The Story of Alicia

Chapter 4: The One We Wish Didn't Happen

Notes:

SPOILERS!!! There's talk about abuse in this chapter but it's not being described in any detail.

There's not so much hockey talk right now but there will be in later chapters. I'm just mentioning the championships at this point.

I already published one chapter today but decided to publish this anyway, mainly because they are both shorter than the rest. This chapter was not a part of my original story, I wrote and added it just last week so it might have a different style to it. I also didn't really know where to put this chapter, I wanted to put it between the next two but I couldn't really make it work...so here it is.

Everything written in italics means that what the character is thinking or saying is not English.

This chapter is set in fall 2012 to early 2013.

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Lukas was a nice guy. He was polite, popular and his grades were well above average. He truly was the boy next door, the one you could introduce to your parents. So, when this guy asks you out you have to say yes.

He had been so sweet in the beginning. He acted like he truly cared about your opinion. He acted like he supported you playing hockey. He acted like a true gentleman the first time he met your parents. He made you feel special when he took your virginity. He acted like you mattered.

Suddenly it all changed. His kisses turned rough. He would grab your arm and not let go. He wouldn't let you see your friends every day. He kept track of your texts and calls. He told you than no one would ever love you like he does. He left marks. He crushed your self-esteem piece by piece.

Alicia was brought back to reality when her teacher started talking to her.

- Earth to Alicia!

- Sorry what?

- Just checking that you are alive.

The teacher smiled and turned her attention back towards the whole class. Alicia blushed and tried to focus on writing notes. Her phone lit up with a new text from Emma and she unlocked it and read it.

- U ok?

Alicia turned her head and looked at her best friend. She nodded to show she was fine. Emma was not convinced but she let it go for now. They both turned their attention to the front of the class where the teacher tried to teach a bunch of teenagers how to solve a certain math problem...at 8:23 am. Only 7 hours and 37 minutes left until Alicia could go home. She leaned her elbow on the table and winced. She'd forgotten about the large hand-shaped mark just above her elbow. She could feel Emma looking at her but didn't dare to look back at her. Alicia decided that today was the day. She was going to tell Emma everything. That she was afraid of Lukas, that he was hurting her.

Alicia was sitting on the floor crying in Emma's apartment. She had just told her friend about how Lukas is verbally abusing her.

- But he is not violent, is he?

Alicia dried her tears with her sleeve and quietly took off her hoodie to reveal a few purple marks on her arms.

- Not all of these are from playing hockey...

- Why haven't you told me about this sooner?

Alicia looked at her friend.

- You know exactly why.

Emma was quiet for a few moments.

- Just because my family have made my life a living hell doesn't mean that you should keep something like this from me. I'm not that fragile you know. Like hello I have my own apartment now! I'm doing great.

Alicia could see the pain in Emma's eyes. Both her parents were drunks. Mean drunks. Her older brother had escaped it all by going backpacking through Asia as soon as he'd turned 18 and no one knows where he is now. Her older sister has been going in and out of rehab since she was 17 and has a child. Emma moved away from home when she was 16 and her younger sister is staying over most nights.

- Have you told anyone else?

- No. You are the only one who knows and it have to stay that way.

- But..

- Emma promise me you won't tell anyone!! My mom can't know! It would destroy her!

- But you can't keep this a secret forever.

- I won't...just...for now please?

Emma sighed and held out her pinky.

- Pinky promise.

- Pinky promise.

- You are going to break up with him, right?

- ...right.

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To get away from her personal struggles Alicia put all her focus on hockey when she could. She was never a violent player but sometimes her one timers were a bit harder than you'd expect from a 16-year-old girl.

She got more and more ice time when playing with the Blues. The same thing was happening with the U18 team and when it was time for the U18 tournament at the end of December she was named the second line center. She had been a right winger last time but the coaches were impressed with how she had played in the world championships last spring, so they decided that center was the best position for her.

This year the U18 tournament was being held in Finland so they had massive support on home-ice. The tournament ended with a gold medal for the second year in a row and the players were already talking about how it was going to be next year when most of this year's team would be too old. Someone was saying that Alicia would definitely be captain next year. Alicia just laughed even though she was secretly hoping it was the truth.