_____________________________________
Aurora...
————————————————————
————————————————————
Two weeks later
————————————————————
Two weeks of college and I'm already exhausted. Every morning I get up to practice at the ice rink with my coach. Every night I'm there practicing alone. The hockey team is always there watching in the morning...and at night, for some reason I swear I keep seeing someone watching me. Classes have been going well. I finished my part of the project that I'm partners with Alexander.
Alexander and I have started over. It's weird that I'm starting to become friends the man. It scares me if any of my family finds out.
Grayson would kill me for even thinking about becoming friends with the man. Max and Ethan would just go crazy. And Liam...he would kill Alexander for even being in the same area for too long with me. I couldn't tell you the full reason why they all hate him. The rivalry is definitely not the full reason.
It would be nice to know Alexander got the photos back...but I haven't heard a word about it. I hate how the first two days in, I was fucking assaulted. I don't know what to do about it. There's no evidence. Expect those photos. Even with those, there's no proof that it was non-consensual.
Lately I've been studying in the library. It's the quietest place around, which is what I need to get all my work and studying done.
I felt a presence behind me. His voice was firm but gentle as well, "8:00pm. The bridge on GreenLine Street. Don't be late, Hemera." he whispered. His breath was warm but sent shivers down my spine. I had no clue what that was about. Why the hell does he want to meet me on a bridge? Probably planning my death.
I turn my body in my chair to see Alexander. He was walking out of the library, probably having a huge grin on his face. It was already 7:00. I don't know how long it takes to get to the bridge. Especially walking. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and typed in the location. 10 minutes. That's not too bad.
Once I was done with one of my essays, I decided to head out and make my way towards the bridge. As I made it to the woods, everything became a lot more creepy. I hate being in the woods as it gets dark.
The bridge sat over a large pond.
And there he was.
Alexander was sitting on the edge of the small, wood, bridge. My footsteps were soundless, yet he still sensed I was there. He slightly turned his head to look at me,
Once I was on the bridge, I sat down next to him.
"You and Liam made up?" he breaks the silence. I guess we haven't talked about that yet.
I look down at my hands. Liam thinks we did, he came back a couple nights and begged me to forgive him. He told me him coming to me drunk was a one time thing. I don't believe him. I don't trust him that one of these times he won't just take it too far and do something I don't want, "yeah. We did." I answered.
He nods, fidgeting with something in his hand, "that's good." he mumbled, still not looking at me.
Something was different about him. He wasn't his scarcest self. From the couple times I had full conversations with him...he was never like this. Suddenly, he was handing me something. I looked down at it. The phone. The one with the pictures of me on it. I was speechless.
"Alexander—" I paused.
My eyes widen. He was now fully looking at me.
I understand now...why he was acting so different. My hand reached to touch his face, "don't, Aurora." he bluntly said, looking away.
"Alexander. Where did you get that black eye. You did not have that during class today—"
"Drop it, Aurora. It's nothing." he cuts me off.
The moment I was about to say something, we heard voices in the distance. I recognized them. It was Mat and Kade. Mat kept saying, 'he went this way' Alexander's eyes widen. He quickly got up, grabbing my arm, pulling my up as well. He grabbed the phone out of my hand, and threw it in the water.
I didn't understand what was happening, as he lead me down from the bridge to the ground where the water was, "trust me." he says. His eyes were practically begging me to. I just nodded.
Alexander got into the water, looking back at me to do the same. So I did. He quickly swam under the bridge where no one could see us. I couldn't swim as fast he could, so he put his hand out. My hand collided with his, pulling me under the bridge, against the wall of it.
The water was deep for a pond. There was no where to stand, and I was having trouble holding myself up. Alexander's body pushed against mine, his hand on the side of my waist. He was holding onto some bar on the wall with his other hand...to keep both of us from struggling.
The bridge was hardly above the water. Which left us almost no room while under there. The space was only enough for our heads, every other part of our body were submerged in water.
I listened closely. Mat and Kade were walking on top of the bridge, "you sure he went they way?" Kade asks.
"Of course I am. I watched him come out here." Mat groaned, "I can't believe that bastard stole my phone. Literally two weeks ago we were all certain he hated that Hemera girl. Now he's helping her?"
I stared at Alexander. He wouldn't make eye contact with me. I didn't know if it's because he still hates me or...because our body's are literally against each other's.
"He hates her brothers I know that. I mean...everyone does. Their the best hockey players in the fucking country. But...I don't think he ever hated her. He was just paranoid." Kade says, walking back and forth on the bridge. Well that's who I think is doing that.
Alexander finally looks at me. He was struggling to keep his grip on that bar against the wall. I could feel his breath on me.
Mat laughs, "he's probably fucking her. Damn it, he's definitely stole my idea"
"What idea?"
"To fuck her, so her brothers get so pissed of the next time we play them that they'll forget about actually playing." Mat explain.
My body shifted around, all I wanted to do is see them eye to eye and punch them in their stupid faces. My body froze. Alexander grip tighten on my waist, making me look up him again. He shook his head, "don't let what they're saying effect you." he whispered in my ear..so quiet that I hardly could hear it.
What I really wanna do is go cry in my room. Hearing people talk about me like that...fucking hurts.
"Alexander Escarra is fucking dead if I get the chance. And Aurora Hemera...she better watch the fuck out." Mat groaned, throwing a rock in the water, scaring the living shit out of me.
"Mat you can't actually—"
"Shut the hell up, Kade. I'll do whatever I want." Mat bluntly said walking off of the bridge.
We could hear their voices get farther and farther away, until finally, Alexander let go of the bar and began to swim back to the open air. I did the same. He didn't say a word to me as he got out of the water. I looked back at the water..the phone was gone. Completely submerged. Probably at the bottom the pond, I smiled to my self.
It was now completely dark out, and it was raining. What a great combo...
Alexander was now glancing over at me.
"They gave you that black eye, didn't they?" I asked.
He nods, "yeah."
"The things they said...we're they true?"
His frowns, That's not a good sign, "The only thing that came out of their mouths, that was true, was how I never actually hated you. I was paranoid. I thought your brothers were trying to get in my head..." he sighs. I look down. My brothers really have been ruining everything for me. I have two men telling me to watch out because of my fucking last name. And I have someone who doesn't want to be near me or trust me...because of them, "it's late. Goodbye, Hemera."
"Alexander." I blurt.
He turns, facing me, "yes, love?"
"Thank you." I say. He understood why I was saying that. There was no explanation needed. He just nodded and walked away, back towards the campus.
I look down at my phone, that we hid in the grass while in the water. It was a text message from my father saying 'daughter. You better be at the game in two weeks. We have things to discuss. Plus. You must root on your brothers while they beat your stupid college' I roll my eyes at the message and don't reply.
______________________________________