Chapter 87 Luke

Chapter 87 Luke
Luke   

⛸️

The spray of the shower was hot against my skin, washing away the sweat and exhaustion from practice, but it couldn't wash away the constant, low-level hum of anxiety that lived in my bones now. I was alone for a few precious seconds, the sound of the water drowning out the world. It was the only time I ever felt like I could breathe.

That breath was stolen when the locker room door creaked open. I didn't have to turn. I knew the sound of her footsteps, the way she moved with a predatory grace. The shower curtain slid back, and there she was, a smirk playing on her lips as she stepped into the steam with me, fully nude.

"Good practice today," she murmured, her hands finding my chest, her lips trailing a path up my neck. "You're getting stronger."

I leaned into her touch, a part of me craving it, another part of me screaming that this was wrong. This was the boys' locker room. Anyone could walk in. But with Bev, the rules were different. The world was different. It was just us.

Her kisses grew more insistent, her hands roaming, and I let myself get lost in it, let the familiar haze of her presence cloud my judgment. This was our reward. This was the price of my new life.

"Yo Luke, you still here?"

Mitch's voice, loud and casual, sliced through the steam like a shard of ice. My entire body went rigid. Panic, cold and sharp, seized me. 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Bev didn't flinch. She just stopped kissing me, her eyes locking onto mine, a flicker of annoyance in their depths. She pressed a finger to my lips, a silent command.

"Go ahead," she whispered, her voice dangerously calm. "Yell back."

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Yeah, man!" I called out, trying to make my sound normal, unconcerned. "What's good?"

"Where's Coach Bev?" Mitch's voice echoed. "I needed to ask her something."

My eyes went wide. Bev was right beside me, her SUV was parked right outside. Mitch knew she was here. But he couldn't know she was in here. Not with me.

"Uh, I don't know," I stammered, my mind racing. "I think she left?"

"Is she in the girls' locker room or something?" Mitch asked, his voice closer now. He was probably just outside the shower area. "I can wait for her to come out."

This was a predicament. A disaster. The girls' locker room was all the way across the rink. There was no way she could get there without Mitch seeing her. Then, the truth would come crashing down. 

Bev's lips were at my ear again, her breath hot. "Listen to me," she whispered, her voice a low, urgent hiss. "You need to get out first. Talk to him. Distract him. Tell him I was actually going to talk to him, too. Tell him I'm thinking about offering him some private coaching sessions, since the scout will be watching our line specifically next weekend."

I nodded, my mind latching onto the lifeline she'd thrown me. It was a plausible lie. It was a good lie.

"Good," she whispered. "I'll sneak out while you have him turned. Don't fuck this up, Luke."

I shut the water off, the sudden silence ringing in my ears. "Hang on, man!" I yelled, grabbing a towel and wrapping it securely around my waist. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the shower.

Mitch was standing by my locker, looking bored, scrolling through his phone. He looked up as I approached. "Took you long enough. So, is she here or not?"

"She's here," I said, forcing a casual tone as I leaned against the lockers, blocking his view of the showers. "Actually, she wanted to talk to you. She was impressed with your defensive plays today."

Mitch's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," I said, watching from the corner of my eye as a shadow moved silently behind him. Bev, a ghost in her own right, slipped out of the shower area and padded silently toward the locker room door. Mitch didn't notice a thing. He was too busy processing the unexpected compliment.

"She's thinking about offering you some private sessions, too," I continued, laying on the charm. "With the scout coming next weekend, she wants our line to be solid."

"Whoa, really?" Mitch said, a genuine grin spreading across his face. "That's awesome."

"Yeah," I said, my heart finally starting to slow down as the locker room door clicked shut with no noise behind Bev. "Awesome."

I clapped Mitch on the shoulder, forcing a smile that felt like it might crack my face. "See you around, man."

He was still grinning about the private coaching offer. "Yeah, for sure, Luke. Thanks."

I turned back to my locker and quickly got dressed, my movements efficient and detached. I could hear Mitch gathering his things, the shuffle of his gear, the zip of his bag. A few minutes later, the locker room door swung shut behind him, leaving me in silence again.

I waited a full five minutes before I slipped out, making sure the coast was clear. As I rounded the corner by the rink entrance, I saw them. Mitch was talking to Bev. She had changed out of her coaching gear and was now in a simple team pullover, athletic pants, and sneakers. She looked normal, approachable. Harmless.

"Bye, Luke!" she called out, her voice bright and friendly, the perfect picture of a dedicated coach.

"Bye, Bev. Thanks for the session," I replied, my voice just as casual. She immediately turned her attention back to Mitch, her focus laser-sharp, and I couldn't help but smirk. The performance was flawless. I turned and walked away, whistling a tuneless, confident little song as I pushed through the main doors and into the cool evening air.

The walk to my car was short, but the moment my hand touched the driver's side door, two figures shot out from the shadows between the parked cars. Two hands slammed into my chest, pushing me hard against the cool metal of my car door. I stumbled back, my whistle dying in my throat.

It was Brianna and Mercedes. Their faces were contorted with a mixture of fury and desperation.

"What is going on with you?" Mercedes hissed, her eyes wild. "What's wrong?"

I shoved their hands off me, a surge of hot, defensive anger rising in my chest. "Get the fuck off me," I snarled, my voice low and dangerous.

"We're worried about you!" Brianna cried.

"You need to stop stalking me!" I yelled, my voice echoing in the quiet parking lot. "Leave me the fuck alone!" I took a step forward, getting in their faces, using my height to intimidate them, just like Bev had taught me. "I have a hockey scout coming next week and I need to focus. My future is on the line. So get this through your stupid fucking heads: we're not friends. We're not anything. Stay away from me."

Without waiting for a response, I shoved past them, yanked my car door open, and slid inside. I slammed the door, hit the locks, and revved the engine, tearing out of the parking lot without a backward glance. In the rearview mirror, I saw them standing there, small and defeated, under the dim orange glow of the parking lot lights. I felt a pang of something, but I crushed it. Bev was right. They were a distraction. And I couldn't afford distractions.