"I hope my son is doing well in your class," Noah's mom said, chuckling. "I know at times like these, his focus can solely be on the ice, but he's really a good student."
Melanie smiled, thinking about how she and Noah had met, and how they had made it to this point. "We had some trouble in the beginning, but now Noah is one of my best students, right along with Julie."
Julie preened under the praise while Noah chuckled, giving Melanie a slight nudge with his shoulder, amused by her answer.
"Well, we're celebrating down at the restaurant, Abby's," Noah's father said. "Have you heard of it?"
"Is that the restaurant with all of the ribs?" Abigail interjected, before smiling sheepishly when everyone's attention turned on her. "I'm Melanie's best friend, Abigail, and a fan of your son's hockey skills."
"Any fan of my son is a friend of mines," Noah's father said, "and you're right. That's the exact restaurant. We brought it out for tonight's win, and we're inviting family and friends to come. Would you both like to celebrate with us?"
Melanie was already armed and ready with a perfect excuse to get herself out of this situation. This awkward situation was enough to push her anxiety out of the roof. She would not put herself through another situation like this again, and right now, with the way she was feeling, though she had told Noah she would think about their relationship, this alone was making her decision very clear.
"We would love to," Abigail said, smiling brightly. "Right, Melanie?"
Melanie gritted her teeth under a false smile. "Yeah, we would love to."
CHAPTER
33
MELANIE
A
BBY’S WAS PACKED TO THE BRIM WITH PEOPLE CELEBRATING WESTON’S WIN AGAINST THEIR RIVAL TEAM. The infectious energy that had been in the arena followed them into the restaurant as everyone enjoyed themselves, eating the good food catered to everyone, while also chatting about what it would mean for Weston if the hockey team won again. And of course, everyone congratulated the man of the hour.
Noah had everyone's attention, and Melanie could barely get a chance to talk to him. Every time Noah would get in a distance of her, someone would pull him into a conversation. It made Melanie remember the same thing she had realized when she saw Noah play the first time— he was a star. After the finals, from how Abigail explained it to her, Noah would be drafted, and more than likely would join a team, ending his college career. He was a hot commodity, and everyone wanted him because of how much of a beast he was on the ice.
Every time Melanie saw that, it made her realize how much their relationship wouldn't work. When Melanie told Noah she would think about it, she meant it. Since that day, she had been thinking about their relationship nonstop; how a relationship would be able to work between them, if it would be a short, sweet kept secret to remember later on, or if they could push it further. But, whenever Melanie looked at all the variables, their whole relationship would always crash and burn before her eyes. No, Melanie was not big as Noah famous-wise, and she never would be, but she was also well known in her field, with a following of her own because of her work. What if they knew she was having a relationship with her student? The public wouldn't be able to accept that, and with Noah soon to be thrust in the limelight for good, how could both of them deal with the world judging them. It wasn't like they could hide what their relationship once was. Hell, they couldn't even hide it from Noah's parents, and Melanie was positive if his parents realized what she had been doing with their son, they wouldn't be happy about it at all and would judge her the way they judged all older people who dated someone younger than them— as predators. It didn't matter that Noah was over eighteen. All that mattered was that Melanie was a twenty-seven-year-old woman who was dating someone eight years younger than her, and at one point, had been her student.
Melanie cringed inwardly at the thought of all the judgment to come. Melanie didn't think she would be able to withstand the weight of the cruel comments that were no doubt to come if anyone other than her best friend were to find out their relationship.
Melanie took a small sip of her club soda, making sure not to drink any liquor. She had learned from her mistake the last time, and there was no way in hell that she would drink around here so she could get caught in a broom closet making out with Noah. That would definitely be the end of her.
Melanie sat at a table alone, sipping her drink as she watched Abigail standing at the bar, talking to a guy she had just met. Apparently, he was a hockey head just like her, and the moment he started to rattle off players Melanie had no idea about, she took her exit and sat down at an empty table.
She wasn't alone for long though before Coach Benson walked over to her table and sat at the empty seat across from her. Melanie inwardly sighed. Coach Benson had always made it known that he was attracted to her, and though Coach Benson was an attractive guy, he wasn't her type. And right now, she didn't feel like entertaining him.
"Hey Melanie," he said as he took a sip of the dark liquor from his glass. A huge smile was on his face, and Melanie couldn't blame him. The man was well on his way to winning a championship, and even if he didn't, he could still boast that he had gotten his team this far.
"Congrats," Melanie told him, and Melanie didn't think it was possible, but his smile got even wider.
"I'm a lucky man," Coach Benson said as he sat his drink down. "And, I'm an even luckier man to get to spend my night with you."
Melanie couldn't help it. She rolled her eyes at the slick line tossed her way. This man didn't know when to give up. Coach Benson laughed at her reaction.
"I'm serious," Coach Benson said. "I thought this night was going well, but then when I saw you right here, I knew it was meant to be."
"I'm glad I could make your night better with my presence," Melanie said sarcastically as she glanced at Abigail again, just to make sure her friend was okay.
"You want to know how you could make my night better?" Coach Benson asked, taking another sip of his liquor, and Melanie wondered how many of those he had for him to be boldly speaking to her this way.
Before Melanie could tell Coach Benson that he should slow down on the drinks because it was clearly clouding his judgment, Noah appeared at their table, dropping down in the seat next to her. Melanie was surprised that Noah managed to bypass all the people wanting to speak to him to even make it over to her. She was positive that she would go the rest of the night without speaking to him again.
But when Melanie saw the look on Noah's face as he glared at Coach Benson, she understood why. Right now, Noah looked the way he looked on the ice, like nothing could get in his way or stop him from getting to the puck, but right now, that puck was her, and Coach Benson was the opponent in his way.
When Coach Benson saw Noah, he sighed deeply before letting out a hollow chuckle. "Is this a joke?" he asked, shaking his head. Melanie tried to understand what Coach Benson thought the joke was.
