The Hockey Player (2)

26. Aurora's POV

The next morning, I woke up and felt...strange. Parts of me, like my feet and calves were tired. Other parts of me, like my mind, were awake. My thoughts went to Matt and I smiled.

Even the memory of how frustrated, slightly anxious, and full of desire I felt, goosebumps prickled up my arms. The mental image of him under me, his skin were too much for my brain this morning

I smiled, rubbing my eyes with my fists. Just as my eyes looked at my clock, the time reading 9:20, my phone buzzed.

Raine: are you there?

Raine: coffee? Today, 3?

"That's weird"

Raine rarely woke up before noon on weekends. She wasn't academically structured like I was, but some days, I don't know how I managed to stay awake during classes.

I had known Raine for three months when her Mom left, but I remember she was a stay at home Mom, who insisted on plant diets. Two weeks after she left, Raine asked me to tear everything with her.

Raine's Dad wasn't much of a cook, so I invited her to our house as much as I could. Thirteen year old Dan was smitten with her, mutual feelings that Raine swore me to secrecy with.

Now though, Raine couldn't have microwaved herself out a meal's cardboard box if her life depended on it. While she went grocery shopping twice a week, her dad only went once a month, where he met his current girlfriend Carol.

Aurora: I'm cooking with Mom today. Join us?

Raine: please?

Something must have happened.

Aurora: of course

Raine: ttyl

Raine: thanks

"I hope she's okay" I frowned, sliding off the yellow quilt my grandmother made me. I walked across to my closet and quickly got dressed. When I tied my hair up, I caught sight of my Homecoming Dress on the floor.

I picked it up, turned it over and gasped. While the colour was dark, the entire backside was crinkled and dirty.

How dirty is his truck?

With the dress under my arm, I went downstairs and looked for Mom. As I followed the smell of breakfast, I found her in the kitchen. She sat at the table with Dad and Dan. Their plates were high with bacon, eggs and breakfast potatoes.

"Morning, Aurora" Dad smiled at me, before lifting his cup to his mouth.

"Good morning"

"Breakfast is on the counter" Mom nodded over at the counter. My stomach growled at the bowl of breakfast potatoes, peppers and onions.

"I'll have some later" I promised. "Mom, can you help with this?"

I held up the dress and caught how Dan's eyes darkened, but he didn't say anything. While I was thankful the red colour masked the dirt, I couldn't wear it to Matt's Homecoming. She stood up, took it from me and brought it into the laundry room.

"It's not what it looks like"

"How about instead of telling me what it looks like, you tell me what happened?" She asked, setting the dress down on top of the washing machine, then opened a cabinet for a spot cleaner and a white cloth.

"We didn't have sex, Mom" I blurted out. "We just sat in the back of his truck...looking at the stars. I guess it was dirty"

"That's a relief knowing you two were lying in the back of his truck instead of being at the dance" Her voice was full of sarcasm.