her devil

6

esmeray walked into the dark apartment, putting her keys on the kitchen island. she was still upset that jack had gotten injured on her first day, and she was starting to think her bad luck was coming back.

"hey, you okay?" willow asked. esmeray looked up to see willow in her pajamas, coming out of the bedroom.

"yeah..just fine. im gonna head to bed. class in the morning." esmeray faked a smile and went to her bedroom. she shut the door behind her and threw her bag onto the floor.

"get your skates on and hurry up to the ice." twelve-year-old esmeray's dad said. esmeray tied her laces and hurried onto the ice where her coach was at.

"ready to practice with the music?" her coach asked. esmeray smiled and nodded her head. as the music started, esmeray skated around, dancing to the music.

when she was done, her coach clapped and waved her over.

"you did so good! im amazed." he placed his hand on esmeray's shoulder, which made her a little uncomfortable.

"now-"

esmeray put a pillow to her face to muffle put the sounds of her crying. she tried to keep everything bottled in, not wanting to deal with it.

from jack getting hurt, to what happened when she was little, she kept it bottled in.

esmeray never told her parents what had happened years ago at the rink. the only person she did tell was auriella.

•

morning came and esmeray didn't want to get out of bed. her covers covered her face from the sun shining in through her window, but the bright light only made her stay in bed.

there was a knock on esmeray's door which finally made her get up.

"you alright?" willow asked. "your eye bags are super noticeable and your hair is crazy."

"gee, thanks for pointing that out." esmeray rolled her eyes and went back to her bed.

"you're just skipping class?" willow asked as she came into the room.

"no, i'm planning to go to the moon, willow. what does it look like im doing?" esmeray scoffed.

"we're in a bitch mood kind of day." willow whispered to herself. "esme, what's wrong?"

"nothing. im fine!" esmeray said.

"don't give me that bull shit. whats really wrong." willow crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"jack got hurt last night and im pretty sure my bad luck is coming back." esmeray spat, not realizing what she had just said.

"jack? bad luck? esme what the hell are you talking about?" willow was confused now.

"jack's mystery hockey guy, and my bad luck from years ago is coming back." esmeray told her. willow frowned and hugged her friend.

"esme, what do you mean by bad luck?"

esmeray closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair.

"i don't wanna talk about it. i just need to stay in bed until i have to get ready for practice." esmeray turned on her side to face away from willow.

"alright, i love you." willow said before leaving her bedroom.

esmeray stared at her wall for three hours, not wanting to move a muscle. when her alarm went off on her phone that she had to get ready, she threw the covers off of her.

she went to her closet, throwing on her "uniform" and going to the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth.

auriella walked past esmeray, not wanting to bother her and make her more upset.

esmeray didn't say goodbye before she left, and her friends new something was really wrong.

when esmeray got to the center, she made her way to the hospitality room, not talking to anyone unless they talked to her.

she pulled out her computer and started to work on some of the work she would be missing from class.

"hey guys."

esmeray looked up to see jack. his arm in a sling, but he looked better than yesterday.

"how are you?" scott asked jack.

"better than yesterday, that's for sure." jack chuckled.

esmeray turned her attention back to her work, and didn't even notice that jack was sitting next to her.

"what are you working on?" he asked. esmeray looked over her shoulder, then back at her screen.

"exercise physiology work." she replied.

jack could tell that esmeray was upset, and he wanted to ask why.

"you seem upset. what's wrong?" jack asked. esmeray waved him off, assuring him that nothing was wrong.

"i don't have any sisters, but i do when someone is upset." jack said.

"why does everyone think im upset?" esmeray asked loudly. thankfully no one was in the room besides her and jack.

esmeray sighed and looked at jack, "im sorry. i shouldn't have yelled at you."

"it's fine, but if you ever want to talk, i'm here. you can trust me." jack told her.

"thanks."