adam
I'm pissed off.
First of all, being woken up at four-fifteen in the morning on New Year's Day when I was piss drunk and had just fallen asleep at most an hour prior was not fun. Not even in the slightest. But that's not the only issue, and it's not even the real reason why I'm a few seconds away from putting a hole in my wall when I get home.
No, the real issue is what Logan Christiansen decided to post on her Instagram story. I don't know if she thought no one would see it, but boy was she wrong. In the two days it's been since she posted it, I've been sent it more times than I can count, and of course EHI has also made it into a huge deal.
I can't catch a fucking break.
I'm dreading leaving my car, because I can guarantee people are going to start talking as soon as I step out of it. I hate the attention I already know it's obviously been bringing, which is weird considering I've been basking in it the past month and a half. I mean, I don't mind being talked about when it's positive, but when it's negative, I'd much rather crawl into a hole and disappear.
In my head, I'm going over every late excuse I can think of so that I can sit in here a bit longer. However, that all goes away when Russ knocks on my window, Goldberg and Averman standing next to him. "You alright in there Cake Eater?"
"Better than ever." I respond sarcastically as I roll down my window. "I can't go in there."
"Well why not?" Averman asks, which gets him a dirty look from me and a look of shock from Russ.
"Are you dumb?" Russ questions, rubbing his temples in disbelief. "Lester my man, please tell me you're just playing with us and you actually know what's been going down with Cake Eater over here."
All of a sudden, it looks like a lightbulb goes off in Averman's head as he realizes that he does in fact know what the last few days have entailed for me. "Oh yeah, you're right!"
"I pity you Averman, I really do." Goldberg says through a choked laugh. "And I thought I was the dumbest on the team."
As Averman gives Goldberg the finger, he laughs it off and turns back to me. "Banksie my man, you got this! Believe in yourself and walk in there like the beauty you are. Don't let some attention-seeking puck bunny stop you from being the man-candy we all know and love."
"Goldberg..." I answer slowly. "Did you just call me man-candy?"
"Sure did!" he confidently replies, and that's all it takes for Russ to start losing it. He's laughing so hard that he can't even breathe, and even I manage to crack a smile. That's the best thing about Goldberg. He says whatever's on his mind and has absolutely no shame in it. You can't not love a guy like him.
Now that Russ has finally calmed down, I heave out a sigh and get out of my car, reluctantly slinging my backpack over my shoulder. I can already feel eyes watching my every move, and my skin crawls more with each step I take.
Fuck Logan. Fuck this. Fuck everything.
When I reach my locker, the devil herself comes rushing up to me and it takes everything in me to keep my cool. "Adam, can we please talk?"
"No." My tone is not in any way rude, but it's not the nicest either. I don't have the time for this, nor do I care to make time for her.
"Please?" she begs, and I'm so glad I practically buried myself in my locker so she doesn't see the way my jaw tightens. "I'm so sorry. I don't even know what I was thinking, I must've been drunker than I thought, and I really didn't realize it'd become this big of a thing, I-"
The sound of me slamming my locker closed shuts her up. I turn to her and narrow my eyes, not at all bothering to acknowledge the tears that are forming at hers. "You didn't realize that posting me on your public Instagram story with a caption like 'lover' wouldn't become a big thing?"
"I-, I-," she stammers, trying to figure out what to say. I really don't believe her and her claim that she didn't know what she was doing. She knew damn well what she was doing, knowing who could see it and who probably did.
When she finally stops trying to make up an excuse and goes quiet, she looks up at me with nervous eyes. "Can you forgive me? Please?"
"No." I answer flatly. "Logan, we have never been and will never be anything. When that picture was taken, I can pretty much promise you I was too hammered to realize it was happening, let alone that it was going to be posted anywhere."
"Adam, I promise you, it's not like that!" she practically yells, drawing attention from people in the hallway. "I swear I didn't do it on purpose! Why can't you just fucking understand that?"
"Because I see right through your fucking act." I spit out, glaring at her and trying my best not to explode. "You've always been jealous of Ella. I know you liked me for a while, but every time we've been together was when I was drunk and upset about her. You think you can swoop in and change my mind, like you're trying to show that you're better and I should be with you instead of her. And I can guarantee that's what this post was about, right? How you were with me on New Year's when she's in Italy and not here to take me away from you? How you feel like you've finally won this imaginary competition between you and her where I'm the end fucking prize? Wasn't that the whole point of your stupid post?"
Her silence tells me all I need to know. I turn around and start walking down the hallway, ignoring her calls and pleads for me to come back and work it out. I don't have time for girls who are clearly using me for attention, no matter which way they try and spin it to make it seem like they're not. They're all the same, and I think it's best if I just keep to myself for a while.
Besides, hockey is the most important thing and I need to be focusing on my training. If I start to slip up, my potential starting spot at Minnesota will be gone before I can even blink. I haven't worked this hard and come this far to lose everything I've ever wanted over a fucking puck bunny.
Look, I know it's bad to be calling her a name like that. It's degrading most of the time, and I try to stay away from using it when I can. But Logan, she's an exception. She's constantly tried to get with me, knowing I was in a relationship for a while one, and two, because of the sport I play. I've never seen her go for a guy that doesn't play hockey, and I've always been her main target.
Like I said, she's a puck bunny.
Anyway, I really need to get to class. And of course, Logan trying to come in all high and mighty thinking she'd change my mind didn't really help the few minutes of free time I had. Then again, sitting in my car didn't either, but it was because of her and-
"Sorry, I didn't see you there." I sputter out, trying to avoid eye contact with the person I just walked right into.
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
Upon hearing the voice, I tense immediately. I slowly look up to see Ella standing there, looking completely and utterly unimpressed. I try and come up with something to say and fail miserably, and she just stands there and watches me with her arms crossed while she pokes the inside of her cheek with her tongue, making me feel even worse about myself.
After a minute of staring at each other which feels more like an eternity, I finally step around her and bolt my ass down the hallway and towards my class. I cannot believe that she's home first of all, and second of all, that I ran into her after what just happened with Logan.
Happy fucking new year to me.
**a/n**
hello hello hello ik i've been gone for a month and im sorry but school got in the way of everything. but now that i've been on break for a few days i've finally had time to write and perfect this chapter..even though the ending sucks. thanks for sticking with me and again if you haven't please read worth the risk im really proud of it and it hasn't been getting the love it deserves so it makes me sad but that's fine! hope you enjoy this chapter i'll see you soon!