Off Ice.

Chapter Fifty-One.

This is the second chapter of a double update, so please read Chapter Fifty if you have not already.

Trigger Warning:
Mention of blood and violence.

Avery

"What time is your class again?"

"6:30," I smile, shaking my head at Casey. I've told him about 65 times in the past four hours. "Until 9ish."

"Now why the hell would you take a two and a half hour night class on a Thursday?" Casey asks, as if he hadn't already known about this class. I'm literally at it every week.

"Because I needed it for my degree and I want to graduate?" I reply sarcastically. "I don't mind it all that much, actually."

Well, today I do. I don't feel like going, honestly. I toyed with the idea of just skipping, but there's only two more classes before the final and I don't want to miss out on any pertinent information.

"Only person I know that likes to sit in a class and listen to some guy blab about books for two and a half hours," he scoffs, sitting back into his spot on the couch. My jaw slacks as a disbelieved laugh falls from me at the fact that he's really trying to instigate right now, "Why are you making fun of me?"

He groans and takes a throw pillow from next to him, covering his face with it before groaning even more dramatically in it. I laugh more at that, shaking my head, "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm cranky," he says into the plush fabric.

"Yeah, I put that together."

"Don't be a dick."

"How the hell am I the dick?!"

"You're being mean."

"You're being whiny."

"You're both being annoying."

We look to Grace, who wasn't home a minute ago, watching as she bends down to pick up Dot who is jumping around at her. Dot really isn't small anymore but I think we'd all be damned if we didn't pick her up. That babe loves it.

"He won't tell me what's wrong with him," I gesture, scoffing. I'm just trying to help my friend and he's being a pain in the ass. "He's just moping."

"I'm not moping."

"Oh, yeah. And I'm not sitting."

He looks at me with a bored look as I'm sat on my ass next to him, so I give him a closed mouth and sarcastic smile.

"I'm going to put on sweats," Grace waves us off, taking Delilah with her as she heads to their room.

Everything is a bit all over the place at the house right now. We're all packing up, wanting to be ready to go when the season is over. I've been helping both Grace and Casey whenever I'm home. It's not a huge amount because there's still time, but it's a big house.

"Come on, Case. Talk to me," I try again. He's always a sounding board for me and Finn, but I want to be the same for him. I don't like seeing him stressed.