Jules Martin
The next day I woke up, stiff allover. Yeah the floor doesn't really make as a great bed. However the sight of my phone made the morning gloom disappear, her name across the screen as she called.
"Hey." She whispered softly, sounding tired. That makes two of us who didn't get enough sleep. "Is Ezra okay?" I smirked while holding my phone at my ear.
"He passed out on me." I said while quietly leaving Ezra's room. "Levi had to help me get h-h-him upstairs." He for sure will have the worst hangover of his life and coach is going to kill him for s-s-showing up to practice like this. Being in the weight room instead of on the ice would have been better for his case, but unfortunately Tuesday at eleven equals ice time. Later than the usually early morning practices, so he's lucky in some way. "I took the floor tonight in case Ez needed a bucket." I chuckled at the memory of Ezra protesting to get inside his room.
"You took the floor?" She asked, a little giggle escaping her. "Well you could have slept in my soft bed if your friend wasn't such an asshole."
"I don't know what happened with h-h-him and Sophia, but he made it very clear it had something to do with her." I cleared my throat while walking downstairs to get some breakfast before practice. "He hasn't said what exactly, but he kept whining a-about her though." I laughed, reminiscing him calling Sophia a bitch over and over until it became funny and he then called her lovely once to ease his conscious. He's going to regret it, if he even remembers.
"Why isn't that a surprise." I heard her chuckle and for a second the other side became silent. "What are your plans today?" She whispered into the phone and the sound of it gave me flutters.
"Practice and then class all day." I shook my head with disappointment even though she couldn't see it.
"I'm working tonight. So, I guess, a phone call is all of your handsomeness I'm gonna get today." She chuckled and even though it sucked that I wasn't gonna see her, that laugh was enough to supply me for weeks. "But hey, tomorrow is your birthday." She pitched her voice near the end.
"Ah s-shit, I hoped you'd forgotten about that." A smirk creeped up my lips, while putting a cooking pan on the stove and broke the eggs, the phone still clenched between my shoulder and ear.
"Not a chance. Keep yourself free after 6:30 birthday boy. I'm picking you up."
Her words had me melting like the butter in the pan before me. "How very twenty-first century of you." I chuckled and I could just picture the perfect smile on her face. "Good you're giving me a heads up, cause t-t-there were so many other people I was planning on spending my birthday with."
"Very funny Martin."
"Ouch back to using my l-l-last name again, I thought we were past that Larsson." I bit my lip, trying to imagine what she was doing while being on the phone with me. Maybe she was lying in bed under her cute stack of blankets, or maybe she was getting ready for class, in the bathroom, or studying for once, really studying.
"Stop. I like using it against you. Gives me that extra little sass while talking to you."
"Not sure if you need it." I chuckled, while they eggs were starting to burn already. Yes she's that distracting. "Love your confidence though."
"Well, I love you." She whispered softly, and every word hit me right in the heart like an arrow, melting me, making me swoon.
"I love you." I whispered back, not wanting to say too, because I didn't want to just agree. Like yeah she said it first, again, but that didn't mean I meant it any less. Damn we are entering the I can't say I love you enough stage. And I fucking wouldn't have it any other way. "I'll text you though." I smirked, already looking forward to her bantering answers and flirtatious choice of words.
"See you tomorrow, don't forget." I could just feel her smile.
"I won't." I answered and while she kept saying bye, she hung up the phone, reluctant to do so. I was all smile, living a dream, one where I finally get myself a girl that gets me, really gets me and like I said trust blindly. Only I hate surprises, and birthdays so I really was hoping she would know me enough not to throw a surprise party. My mom tried it once and gave up on the idea every year after. Great choice.
Turning around with a plate of eggs and my phone still in my hands I had to make sure not to roll my eyes all the way back to Canada, as Zander casually strolled into the kitchen, his face falling as soon as he saw me. Fucking great. I should move off campus somewhere, this is awkward and at the moment ruining my morning.
