When the Ice Breaks

XII

Stella

"Who did itttttt?" Casey asked me for the 100th time. I gnored her as we walked to lunch. By now the news of my hickey had spread all through campus. Many looked defeated as they thought they lost a chance and others looked jealous. We sat at our usual lunch table where we began eating. Casey continuously asked who it was and I finally said, "Someone new," She smiled and began guessing people. "Stella cmon give me a hint please," she pleaded. I rolled my eyes my smile quickly dropped when Faye was standing in front of me. I sighed, "Hello Faye," I said. She wiggled her fingers and invited herself to sit right next to me. I put some distance between us and she eyed me carefully. "Stella I heard about this hickey and had to see it for myself," she said moving her eyes to my neck. My hand moved to my neck to cover it and she laughed. "Fuck off Faye, seriously" I replied. She laughed even more and replied, "Remember the hickeys I gave you. Fuck you looked like you had been abused. I miss that. I miss you" she whined. 

"Are you serious," I replied getting mad. "You ruined my fucking life, I hate you," I spat. She pretended to have a fake look of sadness on her face. She looked at her nails and stood up. "Whoever is giving you those hickeys, they'll leave soon if you haven't fucked it up yet. You're not worth it Stella, in fact, you're worthless," she said. It was like someone had taken control of my body and before I could realize what I had done Faye was covered from head to toe in spaghettini. She shrieked, "You bitch, I hate you, Stella!" Everyone's eyes were on me and I rushed out of the cafeteria and into the locker room. I splashed my face with cold water and sat on the floor trying to regain my composure. I rummaged through my locker for my skates and stick and went to the ice. Every time I hit the puck thought of Faye and everything she did to me. She was like pretty poison. She sucked me in freshman year and then killed my junior year. I looked at my watch to see I had fifteen minutes left in class. Shit. I rushed to the locker room to change and back out to walk around until the final bell rang. I walked casually down the hall as if I had been in class in the entire time. 

The final roll call had been announced and all started skating onto the ice. The first hour of the game was intense with a certain blonde riding my ass all game. Alice Cooper. Alice was a defender on another local hockey team in the area. She was blonde, confident, and incredibly talented at hockey. Alice and I were what you call friends with benefits from junior year until the beginning of senior year. I saw the puck slide by me to an open corner of the ice I went after it shuffling up the ice with defenders on my left and right. I did a slick move to the left to throw them each off and whizzed by them. I had a clear shot of the goal until I felt Alice ram into me. I kept upright but not before knocking back into her. "Been in the gym Bowers?" Alice questioned. I gruffed, "Wouldn't you like to know Al," She laughed and Tried knocking the puck out of my grasp but I did a quick 360 losing her and taking a shot for the goal. I shut my eyes until I heard a familiar buzz. The game was over we had won. 

As we congratulated the other team, when I arrived at Alice she grabbed my arm, "wait for me?" she asked. I nodded and skated off the ice and to the locker room. I quickly changed throwing on a quarter-zip hoodie and sweats. I walked out of the locker room to find Alice standing there. She held up her hand for a high five and I quickly returned it. We chatted about nothing for a few minutes until Alice said, "Okay I can't say anything about the hickey Stell! Whoooo?" she asked excitedly. I blushed and ran my fingers through my curly hair. "Uhhhh someone new.. someone different," I said looking at the floor. She shoved me playfully calling me a "dirty dog". She kept playfully pushing me until I grabbed her by the wrist looking into her eyes. She laughed awkwardly puffing out her cheeks. We had walked outside where it was now freezing. She had pulled a beanie out of her bag and I had thrown on another jacket. A black car pulled up and she hopped in. Before driving off she turned to me and said, "Stella, whoever this girl is don't hurt her okay?" I had a confused look but nodded nonetheless. I sped and walked to my car to escape the cold.

I texted Isabel a few times but no response. I decided to not think about it a lot and get some homework. Hours had passed and I still had no response from her. I opened my phone and tested her again.

Stella: iz

Stella: isabel

Stella: isabella

Stella: fine don't answer