Chapter 6 THE STARE

I got back to reality, trying to process what just happened. I shook my head.

"Maybe I was imagining things." I said to myself. 

The next day, periodic lectures and scribbled notes took turns in the class. 

I tried so hard to focus, but the scenes of the previous evening wouldn't let me and I felt lost in between lectures. 

During lunch in the cafeteria, I saw Sloane and her friends by the entrance, whispering and giggling as they fixed their eyes on me like a criminal. 

I lowered my gaze, slowered my steps, and thought of turning back but I needed to eat.

I needed the scholarship, so it meant I had to tolerate this.

"I'm sure she gets her clothes from the dumpster."

"Can't you see the rags she's wearing?"

"I wouldn't even wear this for Terry, my puppy." Laughter erupted from somewhere. 

Levi stepped forward and walked up to sloane. "Stop!" 

"What?" Sloane asked irritated. 

"Stop the mockery! Now! His voice commanding.

I just stood there, frozen and speechless.

The tension died down. Sloane snapped her fingers at me and walked away without a word.

What's going on? Did he just defend me? Why did he do that? I asked myself inwardly.

I got my lunch and glanced around the room. Levi was nowhere to be found. I spotted Chase and his friends staring at me angrily and confused.

"What just happened?" he asked one of his friends.

I looked away quickly and focused on my food, with their gaze fixed on me.

I had a free period after lunch, so I decided to go to the library to pick another book for my assignment when I heard a voice.

"Anya, wait up! Anya, wait up!"

Mr Petersons our chemistry teacher was walking down the hall and towards me with a stack of papers in his hands.

"Here, have this." He stretched an envelope towards me.

"What's this?" I asked.

"You will be representing Kingswood Academy in an upcoming competition. The details are there." He walked away. 

After school hours, I rushed to the The Thorne's mansion.

When I arrived, the front door opened almost immediately. Levi stood there, holding a hockey stick in one hand, a duffel slung over his shoulder. Kingswood Hockey hoodie over his head.

“You’re early,” he said without greeting, his voice low but not entirely cold.

“I… I'm not early, just right on time. I said and looked away.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Yeah, that’s why you’re here. Not to be early, right?”

I blinked. “I...what?”

“Don’t play dumb, Scholarship. You think I don’t notice things?”

He leaned against the doorway casually, yet it felt deliberate. “You’ve got that… look. Like you’re waiting for me to ruin your day when you saw me now.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it, short of an answer or anything to say.

He pushed off the doorframe and went in. "You don't want to come in?" He asked moving ahead. 

"Sure I will." I followed without speaking further.

He set his stick against the wall and plopped onto the leather couch. “You’ve been practicing, right? Hockey drills?”

I frowned. “I… no. I...”

“You’ve got a book stuck in your hand, probably one about physics, or chemistry, or some other impossible thing you can memorize but I can see it. You want to escape into knowledge, huh?”

I blinked. He could see that? “Not really, it’s just schoolwork.”

“Right,” he said, leaning back, arms spread over the couch. His dark eyes studied me. 

“The thing is hockey isn’t about avoiding the chaos, it’s about facing it and skating into it. You don’t avoid the puck, you meet it head-on. Just like… whatever you’re trying to do in your world.”

His analogy struck me. Hockey, his world and somehow, he was linking it to mine, a world I desperately tried to keep  invisible.

“I…” I started. “I don’t really know about hockey so I don't know what you mean.”

He grinned, leaning forward now, elbows on knees, eyes bright with a spark I didn’t expect. “I can teach you, you want to see what it’s like?”

My heart tripped. “Teach me hockey?”

“Yes. Not here.” He gestured  toward the backyard where there's a small rink.

It was a proper practice space, ice freshly resurfaced with gleaming boards.

“Outside. You’ll learn to skate. Though you may fall but you’ll get up. That’s the point.” He warned.

I hesitated. I didn’t even own skates, my entire life had been about surviving without breaking anything, without drawing attention. 

And now… Levi Thorne was inviting me into a world I didn’t belong to.

What I heard in his voice wasn’t mocking, not exactly.

“Okay,” I whispered and nodded my head.

“Good,” he said, standing and brushing snow from the cuffs of his hoodie. 

“We’ll start with basics. Don’t worry. I won’t let you crash into the boards… too hard.”

"I need to get done with the cleaning first." I said.

"I'll wait for you." That was unusual, I left him immediately Mrs Darnell appeared. 

"The library first then the sunroom and the driveway today, no distractions. She ordered.

"Yes ma'am. I went straight and cleaned as she said. I finished early, Mrs Darnell inspected the places I cleaned.

"It's okay. You did well." She said. "Levi is waiting for you, run along but...." She paused. "Be careful."

"Thank you, I will." 

Outside, the rink shone under the late afternoon sun. Levi smiled and handed me a pair of skates, the leather stiff and unfamiliar. I felt awkward tightening them. 

“Relax your knees,” he said demonstrating. “Balance then push and glide.” He added. 

I tried but my legs wobbled and I almost fell. Levi caught me by the elbows.

“Hey,” he said, steadying me. “Take it easy, you won't break your legs. Just… follow me.”

He pushed off gracefully, gliding across the ice with a speed I couldn’t match but something shifted inside me anytime he turns to me. 

He taught me patiently, didn't show off or humiliate me and didn't try to dominate me. 

“I’m… terrible,” I admitted, sliding ungracefully forward.

“You're learning,” he said softly. And then, almost as if he didn’t mean to, he added, “And you’re trying. 

I looked at him. The arrogant, cruel Levi from school, from the cafeteria, from the mansion was here… on the ice, hands hovering to steady me when I lost balance, offering instructions without pride. He handled me with care while instructing me. 

“Okay,” I said, trying to stand taller despite the wobbling.

He smiled, not in mockery, not in challenge.

“Again,” he echoed.

And we did.

I began to glide slowly, then a little increased pace. Levi smiled and skated closer, "It's not bad, you are learning fast." He said. 

"Really? That's unbelievable." I said smiling timidly.

"Well, anything is possible as long as one is determined." He shrugged casually but then strands of hair fell on my face, he brushed them off. 

He stared at me and I stared back....