"Uhm." He stood in the doorway for a second while I was nailed to the floor with my plate at hand, hesitating to have breakfast in my room for the sake of not watching his smug face... "Um...Yeah." He acknowledge the awkwardness in the air as he muttered under his breath. He came in even though he didn't look at ease, his confidence suddenly gone. Sighing he started to make some coffee and under the loud noise of the coffee machine I decided to not let myself be pushed away by his presence and I sat down at the table. "Coffee?" He suddenly asked and I nearly choked on my first bite. Excuse me? Did he just offer to make me a coffee? Thank god I'm a tea fanatic.
"No thanks." I said, with my back facing him. He can easily kill me from behind now. I goggled my eyes while I continued to eat and after minutes of silence the situation became even more awkward as he sat down in front of me, A coffee mug in front of him. What the hell is going on... Is he killing me with kindness, silence, all of the above?
"So, about yesterday..." He started, but I quickly interrupted him.
"I don't think we n-need to talk about it. Not again." I tried to stay calm, but that was easier said than done when the Zander sitting face to face with me was not the Zander I usually saw. He was so quiet it started to creep me out a bit. This is weird.
"And I don't blame you for absolutely hating my guts right now. Trust me, at the moment I kind of hate myself too."
"Spare me the pity s-s-speech." I rolled my eyes again while the anger from yesterday got to me once more. I can't believe he pushed her into a fucking wall. I stand by it, this needs to stop. Balling my fist under the table I couldn't help but look at his sorry face, searching for any sign of remorse and much to my annoyance I found it. Trying to redeem yourself, it's not gonna work, not so fast.
"It's inexcusable, I know." He looked at me through his lashes, unsure of himself. "I meant it, I'll stay away from her." He sat back in his chair, his own words causing him hurt. You better. "Is she okay though? I barely slept wondering if I hurt her." You barely slept? Please, don't play the victim here. It pisses me off even more.
"You hurt her in many ways. You have, over and over." I snapped at him, making menacing eye-contact. "It needs to s-stop. You cheated, she moved on." I gritted.
He rolled his head back and swallowed. "And I fucking regret it." Do you now? "Listen, I hurt her, I can't take it back, but I still care about her. A lot. And that may never go away."
"You didn't show that very much when you w-w-were with her." I shrugged, unfazed on the outside, while internally a wave of jealousy pounded on the inside of my stomach.
"You know nothing about our relationship..."
"I know you didn't m-m-mind gaslighting her." I cocked a brow at him, my angry glare keeping a close watch on his actions.
"And I guess you are right." He threw his hands up, one instantly going through his hair. "I didn't fucking realize it... Until it was over and I started to backtrack everything I did wrong. Because if it's solace for you, she fucking hates me now." Heartbreak just washed over his face and he blankly stared at his coffee. "I acted like a jerk, not only to her, but to everyone. I had to lose everything before realizing it." He looked genuinely sorry, lost even. Dammit I'm not going to feel sorry for him after everything he did to her. "I can see she's happier now. I have seen her around and, she never smiled at me like that, let alone look at me the way she looks at you, so." He shrugged. "Can we just not make this awkward. Whether we like it or not we have to live under the same roof, and I bet I'll see her around here, even if it rips my fucking heart out." His gaze fell. "I'm just done with all the damn drama. I want to focus on earning my spot back on the team and my grades because I'm failing miserably." Why am I feeling sorry though. I can't believe what I'm about to do.
I sighed deeply, unclenching my fist while I stuck out my hand over the table waiting for him to shake on that. He looked at it, confused, but with a sense relieved. "Fine." He took it, shaking on his promise to me, Luna, and himself. "If you ever hurt her again, or put your hands on her like that, I'll make you s-s-swallow every word you just said and it's not gonna be pretty." I made it a point to sound hostile. This wasn't a sorry, or forgiveness at all. This was a truce, and a warning. He nodded, agreeing to all of it. "Are you gonna c-c-come to practice?" I stutter, watching his face change into a frown.
"I don't know."
"If you want your spot back, you s-should." I coaxed, wanting some fair competition on the ice, even during practice, even if he's benched. "I don't mind to battle for the captain's title." I smirked. I can't fucking believe I'm having a decent conversation with him without punching each other in the face.
