The Hockey Player (Matt Sturniolo)

Too far

Matt's POV

Aurora was attracted to me .

She was easy to tease. She had no poker face, emotional reactions pouring out of her beautiful eyes and too many groans of disgust. I was under her skin. By the cold shoulder she gave Dan's friends, I guessed she was more conditioned to guy crap than the average girl.

Based on the crack in her voice, Aurora responded to my blunt lines and comments more than compliments.

I didn't offer a date. Aurora could wear a burlap as long as she showed up and made Dan angry every minute that I took her away.

She wasn't going to make it easy. Her voice cast the same as music in a fancy restaurant, and yet a snarky confident girl lived in her body.

Revenge against Dan? Gone.

"I wouldn't kiss you, not if you were the last guy on earth"

She was a girl. A girl who wanted me too, but she wasn't ready to admit it. From her blush and her ragged breathing, she wanted me to kiss her.

"You're home early" Mom greeted me from her seat on the couch. She put her book down and set her feet on the floor. "Did you forget about your brothers?"

"No" I rolled my eyes. The possibility of Dan hazing Nick burned a hole in my chest, but I didn't want to talk about that with her. "I told him to make sure you sit at the back of the bleachers during games"

"Matthew Sturniolo!" She gasped, putting her hands on her hips.

She launched into some 'disrespect' talk that I tuned out. Her eyes saw straight through my bullshit, she never stayed out of my business and her heart was big enough to accept blame for Dad's faults.

"Are you even listening?"

"Yeah" I scrolled on my phone and noticed Aurora had forty five new followers.

"No you weren't" she said, pulling my phone down. "I won't see you for two weeks"

I sighed at her one way trip to guilt trip city. "Mom, I'm tired. They'll work us hard at camp so I'm going to bed early"

"Fine" she sighed, pointing to the stairs. "I did your laundry and put out extra clothes to pack. Don't forget clean underwear. I made you lunch too"

"Thanks Mom" I escaped her before she guilt tripped me into contacting her over the next two weeks. In my room, I stuffed clothes into my bag, and sat down on my bed.

Last year of camp, last year of high school hockey. Last year of school.

Aurora was dangerous. She was the quiet girl who wasn't noticed in a group, but should be. I squeezed the same fingers that touched her face. Why couldn't I let that go?

What voodoo crap did that girl posses? I grabbed her hand and begged her not to ignore me, for gods sake. When was the last time I held a girls hand?

I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. My heart jumped and I smiled. Dan's sister. Revenge. I needed a different angle for my plan. She was the opposite of impressed with my actions, but now, I was in her head.

~

I woke up in the same state I fell asleep in, tired and angry.

"Here's your phone" my Mom spat in an annoyed voice. She threw it on my stomach and I groaned. "I charged it for you"

I frowned and sat up. "Thanks?"

"If what I think I saw in your incoming messages is right, Matt..." her eyes narrowed. "I'm disappointed in you"