The Hockey Player (Matt Sturniolo)

I Hate Him

Slight mature content

Raine's POV

"Aurora, please" I scoffed and shooed her, plus one whipped Matt; down the steps. "Go"

She threw me a smile and the stars in her eyes matched Matt's. I stayed back in the kissing booth, alone. Technically, she left me with eighteen names to toss in my 'never going to happen' pile. God knows how many germs went through my body after that last asshole kissed me.

Aurora's scared look when he charged at her was all my feet needed to get involved. Even though I wanted to brush my teeth, gargle bleach and scrap my tongue off, I took one for the team. She needed me here. Dan would've made her day horrible otherwise.

I hoped I picked the right distraction for her. The pit of guilt in my stomach from my own 'distractions' demanded it.

Please be a decent guy or I'll string you up by your balls to the school's flagpole.

I rooted for Matt because of the smiles on my best friends face since she met him. Cute, encouraging smiles I hadn't seen in years, came back.

But fuck me sideways, no guy screwed up more than Matt between now and when I pushed her into his arms. How he physically flinched at the sight of her was the motivation I needed. She deserved to be look at like she was the centre of someone's world. Aurora needed a little push.

I almost laughed at how unraveled they made each other. I thought for sure Dan ruined Matt's chance, and he owed me a huge thanks for suggesting Finn pick Katie instead. It was for the best. Matt surprised me today, not by showing up and apologising, but by his restraint against Dan.

My team Matt card confirmed by the pain in his eyes, and a similar pain in hers. I almost shoved her after him, but she took the steps herself. A heart like Aurora's didn't deserve to have holes drilled in it, but that was life.

Matt was decent but he was an idiot for fucking with Dan. Any step down that path led to broken ribs. Aurora found Matt endearing, and I just wanted her happy.

The only difference was, I didn't put up a front like Matt. I didn't care what people thought of me or what came out of my mouth.

Not Aurora. Aurora was the sweetest, most loving person I'd ever known. She deserved special treatment, to be put on a pedestal. If given a chance, half the guys in our school fell over at the bat of her eyes. Dan's team wasn't excerpt, the worst offender being Luke to random guys in the hallway. But Matt was over the moon in love with her, for once, hope filled my heart.

Despite her charms, Aurora was naive. Her lack of confidence blinded her. It drove me crazy. Sometimes, I wanted to shake her shoulders to snap her out of it, but I couldn't do that. How she thought and acted wasn't her fault, and she didn't need me to change her.

After what she went through, I was willing to do whatever she needed of me. One awful night, a hockey player crossed an unforgiving line, and put Aurora in a shell. With time, she came out of her trauma with great cost. Despite how she survived the terrible rumours, Aurora didn't see herself like I did. Her nightmares bothered me, so much that a lump in my throat stole the words I wanted to say to her.

Aurora quivered with panic and grief that she refused to address. Dan redirected his guilt to anger and me...soul sucking guilt that sickened my stomach. Guilt consumed me when I thought about what happened to her and where I was. More importantly, who I was with.

She didn't know the secret that tugged on my heart. It beat guilt into my chest when I remembered the night that changed everything.

Fuck Dan. If only she knew.