the story of us [dean portman 2]

𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡. 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗛𝗜𝗠

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡: 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗛𝗜𝗠

     STAYING up until it was time to leave for their practice at five in the morning was probably the worst decision the group that spent the night at Averman's had ever made. Sophie accompanied those on the JV team to the rink, planning on telling them she had to talk to Coach Orion before getting ready and then just leaving to her dorm. She didn't want to be the one to tell the team that she was leaving. She figured Charlie and Kenny would be happy about her leaving but she didn't want to see Averman and Dwayne's faces when they heard the news.

She stood with Averman and the others that spent the night at his house the night prior, waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. When Charlie walked in with a black eye and a glare in Sophie's direction, the girl knew that Rick had found him the day prior.

"What was that about? What happened to Charlie?" Dwayne asked as they all watched the bruised boy enter the locker room.

"It looks like Rick found him," Sophie sighed as she saw the group's confused expressions. "He found out about what Charlie said and did in the locker room yesterday and he seemed pretty pissed about it."

"How would Rick Riley know about what happened in our locker room?" Fulton asked with furrowed eyebrows.

Sophie looked up to the ceiling before peeking back at her friends to see them staring at her with curious looks. She sighed before telling them that he stopped by her dorm after his game to talk to her but didn't tell them about what. Her brother questioned what they spoke about but Sophie made up a quick lie about her not knowing. She told them that once he saw that she was crying, Rick brushed off what he wanted to talk about and instead asked her what was wrong.

"We need to get changed for practice," Sophie said as she stepped away from the wall that she was leaning against. "You all get in there and I'll catch up. I have to talk to Coach Orion."

The group nodded and Fulton gave his sister a look that she knew meant he was on to her about something. She just wasn't sure what. Once everyone was in the locker room, Sophie began her way out of the building. With her bag from the night before slung over her shoulder, the girl walked to her dorm room. She flopped onto her bed and let out a deep sigh.

She took her time showering and changing before grabbing her school bag and leaving her dorm. Sophie walked across the courtyard to one of the other dorm buildings until she ended up right in front of Scooter and Rick's door. It didn't register in her mind how early it was until that moment when she remembered that it was before seven in the morning. She debated going back to her dorm for a while until she heard a pair of voices talking on the other side of the door.

Taking this as a sign that the two were awake and knocked on the door. Moments later Rick opened the door and smiled at the girl as he asked if she wanted to come in. She nodded and the boy opened the door wider to allow her to enter the room.

Sophie walked in and sat next to Scooter on his bed as he held his arms open for a hug. She leaned against him as his arms wrapped around her.

"I didn't tell any of them that I wasn't going to be on JV anymore and I kind of left it to Coach Orion," Sophie sighed as she rubbed her eyes. "I didn't want to see the look of Ave or Dwayne's face. Oh, and I saw Charlie this morning."

"Did he say anything to you?" Rick asked as he sat up straighter on his bed.

"No. He just glared at me as he walked by. He's got a black eye."