Luna Larsson
Being a senior at the University of Minnesota didn't exactly go as I imagined. I always thought it would take an eternity to graduate and life here would be boring as fuck. Well, was I wrong. Very wrong. It turned out to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. Partying, passing my psychology classes with my roommate and best friend Sophia Olson, unlimited ice time, and of course I had landed myself a spot next Uni's Captain of the Hockey team, Zander Johnson. We met at my job at the sports bar here at twin cities Campus, and even though he seemed like a cocky ass at first, my handsome customer grew on me, until the point I finally decided to give him my number. Bold, I know... But you should have seen him staring at me during shifts, he was practically asking for it.
My room was spinning like a carousel while I got ready for the first ice hockey game of the season. For some reason I felt more nervous than last year, and the atmosphere felt ominous even, maybe because this year I actually had somebody to cheer for. Let's hope it's just my stomach coping with that bad pasta. "Are you okay? You don't look too fine." Sophia asked, popping her head inside my room
I shook my head, my hands lacing over my stomach. "Nope, I feel like I'm about to hurl my guts out while my head's about to explode. Maybe it's the pasta?" I squinted my eyes at her as the throbbing in my head got gradually worse, making me sit down at the edge of my bed. I followed Sophia while she disappeared, a distant rumbling sounding from the bathroom cabinet.
"That pasta was fine. Thanks for offending my cooking." I heard her laugh loudly.
"I mean the taste was great but are you sure you're not keeping rat poison under the sink because I sure feel a little like I'm being put down like a rodent." I laughed, my eyes falling on Soho coming into my room, holding something behind her back. Yeah, I knew, the greatest nickname in the history of nicknames. I gave it to her because she dressed up as a hooker for Halloween during our first year here. I declined on dressing like her pimp and went as a nurse... Useful as I had to take care of all the guys whose eyes fell out of their sockets, just looking at her. I couldn't really blame them as she is one of the prettiest people I know, her Eastern roots giving her that something special that really makes heads turn 360. Her black to caramel hair, mysterious brown eyes and ballerina calves rock every outfit she puts on, and I don't mind being her side chick during our little adventures, also known as our wild Friday, Saturday and Tuesday nights, or any other day we like to go out. You might think we are the queens of the party animal kingdom, but we just as much enjoy our cozy movie nights and study banter at the library. That's on the best of both worlds.
She stood in front of me now, holding her hands behind her back. "First on sale we have, these." She smirked, holding up a bottle of mild painkillers. "Or you can always go for this one?" She smirked again and I didn't like where this was going, especially not when she held up a pregnancy test to my face.
My eyes immediately widened, pushing the box out of my sight. "What the fuck Soho. I'm not pregnant!" I yelled fire and smoke, offended that she would think I would ever be so careless. I also put on gloves when I go figure skating, so I would also when going the extra mile with the boyfriend.
"You never know. Maybe the condom didn't fully do its job?" She pulled her eyebrows up at me, still smirking ear to ear as if this would ever be funny. "Luna, are you sure?" She insisted, holding up the box once more and at this point, headache or not, I had to jump off my bed to get the box out of my face once again.
"Yes! Yes I'm sure." I sighed briefly, rolling my eyes at the situation. "We haven't had sex yet... So yeah, I'm pretty sure." I confessed and at that Soph's jaw dropped through the surface of the earth all the way to who knows where. "Yeah I know!" I yelled at the more than surprised expression on her face.
She pressed her lips together and knowing her it was to keep herself from laughing hysterically loud. "You haven't... Had sex... With Zander?" She frowned with disbelief... "What's wrong with you? The guy wears mind-blowing sex as perfume." She looked at me as if I committed a crime for not jumping his bones every day.
I looked down, unable to face her without showing the little fear I held. "Actually I haven't had sex with anyone Soph!" I threw my arms in the air, before trying to hide my face in my hands. God I feel ashamed...
"You... Haven't?" She frowned, throwing the pregnancy test and bottle of painkillers on my bed. "God, I feel betrayed..." She said overly dramatic and her mocking tone made me look up from my hands.
"I thought you knew!" I raised my voice at her before my eyes met the smile on her face.
Sophia instantly put both of her hands on my shoulders. "Yeah, sure I ask your vagina every Sunday if it survived the weekend." She laughed out loud.