"Speak for yourself." Levi scoffed while he came into the kitchen. "I'm happy coach finally stepped up and did what he should have done a long time ago." He looked right at Zander who was holding back a comment. Lee, don't poke him. He's trying to better himself or whatever the fuck that means to him.
"You're right." Zander bites back a grunt. "I'll get my spot back Lee, even if I have to do anything coach expects me to do."
"Why don't you start by being a decent person and treat everyone with some respect." Levi leaned his palms on the table, towering over Zander.
He looked up, meeting the irritated expression on Levi's face. "All I can say is that I'll try to be better. Jackson, we were friends once." They were?
"You were never my friend, we played together on the same team." Levi scoffed.
"And we were a fucking oiled machine!" Zander suddenly laughed and I could tell by the smirk on Levi's face that they were. "We brought home every win."
"Lee, maybe we can all just m-make a deal." I'm siding with Zander now? What the fuck was in those eggs.
"What are you thinking about?" Levi pulled up his brows, smirking more.
I look at both of them, not sure if they will just laugh at my face or actually take it. "As soon as we enter the rink, put on our skates and get on the ice... We forget about anything that has happened, or happens on the outside." I sounded ridiculous, but hockey is a team sport... And we all want to win, get noticed, achieve the NHL dream. What's the point of all the damn bruises and body slams if we don't try to go higher up.
"Deal." Zander agreed first, swallowing that gnawing feeling of not being excepted by his team away.
"Well, I do hate to lose a game? I guess we could bring that oiled turbo machine back?" Levi briefly looked at Zander. Just say yes Lee. Hockey over ego. If I can do it, you definitely can too. "Let's do it." At Levi's words Zander nodded at me, a sign of appreciation. Guess that's something.
"Good. Now we still h-h-have to bring Ez on board. We're nothing without our goalie backing us up." I shrugged and instantly saw Ezra turn around the corner like he has some sick sixth sense.
"Agree with what? That I have the worst fucking hangover ever." He rubbed his bloodshot eyes and rubbed them again when he saw all of us, including Zander, sit at the same table. "Did I wake up in an alternate universe?" His eyes wend wide. "This can't be right."
"We agreed on a truce on the ice. We need to start winning some games Ezzy, so are you in?" Levi pulled the chair next to him back for Ezra's hungover ass.
"You're joking right?" He looked at Zander. "After how he treated Luna?" Yeah, I know I'm confused too. I nodded and it made him clear his throat. "Fine, so you two are friends all of a sudden."
"No." I didn't wait a split second to shake my head. I looked at Zander too, the way he still looked lost and uncomfortable. "Just allies on the ice." I felt the corner of my mouth tug. No, don't smile at the jerk. If this is what it takes to keep him away from Luna I'll happily be his partner in a fair amount of trick shots on the ice.
"Thanks." Zander just smiled, if only for a second before rubbing his hand over his face. "I better get ready for practice then, coach is gonna be on my ass for sure." He sighed deeply, while he left the table and we all watched him go.
"Jules, did you get another concussion?" Ezra leaned in and whispered. "What the fuck? Two days ago you wanted to mutilate each other?"
"Isn't that what you do w-w-with Sophia? Argue. Make up. Argue. make out. Argue. Hook up." I grinned at his sorry face.
"You hooked up with Sophia?" Levi's mouth fell open wide. "As in fucked her?"
"Only once, and I'm pretty sure she fucked me." Ez shrugged Levi's surprise off. "Almost twice." Almost twice? When? Oh... It hit me that must have happened the night before.
"Grace is gonna get a heart attack when I te-"
"You're not gonna tell anyone Lee. Not even your lovey dovey girlfriend." Ezra squeezed his eyes at him.
"Luna knows too." I whispered.
"I don't care if the fucking Pope of sex himself knows Juju. It's not gonna happen again." He shook his head, his eyes scrutinizing the texture on the table. "I can't." He shook.
"Why not?" I shrugged, frowning at him.
"Why don't you leave it!" He snapped, his tone not like him at all.
"Ez." Levi whined. "Don't flip at him okay. Be happy he was there to save your ass last night." Ezra kept his gaze on the center of the table, not a single reaction, nothing. "Go ahead, sulk, that's gonna fix it. Get your ass ready for practice... Or do you want coach to bench you too?" Levi sounded grouchy, nudging Ez's shoulder. "Come on." He nudged him again until he got up grunting.
