October Academy

Chapter 46

"He's what now?" I say, sure that I misheard, sure that there's been a miscommunication.

"Acacia and him broke up last night – that's what I must have heard on the phone," Perry says, scrunching up her pointed button nose.  "Now... now he's with Alyssa."

"We'd be delusional to think that. He doesn't care for Alyssa whatsoever – just last night he was furious that she hurt me."

"Apparently not furious enough, because he's been macking lips with her for the past hour. Look," she says and points to the crowd around the statues.

I stand on my tip toes to peak over the monotonous heads of students. And right before my eyes, I see Xander and Alyssa, hand in hand, like the King and Queen of October Academy.

.

.

.

I had no choice but to leave the scene, despite being gobsmacked and flabbergasted. I had to make my way to work. I try to call Acacia another ten times as I clean the grandstand. The hockey boys are training now, so I can text without being negligent in my work. I can clean and call at the same time – I don't need to serve customers or anything.

I don't understand. Did she block me because of Xander? Does she think he broke up with her because of something I did? Maybe she just doesn't want to talk to me now because I was Xander's friend first. She only befriended Perry and me because she was dating Xander, not because she had any prior interest in us. She's popular. She's the daughter of the richest couple alive. Why would she give two cents about me and Perry?

And why on Earth would Xander dump one of the best catches at October Academy to go a scheming and conniving bitch?

I think about ways to get Xander off the ice so I can speak to him. He's only a few feet away from me, leaning against the barricades of the rink, training like there's no tomorrow.

Except he isn't focussed – no he's gossiping with the boys about a 'slut' at the party.

I realise he's talking about me.

My cheeks burn with a heat hotter than the reddest magma. How could he speak about me in such a way? What, now he's dating Alyssa so instead of wearing matching outfits they wear matching personalities?

I want to punch him hard in the face.

The whole team is gossiping now, occasionally glancing behind the barricade to stare at me.

Darcy is on the other side of the rink and I know he's out of earshot. Even if he was, his hearing aids are completely covered by the helmet. He must struggle to hear anything.

Callum is also on the ice, making his way towards Xander. It finally registers that the expression on Callum's face is not friendly. He seems furious.

"That is no way to speak about a lady," Callum yells at them. "Now put your head in the game and concentrate."

"It's not a lady, it's Jade," one of the boys says under his breath, but I hear it and so does Callum.

Callum's eyes widen, as though he didn't realise it was me they were gossiping about. His eyes meet mine across the rink.

Suddenly, I'm scared.

He takes off, walking straight to the barricade and hopping off the ice.

I start walking, fast, trying to make it to the safety of the ticket booth without him catching me.

But just as I go to twist the door knob, he grabs my wrist and pulls me into the ticketing booth with him.

"What are those boys talking about?" Callum says, anger boiling beneath his pretence of calm.