My Way Back to You

Chapter 10 | Cooling Off

Anthony

My dad bursts through the locker room doors, "What the fuck were you thinking?" he calls.

I slouch in the chair, silent.

"Next time, when you get pulled away, except defeat," he spat.

I sat there in silence, knowing that anything I said would only make it worse. Zach sat down next to me, "We won, by the way, 4-2."

"That's good, is Lydia outside the locker room?" I wondered.

"I didn't see her just yet. She was high up in the stands. I would give her a minute."

Lydia

I hurried down to the locker room as fast as I could. Jayda and Christine struggling to keep up.

We made it down to the long hallway under the stands and stood patiently, "You think they left already?"

"No way, I can hear them talking," Christine murmured.

As we waited, Lakeview came off the ice. Most of the players walked into the locker room, but two of them stayed back.

"Look at these lovely ladies," one of them said.

The other laughed, "Hey, you think this is Vernon's? Awfully hot, maybe she could come home with me instead."

I cringed but tried to ignore them.

"That's the one who beat up Anthony," Jayda motioned.

"Smartass," he cackled, "You know, Vernon is one pussy of a fighter."

"That's because he doesn't fight," I cut in, "Meaning you must be a prick to piss him off that bad."

"You'll think twice to call me that," he burned, grabbing my hand and attempting to pull me closer.

"Hands off!" Christine snapped.

Jayda shoved the guy and with his free hand he grabbed her shirt and shoved her back. Just as she fell, Andy finally came out with one other guy. When he saw what was going down, his gaze changed and his eyes furrowed.

Andy sped up his walk, "The audacity to touch her."

"You lost a fight, she doesn't want you anymore," the guy smiled.

"I see what you mean now," Andy's friend murmured.

Andy grabbed me in his arms and kicked the Lakeview player in the legs. But he didn't budge. "Zach," Andy signaled.

Zach approached the three of us and punched the guy in the side of the face, forcing him to let go of me. Andy stood up and placed me aside Christine and Jayda. He rolled up his sleeves and hit the guy into the brick wall behind him.

Zach kicked him in the legs to deliver the final blow. He fell to his knees.

Their coach must have paid no attention to it, because he came out of the locker room, made eye contact with me, looked at the other player on the floor, and called for everyone to get on the bus.

Andy glanced at his dad and looked back at me, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm more worried about you. Your jaw is already purple from when you were on the ice," I empathize.

He nodded and held my hand, "I'll be ok. I'd do anything to protect you."

He squeezed my hand, "I'll see you back at the hotel."

I nodded in understanding and turned to my two friends who looked on in shock. I slightly jumped looking at their expressions.

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The boys beat us to the hotel, so I went to find out where Andy was. I knocked on one door and Zach answered, "He's staying with Cody right next door. He misses you."

I nodded and knocked on the next door. Andy opened the door and immediately scooped me up in his arms.

I cupped his bruised jaw in my hands. It was still hot to the touch.

"You should probably put some ice on this," I suggested.

He shrugged, "To be honest, I forgot about it. I was too busy thinking about you."

I smiled and hugged him again before asking if he wanted to come by our room to play truth or dare.

Andy happily agreed but only if Zach and Cody could attend. I nodded in agreement.

We walked to my room and when we stepped inside, Christine and Jayda were already sitting on the floor and waiting for us to finish forming the circle.

Cody sat down next to Christine, Andy next to me on one side and Jayda on the other. While Zach sat between Cody and Andy. Girls on one side, boys on the other.

Jayda set a half full water bottle on the floor, "Who ever the cap points to, that's who will be asked truth or dare. The people who ask will go in the order of which we are sitting."

The group nodded in acknowledgment.

"So, who wants to start?" Jayda asked.

"I will," I spoke up.

I reached in the middle of the circle to grab the water bottle, and forcefully spun it. It turned for a few seconds before stopping on Jayda.

Thinking about the game from last game, I decided to be a little revealing. This could go two ways.

"Jayda, truth or dare?"

"Truth," she answered without hesitation.

I giggled, "Who did you have a crush on at the game last week?"

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Thanks for reading! Sorry this update came so late! School has been assigning so many projects before break. Be sure to comment and vote!