"Soho, I can hear you moan all the way into my room... Never wondered why you don't have to put plugs in your ears when Zander comes over? I'm lucky we live in an apartment with separate rooms instead of a shared dorm." I teased her to make the situation light, but at the same time I meant it. Ughh, this whole thing is making my head throb even more.
"Luna, babe... After three years living with you and being your best friend I only find out now your pussy has been missing out on the best s-"
"Soho!" I gasped at her, knowing she's mocking me a little, yet showing her support in her own unique ways.
She let go of my shoulders to flop down on my bed, getting into the strangest position anyone could ever get in. "What? It's true..." She shrugged while I joined her. "So..." She tilted her head sideways to look at me. "After two months, you and Zander never?" She raised her brows, double-checking my credibility and I shook my head with disappointment. "How are you able to keep your h-"
"My hands to myself?" I finished her, smacking both my hands lightly on each cheek as it was my tick to keep my nerves in check, or I do it every time I feel uneasy. "To be honest, for some reason, everyone thinks I'm a girl that's wild and crazy in the bedroom... Guys just assume, but I always chicken out... I'm a pussy when it comes to my... You know." I sighed while my eyes remained focused on the ceiling.
"Your pussy?" Sophia's loud laugh blasted through the room and I couldn't help but laugh too... God I'm even mocking myself.
I rolled my eyes at her before I continued to confess why I'm in this I'm-a-major-and-still-a-virgin-even-though-everyone-assumes-I'm-a-sex-goddess-situation. "I just... I'm scared to do it with the wrong person..."
"And you think Zander is the wrong guy?" She asked, absolutely no judgement on her face, only an understanding gaze, like the amazing friend she is.
I shrugged my shoulders, unable to describe exactly how I felt about it. "No, he's amazing. I just... I don't know. I'm lucky, he's not being a dick about it..."
"No, but his dick is probably desperate at this point." Soph interrupted with laughter on which I swatted my hand against her shoulder. She knew how she trigger my Scandinavian temper, and she loved to put it to the test too. "Ouch! Sorry... Sorry!" She cried, holding up her hands to protect herself from my little Viking hands. "So you have never let off the cap of that boiling pipe either." She giggled before freezing her face as I look at her with frowned brows. "You know, sucked the lollipop... Wanked the staff... Blown the trumpet? Tickled the t-"
"Stop! Alright!" I yelled, covering my face with my hands while her laughter died out. "I kinda have done that, but as soon as he pulls out the condom, I freak out." I admitted. "It's just... I'm not ready for it. Maybe I am, maybe I just need to get over myself... It's just sex right?" I took a deep breath before getting off the bed to slide open my closet door.
I looked back at her to see her shake her head at me. "It's not just sex Luna... And it is a big deal, if you're not such a free-spirited ho like me." She shrugged before flipping her hair behind her shoulder.
"You're not." I playfully shook my head at her. "Don't you dare to slut-shame yourself while all you're doing is enjoying your time here. It's not like you bring home another guy every weekend." I laughed, while I took my white hoodie with the maroon and gold university logo on from a hanger.
"Okay fine, if you say so. Good to know you're keeping count." I heard her laugh while I pulled the hoodie over my head. I faced my mirror on my vanity and gently brushed my icy blonde, shoulder-length, hair. I put on some mascara which instantly made my light blue eyes pop and I decided to just leave it at that before throwing on some Nike Air Force shoes. "So are we going to an after party tonight? I'm not going to freeze my ass off during that ice hockey game if I can't warm myself up at the after-party." She pretended to warm herself up by jumping off my bed and starting to dance in the middle of my room.
"How do you know you're ready?" I asked her out of the blue, my mind still at the fact I'm almost graduating a virgin, a virgin with a headache for that matter.
"When you're wearing shoes and grab your bag..." She plainly answered and it made me turn to her with a frowned set of brows.
"Shoes and bags?" I frowned some more. "I'm talking about my virginity." I couldn't help but laugh, especially when Sophia's face looked like she missed an entire conversation and stopped to dance.
"Oh... Oh, right." She shook her head. "You just know..." She told me. "You feel it... You feel when you know the time is right... And even then, it doesn't mean you're ready ready... Does that make sense. No, I'm not making sense, am I? Just don't feel rushed because of standards and the fact you're not getting any younger. The when doesn't matter." She smiled. "It's the how and who that matters most." My eyes were wide at this point, totally underestimating her ability to give me advice on the topic. "But then again, mine was a one-night stand after a high school dance, and he wasn't even my date, so who am I to give you advice."
