Pucks and Pirouettes

Chapter 7 | Old threats

I kept walking towards the little group. Of course, they had to stand directly in front of my locker.

To feed into my unlucky streak, Tobias saw me first. "Becca.", he said loudly dragging the a, his voice causing Holly to finally turn her head towards me.

Her face remained expressionless and for the first time since we met, I could not read her emotions even in the slightest.

"Tobias.", I said coolly. I would've shoved him aside without another word, but I didn't want to involve Holly in this, nor did I want to hurt her. What had I said about getting my wingman back again?

"Could you let me past, you're kinda blocking my way.".

"Why so uptight, Evans?", Tobias snarled. His former smugness had vanished, and his tone made my mind flashback to times I did not want to remember.

I hadn't talked to the boy in over a year. I managed to avoid him as much as possible and usually I seemed to be quite successful.

But of course, in my senior year, he had to be there, getting to me on the very first day and having his arm still draped around the one person who had cost me sleepless nights lately.

I sighed and narrowed my eyes slightly "Could you just step aside for one minute?".

"I know I can, I might just not want to.".

"I didn't know you were still in fifth grade. It's not rocket science, is it?."

"Careful Evans. You know I still have the upper hand.". Tobias' voice was now dangerously low.

His words made me shiver, but I kept my composure.

Holly's eyes flickered between him and me, and for the first time she let her face slip, her forehead wrinkling in worry and confusion ever so slightly.

Before Tobias could say anything else, Holly nudged him and after taking a look at her, he seemed to be brought back into reality, because he fixed his expression and took a step back.
"I see you around, Evans.", he said with a fake smile before turning around, dragging Holly with him as if she was his puppet on strings.

Even though I still felt a little weak in the knees, I grabbed my books from my locker and headed to class.

Because of my little encounter, I was rather late, so most of the seats had already been taken.

"Becca.", I suddenly heard a voice call my name. I really had enough of people using my name today, but when I looked over I was glad that this person had done so.

My best friend was waving at me from the last row.

"I am so glad you are here.", I breathed out when he stood up and pulled me into a hug.

"Are you kidding, bro? We had all classes together for the last three years. I'd be crazy to change that now.".

I laughed and pulled him in a little tighter before letting him go.

That hug was exactly what I had needed in that second. Theo's hugs were truly lifesaving.

Theo had been my best friend since our first class back in freshman year. He was 6ft tall, had a head full of black curls and the brightest smile that could ever be sent your way.

"So why the long face when you walked in?", Theo asked, leaning his chin on my shoulder.

"Ugh, just Tobias being a total jerk again.". Theo lifted his head and looked at me intently.

Of course he knew. How could I not tell him. He was the second person beside my uncle that had seen me cry after my parents had died.

"Are you alright?".

"Yeah, it's fine now. He just knows how to push my buttons, and it bugs me that he still knows how to do so.".

"Yeah, I totally get that.", Theo sighed, "I would offer you to fight him, but to my own great embarrassment, you are now more muscular than I ever was, so there would be no use for me to get that black eye.".

"No, we wouldn't want your delicate little face hurt.", I chuckled and squeezed his shoulder lightly.

Our conversation moved on to simpler topics and my body had just started to fully relax again when the door opened, and Holly walked into the class followed by our tutor.

You have got to be kidding me.