"You don't have to come with me every time I skate, you know that right?" I ask, turning to look at Jack next to me.
"I know I don't have to. Maybe I like skating with you."
"You're the one who has morning skate in thirty minutes and practice again this afternoon."
Jack chuckles, "I'm aware. We have a light practice scheduled tonight to help rest up before tomorrow's game. I think I'd spend my whole day out here if I could. It'd be the best thing ever."
"You wouldn't get sick of it?" I ask curiously.
"Never. When I was a kid, it was the one place my dad wouldn't go. It was safe for me to be myself and just be a kid. Helped I was good at it," He winks at me, trying to offset what he just shared.
"I'll bet. Why wouldn't he go to the rink?"
He shrugs, "Texas is football country. I could throw a ball, but I didn't care for it. I've loved skating since the first time Momma took me. He didn't like that I was into something she loved."
I remember what Peyton told me weeks ago about Jack see his mom beaten by his dad. "I'm sorry."
"Darling, I don't ever want you to apologize for him. He wasn't a good guy." Jack says firmly, leaving plenty unsaid though.
"But you know that you're a good guy, right?"
He smiles at me, but it doesn't quite meet his eyes. "Thanks."
I drag my skate behind my other, coming to a short stop. "I mean it Jack. You've been a great friend to me." I suck in a short breath as he stops in front of me. "You're someone I trust and like spending time with."
Jack reaches for me and tucks some of my hair behind my ear. I lean forward and kiss him briefly on the lips. "I feel safe around you." I continue, watching as something flickers in his eyes. He presses his lips to my forehead, lingering there for a moment before pulling away.
"I'm glad," Jack says softly. He clears his throat a moment later, "We probably have time for a few more laps before you should get going."
I check my phone for the time to see that he's right. I push off and skate quickly around the corner. Jack's there in a second, keeping pace with me easily. "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" I ask, curious if he's sticking around or going home.
"I think I'm going to try and go home if our schedule lets us. Momma's been looking at flights for me and I kinda really miss her." He admits, running a hand through his hair.
"I bet. You weren't kidding when you said you were a momma's boy." I tease.
"Nope, she's the most important person in my life. I owe her everything. When I sign with whatever team hopefully picks me up, I'm going to send her on a trip to Europe. She's always wanted to go, but Momma had me young and didn't have the chance to. It's the least I can do for her."
Fuck if I didn't like him before, hearing how much he cares about his mom causes my heart to flip flop.
"She's lucky to have you."
Jack casts a slanted smile at me, his dimples prominent. Stupid dimples. "I'm lucky to have her," He corrects and I take a hard left to spin tightly.
I'm not ready to leave yet. I love being out here. When I look back at Jack, he's still smiling at me. "What?" I ask and he shrugs.
"You just look happy."
"Because I am. There's nothing like being on the ice." I answer honestly, pulling my hair up into a bun to keep it off my shoulders.
Jack frowns and skates closer invading my personal space; not that I mind. "You should leave your hair down. I feel like you always have it up."
I raise an eyebrow at him as he reaches to unravel it. I let him because I'm curious to see what he's going to do now. My chest hitches at the close proximity and he notices, his lips quirking upwards into a smirk.
"You okay there darling?" He asks, and I nod.
"Perfectly fine. Why do you like my hair down?" I ask, playing dumb. Kiss me. Kiss me please.
Jack runs his fingers through the long strands, "Because I like tangling my hand in it when I kiss you."
I lift my head up, subconsciously licking my lips quickly. The movement causes Jack's attention to drop to them. This physical connection we have feels electric. Like I can't get enough of him. "Jack." I say softly, resting my hand onto his chest.
He hums back a quick response, slightly tugging my hair back to tilt my head further up towards him. I hold my breath for a moment, waiting for Jack to kiss me. But he doesn't. He just stares directly into my eyes and I want to look away, but the color of his is captivating.
His eyes are light and there's a spark in them. "Are you going to kiss me or not?" I finally ask, getting fed up with this particular game and he finally grazes his over mine.
"Thought I'd see how long it took for you to ask." He teases and I nip his bottom lip quickly.
Jack laughs before kissing me deeply the way I wanted him to kiss me. I wrap my arm around his neck, holding him close.
He trails softer kisses down my jaw and I angle my head to give him better access. My fingers comb through the soft short hair at the nape of his neck. "No more hickeys. You left one after that tutoring session," I say breathlessly, trying to focus on what I'm saying because it's important.
Jack adjusts to capture my lips again briefly then pulls away. "Sorry about that."
"You don't look very sorry." And he doesn't. Not one single bit.
"Because I'm not. How do you feel about hickeys where people can't see?" He teases.
