Page 4 of Crusher

His eyes race between mine as he gently rubs his thumb along my arm, not deterred by my coldness, making my heart flutter as he rasps, “Freckles, come for dinner with me...”

Freckles…

Now, why does that nickname make me want to melt on the spot?

Swallowing thickly, I slowly move out of his grip, my arm tingling, despite wearing Linc’s hoodie that I stole two years ago. I murmur, “Sorry, I have work,” before I turn and walk away, refusing to turn back around.

One year and two months and I’m gone. I don’t need any distractions, and that guy is one hell of a big distraction.

***

I allow the music to flow through me an hour later, the dark blue eyes are all I can see. I quickly jump and twist as I skate backwards, wishing this was what I could do as a living, wishing life wasn’t so freaking hard all the time. I wish I could follow my dreams, and a few tears drop but I ignore them as I glide across the ice.

I feel like my head is going to explode. For years, I’ve had one plan in mind – leave town – then suddenly locking eyes with a guy whom I don’t even know, and I want to change my plans, how stupid is that?

We’re not in some stupid storybook where the hero saves the heroine, this is real life. Life is hard and difficult, and I just know he’ll make it even harder. I know he’ll break my heart.

I shake my head before I jump and spin, the actual term, I can’t remember what it was called, then I land on my left leg, holding my right out behind me, my arms out at the sides, and I close my eyes as some more tears fall, knowing I’m going to have to go get dressed in a minute for work.

Dark blue eyes hit me again, and I squeeze my eyes tight, knowing I want to accept his date idea, but I won’t. I refuse, my head knowing right from wrong, and that guy is all kinds of wrong.

I won’t let one little meeting with the most handsome boy I have ever seen derail my life, because that is what happened with Mom. She wanted a bad boy, but over bargained with my father, and I won’t follow her footsteps, even if my body longs to be near that guy.

Work, school, then leave, that is my plan, and come hell or high water, I will stick to it, because even if I do end up falling in love, leaving will always be the plan.

Chapter 1

Crusher – Two Months Later

I gently twitch my leg as I lean against my Harley. I stare at the school entrance gate, ignoring everyone around me while waiting for my girl to arrive with Clark, ready to pounce, my irritation slowly building.

Eight weeks, two fucking months, and every time I’ve asked her out, she’s turned me down, confusing the fuck outta me. It isn’t because I think I’m all that and shit.

I see the want in her eyes, fuck, I saw the fear in them when I was knocked down last week at a home game that clearly Clark forced her to attend.

Having Alexiana there, watching, it meant so fucking much, especially when I felt her eyes on me the entire time. I saw the way she gripped Clark’s arm when I was hit, and yet she still won’t give me the time of day.

I need help, but I can’t speak to my friend because I haven’t spoken to that fucker in two months. Not for lack of trying on his end, I’m butthurt over the fact that my girl is still wearing his fucking hoodie every day and I’m trying not to knock him the fuck out.

He says they’re just friends, yet, why in the fuck is she always wearing it?

I tense when I hear someone pull in, the cam belt squeaky as fuck, and the woman in question parks next to Clark before she climbs out of her beat-up Ford, bag in hand and wearing that fucking hoodie with a pair of jeans and sneakers, her hair up in a messy bun, a few strands curling around her face.

Would it be petty to burn the fucking thing, then give her one of mine, even if it means I’ve claimed her?

“You know, for two months you’ve barely said a word to me, and considering you're my wide receiver, you know it isn’t a good look, right?” Linc says as he slides up next to me, but I don’t take my eyes off Alexiana, who, as if feeling my eyes, looks our way, our eyes instantly connecting, sucking me in like always.

Even from here, I can see the feelings she wishes she didn’t have for me, her body tense, yet her eyes, showing fucking everything that she wants but refuses to allow herself to have.

Every day, I have slowly tried to integrate myself into her life, showing up wherever she is. Fuck, I’ve even managed to swap seats in four of the classes that I had no idea I even had with her because I was always focused on school, but the woman won’t budge.

I hear Linc sigh before he bribes, “I’ll speak to her if you talk to me…” and I shake my head, not willing to go to him for help with this one, and he groans, “I said I was sorry fucker, I didn’t realize how much she meant to you and for fuck’s sake, stop ignoring me!”

My phone vibrates against my thigh, but I ignore it, knowing Dad is pissed I came into school today instead of going with him yet again on the run to learn the ropes. If I’m honest, I know more than him at this point. I keep my eyes on Alexiana, my freckles.

Even if it wasn’t finals, I refuse to miss a chance to see my girl.

I watch as Clark comes up behind Alexiana, then loops her arm through hers, causing Belle to scowl as Clark gently drags my girl this way. I tilt my head, keeping eye contact even when a small body slinks up near mine, and Linc snaps, “Get the fuck away from him, Roxy!” I keep my eyes on Alexiana.