Can't Help || Auston Matthews

Ch. 28

Auston's POV- November 2016

"Tired?" I asked Esmeralda.

I looked at her and noticed how pink her nose and cheeks were.

"Not really, just cold"

I nodded and pulled her into a hug.

"Want to head out already?" I suggested.

"Yeah, my knee hurts a bit"

"Alright, no more skating for you" I declared as I picked her up.

"Auston!"

I laughed as she gripped my shoulders.

"Are you hungry? I'm starving" I told her.

"Lucky for you I went to the grocery store yesterday"

"Anything you make I eat" I admitted as I skated to the bench.

She quickly sat on the bench and looked at me.

"Hockey skates are heavy"

I chuckled as she untied her skates.

"Thank you for the skates by the way"

I shrugged and took a seat next to her.

"You have a tiny foot" I noted.

She smiled.

"I'm sorry I don't have a Sasquatch foot like yours"

She lightly bumped me and slipped off one skate. I was worried that the skates I got for her were not going to feet her, but they fit her like a glove. I thought I had gotten a size to small, but her foot proved me wrong.

"You're tiny in general" I stated.

Esmeralda was 5'3, and she had weighed about 110-115 lb. I stood a whole foot taller and was at least 100lb heavier than her.

"You're a natural skater" I told her.

"Explain why I fell"

I began untying my skates and looked at her.

"I fall all the time" I admitted.

"Really?"

I nodded.

"My biggest fear is that I'll trip during a play and fall" I stated.

"I doubt that will ever happen"

I took my skates off and slipped on my shoes.

"Falling is always the worst"

"Even in gymnastics?" I asked.

She looked at me and smiled.

"I did fall on my ass during the vault final at the Olympic"

"That's true" I said.

She nodded.

"Besides that fall, did you ever stumble, slip or fall when you competed?" I asked.

"I had a fall on bars during Olympic Trials"

The uneven bars, I had done my research and learned that it was her weakest event.

"After my knee surgery I couldn't put a lot of pressure on my legs, so I typically practiced bars. I cleaned up my lines and did my best to nail my handstands"

She smiled.

"You look cold" I said.

"What gave it away?"

"Your nose" I replied.

I stood up and got her skates.

"Are you coming to Tuesday's game?" I asked.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Yeah, I need to keep my attention away from the election"

"You're not going home for Thanksgiving, right?" I asked changing the subject.

She stood up as I grabbed my skates.

"My parents want me to go home, but I don't know yet"

I nodded.

"Well if you do end up stayin here, you should come over" I said.

"Yeah?"

"Yup, my mom is going all out for Thanksgiving" I told her as I reached for her hand.

We made our way into the hallway and to the locker room.

"My sisters are coming, and they're really excited to meet you" I admitted.

"You've told your sisters about me?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" I asked.

She shrugged.

"Does your family know you're seeing someone?" I asked.

"Not really, hear me out though"

She squeezed my hand as I looked down at her.

"My dad and brothers are pretty over protective"

"I figured" I stated.

She nodded.

"My mom knows though"

"What does she think?" I wondered.

I opened the door to the locker room and let her walk in first.

"She's happy if I'm happy"

"Am you happy?" I asked.

She smiled.

"Of course I am"

A/N: I'll try to update Sunday night when I get back!