Chapter 10 Eyes on the Puck
After the library alarm went off, Jaxson and I ran.
We didn't get caught, but the adrenaline made my blood sing. I spent the rest of the weekend replaying that kiss in my head.
Every time I closed my eyes, I felt his lips on mine.
By Monday, the reality of what we were doing started to sink in. I was sitting in the back of the Biology Lecture Hall, trying to focus on cells and DNA.
"You've been staring at the same page for twenty minutes," my friend Chloe whispered. She leaned in, her eyes dancing with gossip. "Is it about the rookie? I saw the way you two looked at the bonfire. The air was practically shaking."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied, my face heating up.
"Sure, El. And I’m a rocket scientist," she teased.
Just then, the professor started the lecture, but I couldn't focus. My phone buzzed in my lap.
Jaxson: Meet me in the equipment room at the rink. 10 minutes. Please.
My stomach did a flip. I knew I should stay in class. I knew Leo was probably at the rink for early drills. But the memory of Jaxson’s lips on mine in the library was like a fever.
"I have to go," I whispered to Chloe.
"Elena! You're going to miss the notes on the nervous system!"
"My nervous system is already wrecked," I muttered, grabbing my bag and sliding out of the row.
I ran across the quad, the cold wind biting at my cheeks. The hockey arena was quiet this time of day. Most of the team was in class or at the gym.
I slipped through the side door and made my way to the Equipment Room.
It was a small, cramped space filled with the smell of leather, sweat, and laundry detergent.
Rows of jerseys hung from the ceiling, and stacks of new hockey sticks leaned against the walls. It was dark, lit only by a single flickering bulb.
I stepped inside, and the door clicked shut behind me.
Strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me into the shadows between two racks of heavy winter coats. I didn't even have time to scream before Jaxson’s mouth was on mine.
This kiss wasn't slow like the library. It was desperate. It was hungry. He pressed me back against the wall, his hands tangling in my hair. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer until there was no space left between us.
"I missed you," He rasped against my lips.
"It's only been two days," I whispered, breathless.
"Too long," he said. He kissed me again, deeper this time.
Then, we heard the sound of the heavy double doors at the end of the hall swinging open.
"I’m telling you, she’s totally into him! Did you see her face at the bonfire?"
It wasn't Leo. It was Brittany and Megan, two cheerleaders. They were the "Vipers' Fan Club" leaders, and Brittany had been obsessed with Jaxson since the first day.
"If she thinks she can just swoop in because she’s the Captain’s sister, she’s crazy," Brittany’s voice was getting closer. "Jaxson needs a girl who understands the lifestyle. Someone like me."
Jaxson and I froze. We were trapped behind the jerseys. If they walked in to get a spare pom-pom or a megaphone, we were finished.
"Shh," Jaxson breathed into my ear. He pulled me closer, his chest solid against mine.
"I heard he was here doing extra drills," Megan said. The footsteps stopped right outside the Equipment Room door. "Maybe he’s in here? He’s always looking for fresh tape."
The handle turned. The door creaked open.
I shut my eyes tight, my heart hammering against Jaxson’s ribs. I could feel him tense up, ready to shield me.
"Hello? Jaxson?" Brittany called out.
The light from the hallway spilled into the room. I could see the tips of her sparkly sneakers through the bottom of the jersey rack. She started walking toward our corner.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the hallway.
"Ow! Dammit!"
The girls jumped. "Cooper?" Brittany shouted, turning around.
"Yeah! I dropped a whole crate of pucks! Can someone help me before the Coach sees this mess?" Cooper, the goalie, shouted from around the corner.
"Ugh, Cooper is such a klutz," Megan complained. "Come on, let’s help him so we can get back to finding Jax."
The girls ran out, and the door swung shut.
Jaxson exhaled a long, shaky breath. He leaned his forehead against mine. "That was way too close.
He leaned in to kiss me again, his touch gentle this time. But as his hand moved to my waist, we heard a familiar laugh from outside the door.
"I’m telling you, Coach, the new skates are a game-changer!".
It was Coach coming back in with Cooper.
"Check the equipment room for the extra laces," Coach said. "I think we left them on the back shelf."
My blood turned to ice. Jaxson’s eyes went wide.
There was nowhere to go. The equipment room was a dead end.
"Get behind the jerseys," Jaxson whispered, shoving me toward a rack of heavy, oversized Vipers parkas.
I scrambled behind the thick fabric, pressing myself against the cold brick wall. Jaxson quickly grabbed a hockey stick and started inspecting it, pretending he had been there the whole time.
The door swung open. Cooper walked in, looking bright and energized. He stopped when he saw Jaxson.
"Miller? What are you doing here? I thought you had classes until four."
Jaxson didn't look up from the stick. "Finished early. Wanted to check the curve on my backup blade. Something felt off during the game."
Cooper walked further into the room. I held my breath, watching his sneakers through the gap in the jerseys. He was standing three feet away from me.
"You're a workhorse just like Cap, I'll give you that," Leo said. He sounded impressed, but then his voice changed. "Speaking of Cap... have you seen Elena today? She skipped her bio lecture. Chloe said she felt 'sick,' but her car is still in the lot. Leo's been searching for her."
Jaxson shrugged, his voice perfectly flat. "Haven't seen her. Why would I?"
"I don't know," Cooper said slowly. He walked toward the rack where I was hiding. My heart was beating so loud I was sure he could hear it. "I just have this feeling. Like I’m missing something. You know that feeling, Miller? When a play is happening behind your back and you can't see the puck?"
"I usually keep my eyes on the puck," Jaxson said.
Cooper reached out his hand. He was inches away from grabbing the very jersey I was hiding behind. He wanted to move it to look for the laces.
"Cooper!" Coach shouted from the doorway. "I need those laces now!".
Cooper paused, his hand hovering in the air. He looked at the jerseys, then back at Jaxson.
"Right. Laces." Cooper grabbed a box from the shelf next to me and turned away. "Don't stay in the dark too long, Miller. It’s bad for the eyes."