Rink-side romantics

Chapter 7

The next day, Mia and I walk into the rink at around five o'clock in the evening. We had to stay for three hours.

It honestly wasn't as bad as I thought. Mia and I basically got to sit there and talk.

It's not like there was an abundance of injuries to tend to and if there were, I'd probably pull the old ice-pack-go-lay-down school nurse act.

Nathan glances over at me and smiles. I smile back.

I don't know why but things were so easy with him. I didn't feel as though I had to force my lips to turn upwards but rather he made me smile.

It was kind of weird though, given I've only know him for less than a week.

"And my calculus professor was being so annoying." Mia continues her rant about her classes. "I mean he wouldn't extend my deadline when I had a perfectly good excuse."

"Mia." I reply "Your excuse was that you were on vacation recently and were still adjusting to the time zone." I give her a disapproving look.

"So?"

"Mi, it's the middle of the school year."

"Well! I panicked!"

Mia was a good student. As and Bs all year round. But sometimes she slacked on her assignments to hang out with Liam.

I mean, I'm not one to judge or anything since I don't even have a boyfriend so I wouldn't know what it's like but sometimes I wish she would just expand her horizons and friendships a little more (again, I am not one to talk. I have one friend).

Yes, Mia was a social butterfly but she never took interest in forming new relationships and spent all her time with Liam.

She would even occasionally ditch me to hang out with him, after begging and begging me to go out with her when I would rather stay in and read. Not gonna lie, kind of hurts my feelings.

I draw my attention back to hockey practice and notice Nathan look at me then go up to his coach, whisper something to him, then go up to Toby, I think his name was, and whisper something to him.

God. He was the type of man you couldn't look away from but if you looked too long, you would be incinerated by his devastating handsomeness.

"ALRIGHT LISTEN UP" my ears wince. Are all coaches this loud? "WE'RE GOING TO DO PRACTICE GAME. GET INTO YOUR TEAMS."

Everyone gets into formation and the whistle blows.

The more I watched, the more fascinated I became with the sport.

It took skill and precision.

I watched in amazement.

But then, out of nowhere, Nathan got checked by Toby.

What. The. Hell.

He's definitely not fine. He still probably has a concussion.

Coach quickly helps him off the ice and signals for me to help him.

Duty calls.

Nathan drapes his arm over my shoulder and I wrap my arm around his waist as much as I can.

I swear, I must be the strongest woman in the world to be carrying this man or he's not putting all of his weight into my shoulder, meaning he's capable of walking at least a little bit, but by the way he described his pain to his coach, I doubt it.