. "Especially the part where my brother took care of you."
I rolled my eyes, but my face felt like it was on fire.
"Smooth move. For Tolliver."
"You would've done something different?"
"Please, if it was me, I would've ignored you until the end of practice."
"Nice."
"Nothing's more important to me than hockey," Hudson said.
"Not even girls?" I asked. "I remember Eli saying they liked you a lot."
"And I like them." Hudson gave me a slow smile, took my hand, lifted it to his lips, and pressed a quick kiss to my knuckles. "But not more than hockey."
I blinked, pulling my hand away.
"You're lucky Tolliver didn't see that," Elle said, coming over to join us.
"What?" Hudson said innocently. "It was nothing."
"Not sure he'd agree."
"Lucky for me, he's getting reamed out by dad then."
My brows furrowed as I spotted them several feet away. Tolliver's dad was doing most of the talking. It didn't look like a fun conversation.
"Maybe I should go apologize," I said, feeling guilty.
"Don't worry about it," Hudson said.
"Yeah," Elle added, "Tolliver's the favorite. He'll be fine."
"I thought I was the favorite."
Elle scoffed at that.
"Can we go now?" Eli said. "I want to say bye to my friends real fast."
"Sure, I'll come with you," Elle said.
"I have to go change. Meeting up with someone." Hudson laughed as his sister frowned. "But I'll catch you all later. Bye, Freya."
As Elle and Eli said their goodbyes and walked away, I waited for Tolliver—then realized there was really no reason to do that. I'd see him tomorrow morning. I should leave before there was any more weirdness. Just as I was turning to go, a voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Freya."
I looked over and came face-to-face with my ex.
Wayne smiled. "I thought that was you," he said. "Since when do you like hockey?"
"Wayne, hi," I said, crossing my arms.
"I thought you hated sports."
"I do."
"Then why are you here?"
Instead of answering, I asked, "Why are you? I don't remember you liking anything but basketball."
Not that you were very good at it, I mentally added.
My politeness only went so far.
"My sister's boyfriend is attending the camp," he said, nodding toward where I could see his sister and a guy in a hockey jersey chatting. "So? What are you doing here?"
Before I could answer, he chuckled.
"Don't tell me you're into one of them."
"I—"
"I just can't see it."
"Can't see what?"
Wayne shrugged, his smile taking on a sharper edge. "You dating a hockey player. Actually, you dating anyone other than your violin."
He laughed at his own dumb joke.
"Actually, I'm waiting for my boyfriend," I said just to shut him up.
When Wayne's eyes snapped to mine, I didn't wince only from sheer will.
"You're joking," he said.
I shook my head. "Nope, he was out there kicking ass today. Even if it was only a scrimmage."
See? I could learn new sports terminology while lying like a pro.
Wayne studied my face then grinned. "I don't believe you," he said.
"You don't have to," I said.
"Prove it."
"How?"
"Well, where is he?" Wayne said while I gaped. "Your new guy. Let me meet him. That is assuming he exists, and you didn't just make up this lie to save face in front of me."
I put a hand to my chest. "I would never. I didn't care what you thought for the brief time that we dated, and I definitely don't now."
"Then prove it."
"Fine, I will," I said, unaware of what I was actually saying and just wanting to get away.
"Hey, Freya," Tolliver said, and when I turned he was striding toward me. His eyes took in the situation in a glance. Stopping close to my side, he looked down into my eyes. "You good?"
I nodded, wrapping my arm around his waist. "Yeah, I am. I missed you."
To his credit, Tolliver didn't miss a beat, pulling me closer. "I missed you too."
"Nice playing today," I said.
"You know I love it when you watch me."
As if from a great distance, I thought I heard Wayne scoff, but I was so aware of Tolliver's hand gliding against my cheek, tilting my chin up, so attuned to his breathing as it sped along with mine.
He leaned so close that we were sharing the same air.
As he gazed into my eyes and smiled, my breath hitched.
"Thanks for waiting for me," he murmured.
Tolliver kissed me.
And my whole world ignited.