Chapter 61 Past comes back to present
"That is a lie and you know it!" I shouted back.
Leo walked into the kitchen, looking concerned. "Hey, what’s going on? People can hear you guys in the backyard."
"Ask your sister," Jaxson said, grabbing his jacket from a chair. "She’s busy explaining my life story to her country club friends."
"Jax, wait!" Leo tried to stop him, but Jaxson pushed past him.
Jaxson didn't look back. He walked out the back door, disappearing into the dark crowd of the party.
I stood there, shaking. I felt like the floor had opened up beneath me. I had spent so much time trying to protect him from the world that I hadn't realized my own words could be the thing that hurt him the most.
"What happened, El?" Leo asked softly, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"I tried to stand up for him," I sobbed, covering my face with my hands. "I tried to tell them he was smart. But I said it wrong. I made him feel like he wasn't enough."
Leo sighed. "You have to understand, Elena. Jaxson has spent his whole life being told he’s 'just' a hockey player. He’s spent his whole life feeling like people like us look down on him. When he hears that from you... it hurts more than when it comes from Dad."
"I didn't mean it," I whispered. "I swear I didn't mean it."
"I know," Leo said. "But in his head, you just joined the other side."
I looked out the window. The party was still going. People were laughing, the music was still loud, and the victory was still fresh. But for me, the night was over.
The morning after the party felt like a heavy fog. I woke up with my eyes swollen from crying and my phone sitting silent on my nightstand.
I had sent Jaxson ten texts. I had called him five times. Each time, it went straight to voicemail.
I knew I had messed up. I knew my words had cut him deeper than any hockey skate ever could. But I didn't know how to fix it if he wouldn't even look at me.
I spent the morning wandering around the campus, hoping to run into him near the library or the cafeteria. But the school was too big, and the Saturday morning energy was lazy and slow. Most students were sleeping off the party.
By the time the sun was high in the sky, I found myself walking toward the University Commons.
It was a beautiful stone building where the important students hung out. My father had donated money to renovate the lounge, so there was a plaque with our family name on the wall. I usually avoided it because it felt too much like my father’s world, but I needed a quiet place to think.
As I walked through the heavy glass doors, I stopped in my tracks.
Sitting in a large leather armchair near the fireplace was someone I hadn't seen in two years. He was wearing a perfectly pressed navy blue sweater and expensive loafers. His hair was cut short and neat, and he was smiling at something on his laptop.
"Liam?" I whispered.
Liam turned around. His smile grew wider, and he stood up immediately. Liam was the son of my father’s business partner. We had grown up together. Our parents had spent every summer together at the beach. When we were sixteen, everyone assumed we would get married one day.
He was perfect on paper. He was wealthy, polite, and he knew exactly which fork to use at a formal dinner.
"Elena!" Liam said, stepping forward and pulling me into a polite, friendly hug. He smelled like expensive cologne and success. "I was wondering when I’d run into you. Your father told me you were doing great things here."
"What are you doing here, Liam? You’re supposed to be in London for your internship," I said, pulling back. My heart was thumping. This felt like a setup.
"I finished early," Liam said, his voice smooth and calm. "And Julian Sinclair reached out to me. He said the university was looking for young alumni to help with the upcoming Spring Gala. He invited me down for the weekend to check out the campus."
Julian. Of course.
"Julian invited you?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.
"Yeah. He’s a good guy, Elena. He said you’ve been a bit stressed lately with all the hockey drama. He thought a familiar face might be nice for you," Liam said. He reached out and touched my arm. "You do look tired, El. Why don't we go grab a coffee? For old times' sake?"
I wanted to say no. I wanted to run away and find Jaxson. But I was exhausted. I was lonely.
And for a split second, the idea of talking to someone who didn't involve hockey or scandals felt like a relief.
"Just a quick coffee," I said.
We walked to the high-end cafe inside the Commons. Liam talked about London. He talked about the stock market. He talked about his new car. It was normal conversation for the world I grew up in, but it felt so empty compared to the conversations I had with Jaxson.
With Jaxson, we talked about dreams, about fears, about the future. With Liam, it was all about things you could buy.
We sat at a small table near the large front windows. Liam was laughing at a story about a boat trip when I saw a flash of a Vipers’ jersey outside.
My heart stopped.
Jaxson was walking by the window with Leo and a few other teammates. They were heading to the training center. Jaxson looked tired. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he was staring at the ground.
Then, Julian stepped out from behind them. He was smiling. He pointed toward the cafe window.
"Hey, Jax! Isn't that Elena?" Julian’s voice was loud enough to carry through the glass.
Jaxson looked up.
He saw me. He saw Liam. He saw Liam’s hand resting near mine on the table. He saw the way Liam was looking at me.
Jaxson stopped walking. Leo stopped too, looking worriedly at the window.