The Hockey Player (Matt Sturniolo)

Great To Be Back

Matt's POV

It was good to be back.

Fresh air, freshly painted lockers, and my hands smashing Michael  into one.

The contact rattled a few students. Baylen waved them off with a sneer look. "Back off. This is team business"

The locker rattled behind Michael's back. Gone was the smug look he had on his face when he walked up to us. "What the fuck?"

"I'll say this once" I clenched my fists around his shirt. "Stay the fuck away from Aurora"

"Why?" His smug tone directed this conversation where I didn't want it to go. "You smash her yet?"

"Michael" I leaned in and glared into his eyes. "Unless you want to spend all day in this locker, you have two seconds to tell me what happened at her work"

This conversation needed to end long ago. "I didn't do anything!" The guilt in his eyes was the answer I needed. He did more than order pizza and flirt with her.

"You did. If I find out you're within a ten mile radius of her again, I'll make sure you never play hockey at this school again" my threat was meant for Michael, but I glared at Sam, who was pinned by Baylen and Nate.

"I didn't do anything" Michael whined, and I looked back at him. He flinched and turned his head. "I swear!"

"Then how does she know about the game?"

"I...I..." he gulped as I squeezed his shirt again. "I don't know! I didn't say anything to her!"

I leaned over and barked in an unfamiliar voice. It was dark and full of threats. "What did you do?"

"Nothing" he squeaked. "Just had fun. You have a good taste. Bit of a spinner, but she's hot. I see why you-"

I tightened my hands until he took a deep breath.

Nate pinned David with a shove and glared at Sam. "Too far" he warned them.

"Dude has a point" Baylen tilted his head. "No one knows-"

"Shut up" I told him over my shoulder and clenched my teeth at Michael. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't drop you off at her school and let you explain to Dan's face. I'm sure he'd love to hear you say that about his sister"

Baylen smirked. "Road trip?"

Nate's eyes widened, but he nodded.

David cracked like an egg that was thrown on a sidewalk. "He just held her in his lap. No harm meant"

My vision went black at the edges. Just? Just!? Fuck, he touched her? I wanted to rearrange his insides and smash my knuckles into his chin.

The longer I stood, the more I slacked. A sense of calm washed over me.

"You're..." he whispered. "You're not going to hit me?"

"No" I let him go. "But I will enjoy watching your laps tonight"

"We have practice" my palm slammed over his shoulder to shut him up. David swallowed and Sam looked down.

"Oh, you're not doing laps in your practice" I smiled at him. Nothing like a run after a sweat loaded practice.

"Take it, dude" Baylen grumbled

Michael's nostrils flared, but he nodded. "Fine"

"You get twelve for not having enough common sense" I glared at David and Sam. While they looked like they wanted to argue, all three of them scurried away.