Law of Attraction

6| Beckham

I'd never felt more like an asshole than I did at that moment. Because I knew the answer to her question. No, I wouldn't have helped her. I was already angry about her being recruited; I hated that it was her, of all people, so I definitely wouldn't have agreed to help her with anything. And knowing her, she wouldn't have specified what she needed help with. She was too proud for that.

"Taylor," but she was already walking away, ponytail swishing behind her. And then she was gone. I swore softly, running a hand through my hair and debating if I should go after her. Deciding against it, I grabbed my bag and went to Benson, apologising for missing practice but promising to train on my own anyway. He looked annoyed with me, but I wasn't in the mood to argue with him.

When I finished changing, I jogged around the rink a few times to warm up. After that, I sauntered into the gym. It was empty, everybody leaving, but I didn't mind. There was something pinned against the wall and I found a chart there. In neat handwriting was a training program.

"She really knows what she's doing." Sebastian's voice sailed into the gym as he appeared, still wearing his training shorts. "All the plans, it's the same as the ones Floyd did with us. Only, she made some minor adjustments, made them better."

Nyx must've really made an impression on them today if Sebastian was complimenting her. I didn't respond, reading the first thing on the list and moving to where crates were stacked above each other, three feet high. Plyometric training was annoying, but it was important. Jumping made the muscles exert maximum force in brief intervals and helped to increase power. It's what made us explosive on the ice.

Taking in a deep breath, I hopped onto the crate, holding the position for a second before jumping down again. Repeating it ten times, I followed the instructions and took a five-minute break.

Sebastian took a seat on a bench, and I noted he was eating a bag of chips. "Trouble in paradise?" He taunted, and I growled, standing up to continue my next set of jumps, and the blonde laughed. I didn't want to think of Nyx. There was an unexplainable feeling in my chest and I couldn't name it.

I'd never felt less like a man before. Nyx may have detested me and vice versa, but she was still a woman who felt uneasy in the presence of twenty young men, hesitant about helping them because she was panicked they'd leer at her and tease her. Yet, she couldn't ask me to help because she knew I'd refuse, torment her. So she helped herself. With a heavy groan, I realised that the scorching sensation in my chest was self-loathing.

Taking my third break, I rubbed the sweat from my forehead and stated, "you knew." It wasn't a question.

"Obviously," Sebastian scoffed, looking offended that I hadn't come to the realisation sooner. He was a people watcher, after all. But the rivalry was between Nyx and me. Surely, I would've noticed something about her before him. Understanding where my thoughts were headed, he articulated again. "The first hint was that she showed up at the party. That was just weird."

I grunted in agreement, doing my last set of jumps. "I thought Rafe sent her."

Chewing on another chip, Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" He queried rhetorically, and I glowered at him, trying to regulate my breathing. "Second hint, was the fucking fact that she was all over you. And she wasn't doing it to snoop, the giveaway was that she kept making sure one of your team members were in sight."