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When a devastating injury threatens the career of Terence Tiles, the superstar goalie for the Seattle Kraken, the foundation of the life he meticulously built over eight years crumbles. Overwhelmed, he retreats from...
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She looks panicked, like she just walked into a terrible nightmare and she can't find the door out. My instincts move me towards her and I grab her palm, making small circles on her right palm. Her knees threaten to buckle and so I hold her with my other arm, to prevent her from falling.
She seems to be stuck in space, and even my words fail to result in the blink of her eyes, or movements on her lips. Nothing, like she's in utter shock. Which begs the question, what's so wrong about the Manor?
We all move out of the hotel into our various cars. And I find myself getting into Ivy's and thankfully, no one asks any questions.
"I'm okay." She says out of the blue, but it sounds more like she's convincing herself.
"I didn't ask," I start and she looks out the window. "And it's okay not to be."
"Well I am." She insists. At this point it's safe to say that her walls are up and She's pushing me out.
"Why did you get into my ride?" She asks.
"You held on to me, like you didn't want me gone from your side."
"Did I?" She swallows and she looks away.
"That doesn't matter now, does it? you said you're okay." I repeat her words from earlier.
"Yes, yes I am." She looks out the window again.
It's almost an hour by the time we reach the Manor, That appears to be more like a castle from where I see it. We all get out of our respective cars and everyone stands in awe of the building. Except Ivy, who just bulldozes her way inside leaving us with the lingering sound of her heels. I get the urge to follow her in but I fear I might get lost as she seems to be walking way too fast.
I look at Nadia and I give her a nod. She seems to understand because she follows right after Ivy and a warm feeling spreads in my chest. I do hope they get along.
And so I stick with the boys.
"Welcome to our home." Madam Beaufort says. "Now Miss Martins is being a rather awful host but I'm sure most of you are used to that by now." She chuckles and a few of us laugh in unison. We're getting around it ma'am.
A few men dressed in uniform come to take our things in, my eyes catch the exterior of the Castle. A calculated and majestic structure of stone and ivy creeping up my walls. Turrets reach for the sky, while a heavy wooden door hints at secrets within. Surrounded by a lush garden, which seems to house all sorts of flowers and a very distinct one appears more often;
Poison Ivy.
As if on cue, Madam Beaufort's eyes meet mine and she proceeds to make an announcement.
"Stay away from the Ivies!" She yells. "We don't want to test mother nature now, do we?" I shake my head in response and she responds back with a nod. I find myself hoping that's any kind of approval from her.
"No wonder she's so uptight." One of the rookie players says to Nick. Nick in return gives him a puzzled look.
"What? If I grew up here and around her I wouldn't be any different." He continues.
"This is the part where you shut up." I butt in.
"Word in the NHL is that she represents you."
"Seriously, shut up, look around, he's the biggest on the team, wouldn't want to get on his bad side." Nick urges the rookie who gives up and walks in another direction.
"I would have strangled him." I say the moment the rookie finds somewhere else to be, like beside Aaron who's been busy on his phone the entire trip.
"Why do you think I sent him away?" Nick and I fall into step.
"I do want to strangle you." I give him a death glare.
"Look I'm sorry, the suggestion just came out of nowhere."
"Yeah, no shit."
"Besides, this is good, it would take a long while before reporters show up here and the runway show is not too far from here."
"Remind me again why we were invited." I fold my arms.
"We're hockey players, Tiles, we can pretty much get invited anywhere."
Another car drives into the entrance of the Castle, catching Nick's attention and mine. I see here before she exits the vehicle and I find myself praying to God it's someone else. My prayers are fruitless and useless, because my Ex-fiancee steps out of the vehicle.
"Holy shit, that's Claudia." Nick mutters.
Yeah, I see her too, I'm not blind.
Claudia's eyes meet mine and then she approaches Madam Beaufort. And from their interactions on sight, it seems they know each other.
"Where's the model?" She asks after the obvious exchange of pleasantries.
"Right here." The familiar rhythm of footsteps and the sound of the click of her heels grace my ears.
"Ah, Miss Martins, I didn't realize it was you we were working with, it's a pleasure to meet you." Claudia smiles brightly, reaching out to Ivy for a handshake, whose hands are in her pocket as she doesn't budge or move.
"Let's get to work, time's not on our side." Ivy replies in a snow cold tone as she turns on her heels and heads back inside the Castle.
"She takes after me, Claudia." Madam Beaufort comments as she makes her way in. It's then I realize that Nick and I are the only ones outside.
Claudia's eyes meet mine again and I look away. Nick coughs into his palm and I busy myself admiring the peonies around me, my hands stuff themselves into my pockets.
I suddenly feel like I'm in some bad reality show.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
We hit 20K!!!! Thank you so much, despite my really slow updates.
Who else smells some drama?
Now the chapters are short because I am just writing as it comes to me, without worrying about the word count.