Practice was fine, great even. All of us united really worked a miracle for our play and I actually was starting to feel good to play the out game on Sunday. But the rest of that day? Just shitty. Classes, studying and no Luna to finish the day. That's the best way to summarize it.
But the day of my birthday? Well, that was something else though. I woke up to a call from Luna wanting to be the first one to congratulate me. And she was, only barely because not two seconds after I hung up my mom called, passing the phone to my sister who of course couldn't stop babbling about hockey. She wanted to know everything and at the mention of Luna she of course wanted to know everything about her too. I can't wait for them to meet.
I was keeping a close watch on my clock. 6:31, she's late. I waited for 4 more minutes until her car appeared on the driveway and with a smirk I saw her get out. Smiling like crazy I walked over to her until she could swing her arms around my neck. God I missed her. She immediately hummed and planted a sweet kiss on my throat. "Happy Birthday, again." She smiled against my skin and before I knew it her lips covered mine. No matter how small she was, she always managed to get up there some way. Grabbing her hand I turned us towards her car and off we went to whatever she had planned.
"What?" She smirked while trying her best to keep an eye on the road.
"Nothing." I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Something about her driving was so sexy and independent. "I'm curious where we're g-g-going." I put my tongue in the corner of my mouth, trying to hide my excitement.
"You'll see." She smirked after we had been driving for over forty minutes. Must be pretty special if she was going to take me so far from campus. As a guy watching your girlfriend drive, you can't just not melt the second she puts her hand on your thigh, something that usually you job, right? I swooned then and there, throwing her a smoldering look, her smile that countered it worth mentally taking a picture of it and storing it into a part of my brain it would never forget about that single second of joy.
On our way we enjoyed a beautiful sunset, and stopped for some takeout pizza, the boxes hot in my lap when we drove up a long driveway near a lake. My gaze fell on a small cabin, surrounded by high trees and could already tell it's sundeck had the most amazing view over the water. From afar I already spotted a small bonfire, lighting up the side of the cabin, a log and some blankets to keep us warm. "How did you m-m-manage to do all of this?" I frowned curiously, as I knew for a fact fires don't start on their own.
"Your friends might have helped." She wiggled her brows and then I remembered Levi talking about a hunting cabin not far from campus where he sometimes goes with his family. "Well, Levi helped. Ezra was too busy sulking away." Of course.
"I already know tonight is gonna be g-g-reat." I smirked at her.
"It would be better with some hot pizza instead of cold." She nodded for me to follow her the second she jumped out of her car, throwing her backpack over her shoulder.
We sit back on the log, each diving into a box of pizza, the moon and stars lighting up the shallow lake. "This lake, imagine it when it freezes over." She glanced at the water.
"That would be amazing." I chewed, imagining her skating on it. "Have you e-ever skated on natural ice?"
The way her entire face brightened when my words found her, it was beyond stunning and so worth asking. "Plenty." Her eyes glimmered and I was almost jealous of the way she looks at the reflection of the moon in the rippling water. "My mom, she'd always take me to different lakes in Iceland, stupid ponds even, no matter how small. If you can stand on it and take a step each side, that's big enough, she'd say."
"She's right though, nothing's b-b-better than natural ice under your skates." I looked at her profile, admiring every one of her features. God, I love this girl so much.
"Ruins your blades though." She giggled and I laughed as I agreed. Yeah it does, but it's worth it. "She used to be a professional skater until she had me. And I just wanted to be like her. She never missed a single one of my competitions." She looked away from the lake and the watery fog in her eyes tore my heart out. Instantly I put my pizza to the side, and pulled her into my arms, wrapping a blanket over us. "I'm sorry, it's your birthday." She shook while her finger wiped away a falling tear.
"Don't apologize." I whispered into the side of her face. "Birthday or not, I want to know everything about you. Even the sad stories. No, you know what? Especially t-t-those." Feeling her wrap her arms around my waist made me feel warm inside, loved, knowing I was her person when things were hard, or easy.
