Chapter 10
Broken out of our trance Jack and I broke away. I slid off the bench then stood to face Cole and Kane who were staring back and forth between Jack and I.
"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" Cole teased giving me a mock glare.
"Nothing's going on, she was just leaving." Jack spoke for me. I turned back to look at him but he couldn't meet my eyes. I wanted to speak. To say something, but I couldn't think of anything to say. I shook my head and brushed past Cole and Kane who shifted to the side.
"Someone's in a rush." Kane called out to me as I left the locker room. My cheeks flushed and my heart was racing.
I leant against the wall outside of the locker room trying desperately to regain my composure. My mind couldn't process what happened, or rather, what didn't happen. Jack was going to kiss me, and I was going to kiss him back.
*****
"Where have you been?" My mother asked once I stepped through the door. Honestly I was surprised to see her home, let alone awake.
She was in her bath robe with a bowl of popcorn resting on her lap. The TV was blaring with a sci-fi movie but my mom wasn't watch it anymore. She was staring at me. Not sure of what else to do I turned around to hang up my coat.
"Hockey game. It's Friday, remember?" I mumbled turning back to face my mom.
"You're still into hockey. I thought you grew out of that." She said already turning her attention back to the TV. I watched as she popped several pieces of popcorn into her mouth.
I sighed. "I could never grow out of hockey." I muttered under my breath.
"What was that, dear?"
"I just said I'm going to head up to bed, goodnight." She repeated goodnight and climbed the stairs up to my bedroom.
There was once a time when mom didn't work night shifts and wasn't gone all the time. Back when she and my father were together she was almost close to being a housewife. She cooked, cleaned, did my laundry, and even tucked me into bed at night.
She used to sing to me. "Sing me the song." I would ask. Mom would sigh before replying, "Which one?"
"Golden Slumbers, my favorite. You've gotta remember it." I'd exclaim. My mom would smile widely tightening the tucked sheets around me. From the corner of my eye I would see Dad leaning against the door frame, watching our nightly routine. Smiling I would turn back to my mother waiting for her to start singing.
"Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,
Smiles await you when you rise.
Sleep,
Pretty baby,
Do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby.
Cares you know not,
Therefore sleep,
While over you a watch I'll keep.
Sleep,
Pretty darling,
Do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby."
She never sung that after my dad left. She never sung again at all, not even for Addie. The house grew silent and mom found a new job that kept her away most nights.
Quiet and lonely nights had filled our house and replaced the routines we had before.
I shook my head pulling myself out of my thoughts as I changed into my pajamas. I let out an exhausted groan of relief when my head fit the pillow. My body was able to relax but my mind didn't get the memo.
I thought of the locker room and of Jack. I thought of how he looked when he looked at me that way that seems like it could be lust. I thought how badly I wanted our lips to touch. Then I thought of how quickly he recoiled back behind his walls.
The more I thought the more confused I had gotten. I had never felt this way before and it scared me. It didn't help that I was feeling this way because of Jack Vella, the most contradicting hockey player in the world. I groaned, this time in frustration, and buried my face into my pillows.
"I hate him, I really and truly hate him." I mumbled into the fabric of my pillowcase.
YOU ARE READING
Not All Hockey Boys Are Bad
Teen Fiction*complete* Rosie and Jack could not be more different. They were like Yin and Yang, North and South, light and dark. Jack was the "bad" hockey player who hid behind his walls and Rosie was the shy, awkward girl who went to all of his games. They sho...