I need to stop stressing about it, my time will come. "Thanks. Are you ready to freeze your ass off?" I pulled my brows up at her and her face instantly turned into a frown.
"Only if we're going to the after-party. That's my one condition." She said while stepping past me towards my closet, the little thief stealing my maroon colored varsity hoodie. As if you don't own one!
"Fine." I whined with playful intent. "The guys are having one at Zander's fraternity. It's not too big of a party but I guess we could go... They have a pool??" I felt my smirk grow as I watched Soph pull the hoodie over her head, messing up her freshly curled hair.
"Great we'll go, but uhm pool? The purpose is to warm me up, not freeze my nipples it's freaking cold outside." I shook my head at the fact she was always in for a party and I didn't mind going as I it was a good excuse to stay over at Zander's.
I quickly took one of the painkillers for my headache and grabbed a beanie from my hanger. I slid my arm around Sophia's and dragged her outside where our Uber was going to arrive in a sec.
We arrived just in time for the game and promised Grace we'd meet up with her. "Do you see her anywhere?" Sophia said, her gaze wandering over the audience, while I was busy enjoying the cold on my face. I loved an ice rink, any ice rink to be fair.
"See anyone in bright pink or mint green?" I said to Soho both of us were now searching through the audience.
"There!" She pointed to a dot of bright hot pink, standing out next to all the school colors. Sophia instantly pulled me by my hand towards the stand where Grace was sitting.
Grace got a spot with the perfect view on the players bench and the rest of the ice and I was happy with that as I was going to be able to watch every inch of Zander. It was the first one of the season, but I had seen him a few times during practice and I knew exactly what seeing him play did to me. Tingles, wild thoughts and nerves... All of that stuff.
We crawled in between the people until we reach the bright pink madness in the middle of the row. Even Graces caramel hair was covered with a bright pink beanie. "There you are! What took you so long!" Grace widened her green eyes at us and then at the players already skating into the ice. I looked at the team, searching for one player in particular and there he was. Damn he looks hot. It was the way he skated and held himself, that made him stand out, playfully making some trick shots with his stick to show off. I meant hockey stick you perv. Normally showing off was too cocky for my liking, an instant turn off, but he just got away with it. Zander gets away with a lot of stuff.
"We were discussing what it's like to be a virgin at uni." Soph blurted out and my eyes flew open as wide as they could get. One thing you must know about Sophia; no secret is safe with her and her big witty mouth. I instantly felt my jaw drop while a frown made me prone to premature wrinkling. "Soho! What the hell!" I raised my voice while still trying to be discreet.
"You are a virgin?" Grace said, not so discreetly as she made the people around us turn their heads. One guy with a little too much facial hair even gave me a way too dirty once over, making me scoff at him with an attitude. As if Chewbacca, no thanks. Also, meet Grace Hall... Majoring in Design as she's uni's fashion police, ironically so as she breaks every dress-code on campus. She believes she'll make it to New York Fashion week either as a designer or a fashion blogger and I believe in her too. What I don't know is if, Golden Girl Grace is ready for her first ice hockey game. The fact all the guys on the teams are extremely fit probably convinced her to come. All new opportunities on finding her perfect match and definitely safer than all the crazy Tinder dates she usually goes on.
"Sophia! You are the worst!" I frowned and muttered, returning my gaze to the reserve players gathering on the bench behind the boards.
"What? I didn't say anything, you did." She held up her hands with that damned grin on her face. This girl... Seriously. Give her a secret, and she tells the first person she sees... I'm surprised she didn't tell the freaking Uber driver.
"Are you?" Grace leaned in to whisper in my ear, a little more discreet this time and I just nodded, awkwardly crossing my arms in front of my chest. "But you and Zander?" She frowned as her eyes shot to the captain of the team.
"Are together..." I sighed while looking at him skating to the side of the rink, his eyes searching for someone in the stand; me I guess.
Grace started to smile next to me, throwing her hand around me. "It's nothing to be ashamed of... And trust me people don't suspect anything. From what I've heard, people think you're a wild one." Yeah, I know.
"I really don't care what other people think Gracie. It's just Zander I'm worried about. What if he leaves me because I continue to chicken out like a gigantic Easter egg." I huffed, while my eyes softly scouted over him, his eyes still traveling over the audience.
