MR. PERFECTLY FINE ; LUKE HUGHES

02

˗ˏˋ꒰ 🍒 ꒱ he goes about his day
forgets he never even heard my name
TAYLOR SWIFT ^

LUKE

WEDNESDAY MORNING practices had been a bitch. Considering we had won last night with a shutout, you'd think we'd get the day off to rest our bodies.

Nope. Coach Naurato insists we keep our bodies moving at all times. A lame excuse to call a practice for nine am.

"Fuck." Mark shut his eyes, leaning his head against the locker. "I think I threw up in my mouth. I knew we should've played hooky."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "Nice one, Estapa. Let's let half of the team call out with some mystery illness."

Dylan groaned beside me, all of us suffering from hangovers. Who has a home opener on a Tuesday? "Mystery illness? You mean, Grey Goose."

Between him and Ellie, they managed to finish the entire bottle. She had left the place in shambles, I swore she puked. Lorelei, the sweet princess, of course, attended to her best friend.

Did I mention I hate her? She's always been so easy to tick off and I used it to my willpower. It had been hilarious to watch her stomp her feet like a toddler and mouth me off.

"Well, it's over now." I untied my skates, already feeling the soreness in my shoulders. "If you could stop bitching."

Luca chuckled. "Calm down hotshot, eh?"

I didn't bother to reply as I quickly gathered my things, my hair still wet from shower just a few minutes ago. I hurried out of the locker room quickly as I adjusted the sweatpants low on my hips, nodding towards my coach.

My lecture hall had been at least a five minute walk. It was still decent out in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the winters here were noteworthy of being freezing. It had been the start of fall.

I was a second from being late as I walked in the room, setting my bag down as I didn't miss the wearily glance from my professor. 

The Williams Lecture Hall had been one of the smaller ones here on campus, due to size of people taking this specific course. English Literature had not been for the faint of heart, from stacked assignments to learning about poets that died before my great grandparents were conceived.

As an english major and a hockey player, many assumed I'd pick a major for sports journalism or something along the lines of those. It hadn't mattered either way. I wouldn't need my degree, I'd be gone this summer. Being the fourth overall pick last year to the New Jersey Devils, it completely wiped my worry about finding a non-sports related job.

"Good morning." Professor Thomas stood before us, clutching his wrinkled hands as his suit had been loose on him. "As you may know, over the past week, we've been discussing different ways to make this class hands on. An anonymous classmate of yours suggested we do partner work."

I fought the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. I'd rather sit here in silence, unaccompanied.

"With that being said, I will be choosing your partners." He smiled largely. Did he really think we'd be happy to hear that? No. "You're assignment with be to discuss an author or poets work, I will be assigning each of you those. This assignment will be worked on outside of the class. Yes, that means you and your partner will have to spend time together."

Great. It's not like my schedule had been busy enough.

"Charlie and Sydney. Lucy and Mya. Carson and Erica. Owen and Madison." He began to list of people and I had clutched the armrest of the chair I had been seated in with anticipation. "Luke and...Lorelei."

You've got to be fucking kidding me. My face had said it all as I turned my head slightly to find her.

Her lips were parted, brows knitted together as she stared back at me harshly. With a quick shake of her head, she raised her hand.

"No, Lorelei." Professor Thomas had shut her down. "You cannot switch partners. Don't even ask."

As much as I loved watched her put her hand back down with a look of defeat, we had shared the reaction. I watched people get up to sit beside their partners, waiting to find out who they got like it was some
sort of surprise.

She huffed, slinging her bag on her shoulder as she mumbled to herself before finding the seat beside me, making sure to sit as far away as possible; though, she didn't get very far.

"My life is a fucking joke." She muttered, shaking her head as she slumped in her seat.

I chuckled at her defeat. "Cheer up, Sanders."

She shot daggers at me, clearly not enthused. "I'll do the project by myself. I'm not in the mood to fail. Deal?"

Did she think I was that stupid? "Fuck you." I spat. "If we don't work together, we fail. For a goody-two-shoes I thought you'd listen to the rules."

Before she could respond, probably throwing insults at me, Professor Thomas came over with a giddy smile on his lips.

"Your novelist is Jane Austen." He informed us, handing us a little slip with the name written in fine ink.

"Jane Austen." I repeated, sliding the slip closer to myself before Lorelei could reach out and grab it. "Isn't this the girl who wrote Pride and Prejudice?"

Lorelei groaned next to me, ripping it from my loose grip. "Yes, Luke. And the author of Sense and Sensibility."

"I'm sensing some tension here." Professor looked between us, eyebrows raised and eyes slightly wide.

No shit. I furrowed my brows, turning my head in her direction as I slung my arm over her shoulder, pulling her into my side despite her trying to claw away from me. "Us? No, no. She is the best."

"Get the hell off me." She hit me hard in the ribs, the plow had me huffing for air. "Jerk."

"You have one week to do your project." The man nodded with a scrunched nose. "Oh and, Luke. Nice win the other night. Keep up the good work."

I nodded my head in his direction with appreciation. I heard the low scowl sound leave Lorelei, causing me to cock my head in her direction.

"Nice win." She mocked with an eye roll. "And I wonder why your ego is enormous."

I bit into my bottom lip softy, eyeing her carefully before standing as everyone in the lecture hall began to pack their belongings. "Baby, you're only fueling it more."

She parted her lips, staring up at me through her eyelashes. "Fuck off."

"So, is this a date then?" I shot her a wink, holding onto the strap of my backpack. "Let me know when works best for you."

I walked away before she could respond, chuckling to myself.

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