Ice.

Chapter Thirty-Four.

Finn

It really took everything in me not to knock that British prick out cold, let me tell you.

Not only can I not imagine talking to any of my friends like that, I can't imagine doing that to Avery. Like, how fucking neurotic can you be?

My chest literally got hot when I pulled into the parking lot and saw his livid expression as he screamed at her. I jumped out of my car so fast and wanted nothing more than to grip onto his fucking polo shirt and show him what happens when he speaks to Avery in such a disgusting way. He has the fucking balls to call her stupid? To treat her like that? No. No, not on my watch.

But I kept it together for Avery. I know she's still a bit traumatized since I nearly put Mason into a coma in that parking lot. I didn't want to upset her after not seeing her for a week and a half. And boy, I'm glad I didn't.

We're not even going to talk about the car ride home. Nope. Can't do it.

Now it's Monday and the first day I'm back at school, and just like usual, nothings changed. I would hate school if it wasn't for Avery and our friends. I really just do not see the point in it anymore, but I know it's important for me to at least get a high school education.

It's not even like I'm bad at school. I get pretty decent grades considering I'm never really at school. The material comes pretty easily to me, I'm just sick of it. I just can't wait till my entire life is purely hockey. I can't wait until I can wake up in the morning and go to the rink instead of school. I know that if I put even more hours, I'll get better. And I am exceeding the amount of time I can spend on ice already, so once I'm out of here, its over. I'll be training nonstop.

But now here I am, sitting in English, zoned out as Lingston rambles on about some book that I didn't read.

My eyes glance over to Aves, surprise surprise, and she's completely engrossed like always. She's sitting straight up in her seat, her legs crossed under her desk and her chin resting in her palm as she listens intently. She moves every now and then to scribble down something Lingston says in her journal before she goes back to the same position.

I'm chewing on my lip as I watch her. I can't believe how things have changed in such a short amount of time. I remember when I used to do this everyday, except she didn't know I existed. She didn't know that I was sat back here wanting nothing more than to introduce myself, but being to nervous too. Now she's my girlfriend. Now I love her way more than I ever thought I could. Now I would do anything for her.

In a weird way, I feel like once the bell rings she'll get up and leave without glancing back at me. I feel like I've just been trapped in the Twilight Zone and everything that's happened has just been a figment of my imagination. Like she doesn't know I'm here, and that we aren't together.

The thought of us not being together, hypothetically or not, makes me sick to my stomach. I don't care what it takes, I'm not going to let this girl go. I know people say that you're too young in high school to know that someone is your forever person, but I think they're wrong. I know she is. I just know.

I don't even feel like I'm in high school half the time. I spend more time with the guys on my team than I do here and most of them are engaged, married, and have kids. I somehow relate to them more than I do with the people here. My teammates were shocked when they found out I was 18, and when they found out my girlfriend was too. It's just different for me, and I'm really fucking lucky I met the girl that I want to be with for a really long time now.

Now, look. I'm not that naive. I know that Aves and I haven't been together that long and I know that things are going to get very difficult, but it's worth it to me. She's worth it. I'm not saying that I want to get married after we graduate, or even in the next four or so years, I'm just saying that I can see myself with her as we grow. I can see us living together. I can see our life together. I want us to have a long life together.