Chapter 8 Hayes isn't that bad

Tegan

“Tee,are you okay?” The bubbly girl rushes over to help me.

“Yeah I'm fine Sophie” I murmur after rinsing my mouth and face.

I walk past her dramatic stares to the room to take a seat.

“I didn't know you'll be coming back today” I continue.

“Owkayyyy…. you're being weird”

“I'm fine” I assure her with a weak smile.

“If you insist” she shrugs and drop some paper bags on a seat beside her before she gets comfortable in one.

“Well I wasn't planning on cutting my vacation short but I had to rush here because of the Rivalry week” she announces with a very contagious smile.

We've always been like this since junior year highschool,close friends. Our moms are cousins,so we're like distant cousins or something. Sophie, Charlotte and I are literally the best trio to exist but Sophie decided she needed a break from all this chaos.

Let's be real,we all need a break but some of us aren't opportuned to put everything on the line and go take a break. Well I'm happy for her she's always been all smily and bubbly she's the sweetest girl ever.

I just watch her narrate every detail about her time in Bali and a lot of other things. She looks so slick with her hair dyed blue and black.

“Tee are you even listening?” She rolls her eye at me.

“Yes….some foreigner asked you to hold his cake for a picture?” I scramble my brain to remember what she said last.

“Ha ha very funny” she's glaring at me and I can't help but laugh.

“Anyways I bought us all matching outfits for the first day party…. you're gonna love it” she squeals.

“Sure” I whisper.

“What was that?”

“Nothing…nothing” I laugh with my two arms up in surrender.

“I'm off to the rink to discuss with the team about the arrangements and some other boring stuff” I say packing my things and putting on my jacket.

“I'm coming along” she says so excitedly.

I do not want to come to this place but apparently it's important to talk to the team about having them on their best behavior even though Hayes said he'll handle it.

It's like you just ticking something off the list even though it doesn't really count. The boys are doing some warm up. I search for Hayes with my eyes but he's not where to be found and I breath a sigh of relief.

“They're so hot” Sophie drools beside me.

“No they're not” I snap harshly.

Well maybe they are but they are just a pack of jocks,junkies, sick narcissist just like their Captain.

Jaxon Cole,the goalie spots me and waves me. I smile and return the wave.

“Isn't that Hayes best friend?” Sophie squeals

“Yeah, I'm so shocked how someone like that can have someone as sweet as Jax as his close friend” I blurt out relaxing on the iron bars that sperate the rink.

“Hayes isn't that bad” she says.

I snort unconsciously, trying to hold my laughter in. Hayes isn't what?

That Bad

Those are literally the words that best describe him.

“You should get to know him first” she argues.

“Yeah….I know him plenty” I state flatly.

“Not in that way” she whines.

I give her a stern look.

“You guys are hooking up?” I ask with voice full of terror. A half plea,half question.

Please tell me it's not true, please, please, please.

“Yes…I mean no, just once before I left for Bali”

Shit,she still likes him. Oh no,this is crazy. This is getting way messier than it's supposed to be.

“He's the main reason I'm here,I plan to win him back. With my charms” she jokes and I give her a weak smile.

I'm perched on the edge of a bench, legs crossed under my short skirt, pretending to review the charity event notes on my tablet. It's not funny,not even the slightest. This is not good. I'm about to say something,but a pink tray in front of me keep the words stuck in my throat.

A hockey player,I think he's a rookie with his boyish grin and easy laugh, slides a tray onto the table in front of me, strawberry milkshake in a tall cup, a bag of those chocolate-dipped pretzels I mentioned offhand last week, during one of our board meetings, and a couple of energy bars.

“Figured you'd need a pick-me-up after dealing with all this planning crap,”he says, his cheeks flushing a bit as he rubs the back of his neck.

He takes of his helmet and I recognize him immediately. It's Noah Brookes, he's part of the student Union council. We barely talk though.

I can't help but smile, genuine, warm, the kind that crinkles my eyes. Noah's harmless, a breath of fresh air compared to the storm cloud I see most of the time.

“You're a lifesaver, Noah. Seriously, how'd you remember the pretzels?”

I pop one in my mouth, the chocolate melting on my tongue, and laugh when he shrugs, mumbling something about paying attention. It's light, easy, and for a second, the knot in my stomach loosens.

Sophie nudges my arm, something about a crush but I can't hear her because of the uneasiness I'm starting to feel.

Then I feel it, that prickling stare from across the room. Hayes. He's leaning against the vending machine, arms crossed over his broad chest, his white hair still damp from the shower, jersey slung over one shoulder.

His ice-blue eyes lock on me, narrowing as he watches Noah lean in a little too close, pointing at the milkshake like it's some grand discovery. Hayes' jaw clenches, a muscle ticking there, and I swear the temperature drops ten degrees. Noah doesn't notice, but I do.

My laugh dies in my throat, pulse quickening. Hayes pushes off the wall, stalking toward us with that predatory grace, his silence louder than any shout.