"Well, you're a damn cute Easter egg." Sophia snorted, poking my side as Zander was looking right at us with a smile on his face mouthing I love you to me. It was impossible to hold back a wide smile, taking in the soft side of him before he skated to the rest of his team. "Still convinced Zander is the wrong person?" Soph leaned in once more and whispered in my ear, a soft laugh escaping her.
"And if he leaves you for not riding his dick I'll shove his hockey stick up his arrogant ass. I promise." Grace laughed and both Sophia and I burst out in laughter too, attracting a little too much attention from the row in front of us, as four guys turned around with clearly pissed off expressions on their faces. "Jesus, you guys better pull the stick out of your arseholes." Grace mocked them, only causing us to laugh more.
The game was about to begin now and both Sophia and Grace were already freezing, yet they weren't complaining about it too much. I guess the view was making all of it worth it. Yeah, I'm talking about the players bench.
"Oh fuck!" I yelled when number 4 from our team got checked into the boards, all three of us holding our breaths as he disappeared behind the boards. I knew this was part of ice hockey but that didn't make it pleasant to watch. I was relieved it wasn't Zanders who had to take that blow, when I see him rush over to his teammate, helping him up. The guy seemed to be alright before all of a sudden being a little wobbly on his feet, his face, at least what I can make of it through his helmet, frustrated.
"Fucking dipshits, that was brutal!" Grace poked my side, worry displayed on her face. "I didn't know this was going to be some MMA type of shit." She widened her eyes while I followed her gaze to the guy entering the reserve bench. That must have hurt.
"If someone rammed me like that, I'd be as flat as my grandma's pancakes." Sophia tried to hold back her laughter, All of us chuckling at her words.
"You just stick to ballet." Grace laughed, knowing Sophia's life has been about ballet since she was born.
"Definitely, although I sometimes have to wrestle jealous bitches." Soho replied while I kept looking to see if that guy was okay. He sat on the bench with his back to me, and by the way he was fidgeting with his helmet before angrily throwing it against the boards, I guessed he was pretty frustrated he was off for the rest of the game.
"Who is that?" I muttered under my breath when my eyes fell on his sweaty dark brown hair, something about him instantly drawing me in, like the moon brings in the tide.
"Can't you read his shirt? It says Martin." Grace laughed as she pointed to his back, wiggling her eyebrows at me too with that look-at-that-piece-of-candy look in her eyes. Excuse me Golden Gracie, what are you suggesting?
"That's his last name. He's new... I have never seen him before." I shook my head as another mutter escapes me unwillingly, frowning my brows as I try to remember him from when I went to Zander's practices. I was lost in thought when I felt my lips part the instant he turned his head, his eyes falling on me like he hit the right a target, our gazes instantly connecting. Chills ran down my spine and however I didn't know him he felt familiar and real, something about him that I couldn't describe as his smoldering eyes held me captive.
"I don't know his name, but I do know he's damn cute, and he's looking right at you Luna." Soho smirked next to me, but I was stuck in my own head, deciphering why I couldn't seem to tear my eyes away from the tunnel his stare created. The stadium no longer felt like a giant freezer, but slowly turned into a bonfire when one corner of his mouth tugged up into a smile. What are you doing Luna? You're still staring at him with a blank face? Blank? What the fuck... A crazy smirk is most definitely not blank. Wait, I'm smirking? As soon as I realized my face wasn't as blank as I thought, I nervously took my bottom lip between my teeth and looked away, gathering myself and directing my stare to the scoreboard. Fuck. I muttered to myself as I was almost shivering, chills caused by the way his magnetic eyes drew me in with unclear intentions. "What was that?" Grace and Sophia said simultaneously, both of them boring holes through my flaming cheeks.
I shook my head, looking back at the guy to assess the damage, leaving me both disappointed and relieved when he was facing me with his back again, the lack of his smile causing said defeat. "I don't know." I breathe out, still shaking my head in a daze. "I don't know." I say once more, my mind blanker than my face for sure.
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⭐️ I edited this chapter recently and I'm so sorry for the comments that ar now gone :( Know I was really happy they were there and I won't forget them.
Hi loves! Hope you liked this first chapter! Leave your thoughts because I'm dying with curiosity. Also feels good to see you again and thanks for going on another adventure with me.
👉🏼 Now go ahead, cause this is a double update
⭐️ Don't forget to hit the star if you liked it!
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