Ice Cold

𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞

By the time I pull up to my house, I'm so exhausted it is actually a struggle to get out of the truck. I'm pissed off, too, because I know for certain my parents won't let me leave the house again tonight after a detention, so I'll miss practice. My only comfort is knowing Lucas is in the same boat as I am. I glance down at my phone as I approach the front door.

Lucas: Good luck brother 😐

Me: We're so effed

I type my response as I open the door, greeted by the sound of my parents talking in the living room. Curiously, I make my way down the hallway, before pausing to linger in the doorway. My parents are sitting on the couch, and stop talking when they see me. I clear my throat.

"Um..hello."

"Detention, Blake, really?"

My mother speaks, and for a moment I actually despise myself for causing the disappointed expression on her face.

"Yeah, my bad. It's no big deal-"

"If you think you're going to practice later, you have another thing coming!"

My dad speaks up now, and I cringe. Well, I can't say I didn't see that coming, but it still sucks to hear. I really need this practice, because the game this Saturday is super important. And, you know, I am Captain. Lately, it feels less like the role means anything.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm just gonna work."

"Yes, go, please."

My mom waves me off, and I offer them a curt nod, before turning on my heel and making my way to the stairs, before heading up to my room. I enter, careful not to slam the door behind me and I approach my desk, picking up my laptop. I sink down onto my bed, leaning slightly against the wall behind me as I power up the laptop. Sticking my AirPods in my ears, I scroll to my list of homework assignments, and I want to die. There's at least ten I have to do. None even appear that hard, but it's the sheer quantity. I don't know why, but April comes to mind. Would she be procrastinating right now? Probably not.

Fuelled by the urge to beat her in a game she doesn't even know she's playing, I get to work on my assignments. Before I know it, most of them are done, besides a couple that are due way next week. I grin, proud. Once I had just started, it was easy. Feeling well and ready to go to sleep, I glance at my clock. Fuck. It's only 9! I groan and reach for my phone, scrolling through my messages. There are DMs from too many girls to count, of which none peak my interest. Moving away from Instagram and onto Snapchat, I tap on the team group chat. They're all pretty active, chatting about the practice, letting myself and Lucas know what we missed. Then, something pops up which I'm not expecting.

Jay: Guys. I've just been on a date with April fucking Jones.

For a moment, nobody types a thing. Then, the messages flood in. I'm stunned.

Cam: What?

Tyler: SCORE

Jackson: How have you done that then

Daniel: Anyone else jealous?

I'm gripping my phone with a force I am unaware of, and I just stare at the screen, attempting to comprehend what just happened. How did HE land HER? Why did she say yes?

Lucas: Thoughts, Blake?

Blake: I think it's shit. In fact, Jay, you can't.

Tyler: Dude, you can't just ban him.

Blake: I'm not. I'm putting a ban on all of you. No figure skaters.

Jay: What the fuck, man?

Daniel: That is so out of line

Blake: Hear me out! They're distractions, and they'll be the ones at the rink most often. If shit happens, you'll have to see them all the time. I say just avoid them altogether.

I don't even know what I'm saying, I'm just typing. Anything to keep April away from Jay...away from anyone.

Lucas: Fuck. He actually has a point

Jackson: Yh, remember Karla?

Karla was a girl Tyler dated who used to skate at the rink every day. When they broke up, it was so hard for them to see each other that often, Karla ended up moving rinks entirely.

Jay: Fuck all of you

Blake: It's settled then. No figure skaters..unless you wanna lose ur place on the team.

Tyler: I agree

Jackson: Fine

Cam: Do we have to?

Lucas: 😭😭😭 Fine

Daniel: Just because u like that girl Cam 🤣

Blake: Drop it, it's decided.

I turn my phone off and exhale, slow and tempered. I am telling myself over and over that I've done this ban to be practical, because I'm thinking of my team and their feelings. However, I know I'm not. I know it's because it's her. She's always on my mind for some reason or another, but always because she's pissing
me off. Since this morning, however, it's different. Whenever I think of her, the image of her twirling on the ice comes to mind. The more I think about her, the more I realise I'm in deep shit.

I sigh and tug my shirt off, before hauling myself up to walk to the bathroom. I brush my teeth, wash my face and head back into my room, collapsing down onto my bed. It takes forever for me to fall asleep, but eventually I feel it coming. It's been a long ass day, and I know it's gonna be another one tomorrow.

I blink, and I'm outside the rink. It's the next morning, and with much reluctancy I hauled myself out of bed, grabbed everything I needed and got in the truck, heading to the rink. Hence, now I'm here, staring at April's car. I'm here earlier, in the hopes I would arrive before April. I've failed. Sighing, I make my way inside, straight through the office and out to the viewing stands.

For good measure, I make an entrance of walking in, dumping my bag down onto a mental bench, making sure she hears it. She's on the ice, but it looks like she's just warming up. She looks at me, rolls her eyes, and just continues what she's doing. I sit down to put my skates on, knowing that we're about the share the ice.

I need to get her out of my head, and this isn't helping.