The Puck Bunny

Twenty-Three

LUKE

When my alarm went off, I sighed. We'd just sat here for the last hour and a bit, but I knew I needed to get ready for hockey practice.

"Pruitt?"

She stretched next to me.

"I'm awake"

"I've gotta get ready for practice" She sighed and sat up.

"Damn"

"I agree. At least I don't want to murder that fucking kid anymore" She laughed as I reluctantly pulled myself off the bed.

"Good, I don't need you getting kicked out of school"

"Funny that, I don't want to leave" I smiled as she stood up and pressed a kiss to my lips.

"What are you gonna do while I'm practising?" I asked as I changed into some sweat pants and a long-sleeve Gophers shirt. Carter shrugged.

"Probably go find my lecturer and apologise for missing class"

"You don't want to come watch me trip Fraser on the ice?"

"Luke you can't! You guys need to work well together" I shrugged.

"He needs to work with Tate and Cooper more. I want him to realise he's fucked with something very important to me. I can't just let it slide anymore"

"Please don't get anyone kicked off the team or suspended. You or him"

"I'll try my best, but he needs to know he messed up. I won't let him parade himself around like a fucking peacock while he's here. Life has consequences"

"Not physical consequences" I sighed and looked to her. She had her arms folded and wasn't meeting my eyes. She was actually scared I was gonna do something stupid. I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her. Her arms remained folded.

"Hey, look at me" I said. She brought her eyes to mine.

"I'm not going to hit him. Not today." I felt her sigh in relief as she let herself be fully embraced.

"Don't get me wrong, I'll be having words with him. But his face is safe for today" She looked up at me and rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Make sure he stays away from me" She said. I nodded and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Oh, that was a definite. I'd better get going, I'll see you later?"

"You'd better"

I was going to try asking her to sit in on practice again, but it was probably for the best that she wasn't coming, to be honest. Because although Cooper would hold me back, and Ripley if needed, I wasn't 100% sure how this confrontation with Fraser was going to go.

I jogged to the rink, my skates and gear all being in my locker since the rink opened, and arrived at the same time as Bunker and Fraser.

"Hey Bennett" Bunker greeted me. I forced a small smile but didn't say anything to either of them. I made sure to drop my smile by the time I looked at Fraser, and I think his thick brain got the hint.

I quickly moved towards the locker room to get my skates, helmet, pads and stick. Ripley and Cooper were also in the locker room.

"Oh hey, you're all here. Tate's already out on the ice. He hasn't been on since before summer and said he needed to get the feeling again" Cooper explained.

"Uh, do I get a locker?"

Fraser was currently carrying his skates and I snickered. He hadn't gotten his gear yet and didn't even have a locker.