I let out a choked laughter, feeling my face heat up quickly. "We'll have to discuss that later. I think it's time for me to get going before you start something that we don't have time to finish."
He raises an eyebrow, "Last time I checked, you were the one practically begging me to kiss you."
"Was not!" I protest quickly, skating towards the exit. "I just asked if you were going to."
"Same thing," He says, chuckling and I stick my tongue out at him.
"Whatever." I walk off the ice to sit on the bleachers, setting my phone down next to me so I can change out of my skates. "Did you sharpen my skates?" I ask curiously and he grins, leaning against the wall.
"Yeah. I did them last night after I got done with mine last night."
"Thanks, you didn't have to do that." I smile appreciatively at him.
"It's not a big deal Al, I had to do my own. They looked like they needed it too." He shrugs nonchalantly and I roll my eyes.
"Just say you're welcome." I say with a quick laugh. He's too nice for his own good.
"You're welcome. Are you going to come over later? I think everyone is planning to go to Twin City."
I slip into my winter coat, tugging my hat on my head. "Yeah, I think so. Pritchett is going out with Eli tonight. Should you guys be drinking the night before a game?"
"Coop and Dylan will tap out after two beers. It's more so for Peyton and Ruby. Are you going to drink?"
"I'll decide later." I say, getting up and I lean up to peck Jack's lips. "See ya later," I wink playfully at him before turning away and I feel a slap on my ass. I turn sharply to look at him over my shoulder and he's batting his eyes at me innocently.
"I didn't do anything."
I shake my head, laughing, "Sure. Whatever you say."
"I'm more of a boob guy than an ass guy," He says with a grin and this I do know. He's been sneakily taking peeks at them for a while and before the other night, I would have said I'd been imagining it. Nope. He totally was looking.
I'm smiling widely as I readjust my hat to sit further down my head as I exit the rink when I run into none other than Jack's coach and my father.
Oh shit.
He blinks in surprise seeing me here. My smile falls and I stare at him in shock.
"Alondra? What are you doing here?"
I panic, running through my head for all the possible scenarios I could use to explain why I'm here. I don't think, 'oh, I'm hooking up with one of your players who happens to be a really good friend of mine and we skate here a couple times a week' is going to work. "I um..."
Jack picks the perfect fucking time to come out of the rink. "Al, wait! You forgot your...phone." He trails off, finishing his sentence quietly when he spots me and my dad together. "Hey Coach, uh, Al—your daughter—was here um giving me my notes for class and must've just set her phone down."
The excuse is pathetic and the exact same one that he gave Zeke. Jack passes me the phone quickly. "I didn't realize that you two were friends." Dad says calmly, his eyes darting back and forth between us.
"Dad...I'm his tutor. Remember?" I say timidly, but his face is unreadable.
"Schultz, why don't you go get ready for morning skate," Dad says tightly and Jack nods once. He gives me an apologetic look, but I know he can't do anything other than listen.
"Yes, sir."
Dad doesn't say anything until Jack has disappeared into the locker room. "I want the truth. Are you and Schultz friends?"
"I can be friends with whoever I want."
"That boy has a lot going for him. He's going places and I don't want you distracting him from what's important." He pinches the top of his nose in frustration and I just kind of stare at him in disbelief. I knew he would be upset. Jack is his star fucking player. But telling me that I'm a distraction? That's bullshit.
"Right. Cause hockey is always more important." The sarcasm in my voice is unmistakable. Maybe this is it. Maybe this is where I finally tell him how tired I am of him putting hockey over me.
"For Jack, it is. You'll understand some day if you find something you love the way he loves being on the ice."
My jaw drops and I take a step backwards. I love ice skating. I love hockey. I love my friends. I love plenty of things. "No, I understand perfectly well. I'm not distracting Jack."
"Alondra, if I go out to the rink, will I find whatever notes Jack said you brought him? And if I check the security cameras in there, what am I going to see?"
I fall silent and the unshed tears burn in my eyes. He already knows that there aren't any notes. I completely forgot about the cameras in there. It never crossed my mind.
"Not him. He doesn't need any distractions. You can keep tutoring him, but outside of that, I don't want you spending time with him. Schultz has to keep his head on straight."
"I think he's perfectly fine to make that decision himself."
Shut your mouth Al. Don't dig yourself a deeper hole.
"Alondra, go home." Dad says coldly, his jaw clenching as more players start to shuffle in through the doors.
"Dad-"
"Go home. I don't want to see you here again."
"Yes, sir." I whisper, turning away from him while trying to keep the tears at bay. I pass Coop and Dylan who heard the last part and I shake my head. It'll just be worse if they say something too.