The Hockey Player (Matt Sturniolo)

Counselling

Aurora's POV

My last days of summer flew by. To his credit, Matt was silent. Without Raine, I picked up more shifts at work until my fingers wilted. With Dan at call, the house was quiet. My bathroom was clean of his boy crap, but my parents took the opportunity to pester me about everything in my life.

"Senior year starts today?" Mom asked, over her oatmeal.

"Monday" I corrected her, sighing. "Today is the senior thing"

"I remember signing Dan's waiver" The tears welling in her eyes made my eyes roll. Waiver? Golden boy privileges. She waved off my eye roll with a huff. "I can't believe it. You worked so hard over the summer, Aurora. We never see you"

I didn't have the heart to tell her it was on purpose. College wouldn't pay for itself, and they wouldn't either. "Saving money" I mumbled, eating my breakfast burrito. "And high school can't end soon enough"

"You have a whole year to make memories, Aurora" she shook her head, and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Anyone special in your life?"

How did she go from I'm too busy to my dating life? And it wasn't a year.

Across the table, my dad almost broke his neck with how quick he lifted his head. "What!?"

"Mom, why would you ask me that?"

"I'm curious" she shrugged. "There isn't anyone? What about that Finn boy who came by once?"

Poor Finn. After one study session with Dan sitting between us, glaring at Finn the whole time, I never invited him here to study again. "No, Mom"

"It's for the best" My Dad mumbled. "For my blood pressure and to sleep with both eyes closed"

"Ha" my dry voice masked the anger under my skin. They turned a blind eye to Dan's crap with girls, but they had nothing to worry about with me. Especially Matt.

For better or worse, I had a lot to think about this morning. This year, our high school was attempting a senior orientation which meant seniors had to attend school one day during the week before the school year started. "I have to go"

This orientation was for making the most of our senior year and transitioning to life after high-school. Reality's disappointment hit me when I was required to report to school during the last week of vacation. Thankfully, Raine and I had the same orientation report date.

Making the most of senior year, included mentoring a new student, which I hoped to avoid. But, there was a loophole. If a senior signed up to be a school ambassador, whatever that was, then they were exempt from mentoring. For that reason, I applied for the program.

My eyes narrowed at the hockey poster of number seven, the captain. Even our principal was in Dan's fan club.

Dan and Luke, along with other hockey players were absent today.

Raine's time slot was thirty minutes ahead of mine.

"Aurora?" A short lady in a grey skirt and a red skirt stood next to the front desk.

I grabbed my bag and stood up. "That's me"

"I'm Mrs Summer, your guidance counsellor" she said over her shoulder and led me down a hallway.

"Great"

"Thanks for participating in our senior orientation program" she said, as if I had any choice.

"Uh..sure"

She led me into a closet sized office with a desk and one small chair. There was dog posters everywhere. Matt wasn't fond of it before I deleted the whole social media page.