SWEET LOVE ʲᵘʳᵃʲ ˢˡᵃᶠᵏᵒᵛˢᵏʸ

CHAPTER ELEVEN

   Millie launched herself on the boy again, squeezing him ever so tight. His arms went around her waist, hugging her back, "You were amazing."

   "Scored that goal just for you," He lowered her to her feet and gave a sweet peck on the lips, "Now let's go. I have to shower before dinner."

   "Agree, you're all sweaty and gross."

   "I'm not gross." They continued bickering as they walked to the car.

-☆-

   "Ready to go?" He asked her as he paid the bill.

   "Yeah. I'm stuffed," She leaned back in her chair, "I can't wait to go to bed."

   "I have one more surprise for you, actually." Juraj said, getting up from his chair and grabbing the girl's hand and guiding her outside.

   "What?" She questioned.

   "If I tell you, it won't be a surprise." He smiled  at her, his ego shining through his teeth. She hated how confident he was.

   "I've lived here my whole life. Wherever you're taking me, I've surely been there."

   "I bet you haven't." Juraj's confidence slightly faltered. He forgot that she's lived in Montréal for eighteen years. She knew every corner of the city.

   Nevertheless, they made the fifteen minute journey to a hill on the outskirts of the bustling city. It was serene. There were no cars partly because it was nearing ten o'clock, but also because the small road that got you was a dead end there. You could see basically all of Montréal.

   Emília got out of the car, mouth wide open. She couldn't believe that she had never been here. Her secondary school years were spent exploring every corner and every edge of the city with her friends and ex-boyfriends. She was more impressed with how the boy found this mesmerizing place.

   Juraj got a blanket out of his trunk with the words 'Hockey Slovakia' written on it and placed it on the ground. They sat down next to each other, enjoying the comforting silence until the younger girl spoke up, "How'd you find this place?"

   "I was just driving around, and I found this." He explained, laying down on his back with his fingers interlinked behind his head.

   "What were you doing just driving around."

   "I don't know. Just... driving."

   Millie turned around on the stomach and propped herself up on her elbows, "I know you, Juraj. I know the confident, and cocky, and sometimes arrogant you. But I know for sure that behind the hard shell of a talented NHL player is a sweet young boy. I want to know that part of you," She stopped her rambling to take a breath, "No one just drives around for fun. You must've had something on your mind. What was it."

   The boy took a deep breath in and exhaled. Millie moved closer to him and pointed her finger at his chest, "I want to know what's in here."

   He grabbed her wrist and moved her finger from the right side to the left, "The heart is on this side. I thought you were studying medicine?"

   "That's beside the point. I know I'm dumb." She laughed, removing her finger and replacing it with her head.

   The silence enveloped the pair. The boy listened to the gentle sounds of the wind. The girl was focused on his heartbeat and the regular rhythm of it, her foot lightly tapping along ti it.

   "Everyone was saying I'm a bust."

   "What?"

   "That's why I was driving. Everyone was saying that I'm a bust. And I was so fed up with it that I just drove for hours. I ended up here, and I stayed here for a good three more hours." He explained. He felt like a boulder was getting lifted off his chest, finally allowing him to breathe.

   "Why?"

   "What do you mean 'why?'? I sucked. That's why." The frustration in his voice was evident.

   "Are you listening to yourself?" She asked, lifting her head and looking at him face to face, "You're nineteen years old in the NHL. You're one of the best teenagers in the NHL. You have improved so much in the last two months. Today, you played your first three point game. At nineteen! You're amazing."

   He weakly smiled at her, "I know, I just can't help feeling like a failure, like I didn't deserve that first pick."

   "Trust me, Kent Hughes knew what he was doing."

   "He didn't choose me."

   "That's besides the point," Her hand moved up to his cheek that was pink from the cold February air, "You are doing sensationally," She placed her head on his shoulder, still staring at his pretty face, "My sweet boy."

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CHAPTER ELEVEN