She nodded, agreeing before snuggling her face into my chest. "When she passed away, my dad couldn't bear to come watch me skate anymore. I looked too much like mom, especially when I got older and at a certain point I stopped competing. I was always alone, no one in the crowd for me to support me or who I could smile my nerves away at." The way she tried so hard not to make her voice break made the lump in my throat swell.
"Lu, if you want to start competing again, I'd be there in the crowd for you..." I lifted her chin up to meet the sincere look on my face, and I was, sincere.
"That would be nice." She smiled faintly, but she shook her head to disagree. "Unfortunately, I suck lately so I don't think I would stand a chance. My skills have been very off lately."
"What do you mean?" I frowned. I watched her skate, I also watched her fall, but the way she skated was just mesmerizing.
She lightly shrugged. "I don't know. I can't focus. I fail my jumps. I literally suck." She laughed it off, shaking her head once more. "It's fine, some time off the ice would do wonders for my grades." Her giggle made aching in my chest disappear.
"Only if we stop studying biology together, right?" I smirked down at her and she grabbed a slice of pizza from the box next to me.
"Now way, we can't do that. For once I'm enjoying that course." She smirked before holding the slice up in front of my face, tempting me to take a bite and I do. She sliped her tongue over her bottom lip and tried to hold her breath as her eyes wandered over my face.
"What? Do I h-have some sauce o-" I tried to lick away a possible tomato sauce mishap, but she was already kissing the corner of my mouth, her tongue lightly brushing along it, wiping away anything on my face really, whether it was tomato sauce or god knows what.
"Uhu. Cute." Her eyes beamed with mischief, but I was already leaning in, stopping just inches away from her lips, teasing her as my eyes stared into hers, intense eye contact making my stomach backflip. I couldn't help but let my tongue slide to the corner of my mouth, teasing her with the sight of it. "Are you gonna kiss me or what?" She whispered, and I shook, teasing her into the anticipation. I inched closer, my nose brushing over hers and she let out a small grunt. I'm killing her and she's loving every second of it. I brushed over her nose once more before leaning in and grabbing her bottom lip between my teeth. I let go, only for a split second before sliding my tongue into her mouth, all anticipation exploding into my face when she no longer can resist. Her hands went into my hair, pulling me deeper into the kiss. Fuck, this kiss does things to me. Another swipe of her tongue along mine drove me insane and her teeth wildly claiming my bottom lip made me hum into her mouth. I felt myself getting excited as I started to feel my hardness bulge against my zipper. Control yourself. As if that's possible, the way she's kissing me it's like she wants me to merge into her body. We lost ourselves in this kiss, and when she slid her tongue over the rim of my lips so slow it was the hottest fucking thing I ever experienced, a low groan vibrated in my throat. I closed my eyes and hummed, feeling myself float, but disappointment brought me back to earth, the second her lips left mine.
"Don't stop now." I muttered softly, whined almost, no I definitely did. Every second not kissing her was a waste of time.
"You might want to unwrap your present first." She leaned in and whispered into my ear, her teeth grabbing my earlobe. Her softly sucking on it teased the shit out of me.
"Fine by me." I smirked, mischief all throughout my voice as my fingers got a hold on the zipper on her puffer jacket, sliding it down and inch before she stopped me.
"Not me." She nearly snorted, and damn it sounded so ridiculously cute.
"What? This..." I looked around and then back to her. "Eating pizza with you at this idyllic lake under the s-s-tars isn't my present? Because I'm easy to please as long as it evolves y-you, you know." I whispered, wanting to kiss her so badly, but the smirk on her face didn't allow me. I'm so soft for her... But right I'm also painfully hard.
"No, well it does involve me at some point." The longing in her eyes glittered and it made the smile on my lips curve into unknown proportions. "Tonight's full of surprises." She wiggled her brows at me, her adorable face painting the perfect picture of playful mischief and divine trouble. What can I even add to that? I fucking love this girl so much, I'd run out of air without her.
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💛 Hi loves! This one is part one of the birthday surprise Luna has planned out. So have guess at the next surprises? Keep in mind, she's wild. I'll follow up on the next chapter soon because I'm hella inspired, so you won't have to wait long.
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