The Hockey Player (2)

4.Matt's POV

Instead of seeing my beautiful girlfriend in her shitty fast food job, I had the displeasure that Thursday evening was spent at my Dad's house. He was out of town for the weekend, so I came today instead of our normal agreement.

Matt: sorry I have to go to Dad's tonight. I'd rather see you, but save yourself a trip

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Aurora drove here after school for my games and practices. Monday and Wednesday we did homework at Mom's house. Aurora stayed for dinner, then she went home again.

She was a great cook, more talented than Mom, who burned her way out of a kitchen. When I did my homework during her Tuesday and Thursday shifts, I ordered salads that Aurora put special touches on.

When she was here, Aurora insisted on cooking us dinner while I showered after practice. She taught Mom some tricks. Last week, I went downstairs and saw Aurora bandaging Mom's finger after she sliced it open.

Mom's biggest disorganisation was the kitchen. Last year, she sent boxes of raw homemade cookies to camp and gave the guys food poisoning. My sophomore year, she sent sausages patties that tasted like coal.

Despite her absent minded approach to inedible cooking, I appreciated Sunday's at Mom's house instead.

Aurora: no problem.
Aurora: I have to bail anyway, Homecoming dress shopping

I have the most ungirly girlfriend.

I looked forward to Aurora's Homecoming Dance more than the one at my own school. Aurora was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen, and I'd never seen her in anything except jeans and leggings.

Unlike her brother, Aurora was a girl who craved attention. She didn't wear makeup, your hair was naturally straight and long, or pulled back in a braid. She was a breath of fresh air from girls in tight clothes, heavy makeup and conversations about lips fillers and boob jobs.

Aurora didn't have many friends but those close to her were loyal for obvious reasons. She was smart, funny, her heart was bigger than anyone I knew. When anyone was around her, they felt taken care of.

Aurora: good luck with your test tomorrow. Not that you need it.

I smiled in amusement. Aurora helped me study so much, she'd ace the test herself. While homework was the last thing most guys wanted to do with their girlfriend, school was important to both of us.

Matt: Thanks. And I thought you were only into me for my muscles

Aurora: no comment

Matt: see you tomorrow night at the game?

Aurora: of course :)

Matt: you're good luck :)

Aurora: great..like your chicken parm

"Sometimes you make this too easy" I mumbled at my phone screen.

Matt; if you're suggesting you want me to eat you out...just say the words.

"Walked right into that one, Aurora" Even eight weeks after I met her, I liked getting under her skin.

Aurora: no!
Aurora: which recruiters are you meeting this week?

Matt: Boston University, Washington State

Aurora: okay, take your time. Your Mom is cooler to hang out with

Aurora: and be nice to your Dad

Her words repeated in my head hours later, when I got to my Dad's house. As I grabbed my hockey bag and my backpack full of homework, I took in the perfect grounds at Dad's house.

Like every time I came here, the anger I held against my Dad, how he treated Mom, rose in my stomach. My relationship with him was strained at best to the point the older I got, the more I didn't want to be like him.

After they divorced Dad relocated to the other side of Boston with Chris. Mom followed, but moved forty five minutes away. They made the decision Chris and I went to different high schools.

Today though, Chris had exciting news for me.

"I have a Homecoming date!" He announced when I walked in the door. His eyes lit up and he smiled widely.

"That's great" I smiled at him. Chris was shy around girls. My current personality was far from where it used to be. Hockey sent a lot of girls in my direction and I made mistakes with them all, so hopefully he'd become more comfortable overtime and be better than I was.

"Hey, Dad" I saw him seated at the kitchen table and nodded in his direction. Dad looked up from his phone and nodded at me.

"Matt, good game on Friday" he said, more to his phone than to me.

And he wonders why I don't like being here.

"Thanks" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "We're doing well right now. So is Chris' team"

After my hockey experience, my parents learned private coaches were one way to fast track someone. Like all freshman, Chris had to fill out his frame more, but Chris' feet were talented.

Chris was a rookie on Aurora's brother's team. Chris kept the fact he was my brother a secret from his school. Dan had gone lighter on Chris at Aurora's request. Aurora told me that Dan stopped drinking at parties and I appreciated the change in him for Chris' and Aurora's sakes.

"Who's the lucky girl?" I asked, dropping my bag on the counter with a thud.

Dad's kitchen was very clean. Since he spent sixty hours a week working for a tech company, I didn't know the details and I didn't care. He sobered up and seemed to be taking care of Chris, that's all I cared about.

My lack of relationship with my Dad bothered Aurora. She needed to accept some relationships were better than others.

"Paige" Chris said. "She's a freshman. Can I, uh...talk to you? Upstairs?"

"Sure" I glanced at Dad who was lost in his phone. I grabbed my bag off the counter and followed Chris up to his room.

His room was next to mine, but completely the opposite. Mine was a mess and his looked like what I wanted, like I was never there.

"What's up?" I asked when he closed his door behind me. His blue eyes were serious as he got straight to the point.

"Do you have any condoms?"