Page 16 of Rivals

Her eyes move rapidly over my face and it takes all my strength to stay where I am and not haul her into my arms and kiss the shit out of her for being stupid tonight. I’ll let it slide one time because I know I backed her into a corner and made her nervous on the way over. I go to grab her and move us to the cars. Voices are getting louder and I hear the door bang open at city hall. Riley’s eyes widen and she takes off running to where her friend is sitting.

“I thought you knew me better, Thorn.”

My brow rises as the girls speed away. At the same time I hear Leif yell my name and a screeching noise of metal on cement echoes around us, followed by a huge splash. I swing my gaze to the parking lot by the bay right as people are running over there. My body starts to move and I jump in my car with Leif. The taillights on the Saints’ coach’s car are in the air, the front of the vehicle submerging in water. Right as we all start moving, I catch my principal’s gaze and my own coach’s.

“I don’t get how you actually have the audacity to ask me for a favor when you just dumped the car of a coach at your school in the bay. You honestly think they’re going to grant me anything I request?”

My father’s voice is stern and gruff, while he sets down his iPad, stopping from reading the news to glare at me. It’s been his constant look all weekend after the incident. Part of me is turned on by the evil mastermind that is Riley Conrad, the other is pissed off. She left, knowing it would be pinned on me. And I took full responsibility. I apologized to the girls’ coach and I used my own money to pay for the damage and repairs. I wasn’t forgiven by a long shot, but it helped in saving me from being expelled from All Saints or in trouble with my own team. I also have to miss our first home game, karma for what I had done to Riley at her old school.

My beautiful little nemesis. If she thought this stunt would ruin my obsession with her, she was mistaken. It’s doubled. I feel the tug to have her near me, under my thumb, and at my mercy deep in my veins. The thoughts I have of her run daily in my mind and all the possibilities of what could happen if I have her with me every day, ruining her, and making her mine. School starts this week and I refuse to let her go and be surrounded by the male population at public. I’ve scared most of them off, but it won’t last forever. I’m not dumb enough to believe that my reach will make it past graduation when eventually Riley will leave me. I don’t even fucking know where she plans to go to college or what she wants to do. The urgency to fix it so this doesn’t happen rides me every waking hour. I’ll do just about anything to keep her with me, even if that means giving my father what he wants.

“I’ll take you up on the deal to major in Business and Economics.”

My father stops his rant and removes his glasses. I hold still while he looks me over, probably looking for signs of illness. I’ve been fighting him for months about what my major will be in the college I decide to play at. “Reign, it’s not like I can just pull a scholarship out of thin air.”

“I’ll make Michigan my first-choice school,” I counter and he freezes. As an alma mater he’s been pushing hard that if I choose a D1 school to play at that it be Michigan. They’re known for their Business Management major, which is his dream for me. It’s not a bad choice. Play hockey, major in business like the old man wants, get drafted and play in the NHL until I have to retire and then, only then, will I relent to help with the family business. Plus, I checked and Michigan has a sick girls’ hockey team as well with scholarships. Something I know Riley can have a better chance at getting if she is at All Saints.

“Let me get this straight. You want me to contact the school and open a scholarship for one student that includes tuition, books and board, —”

“And the deal with the hockey team, we talked about,” I remind him, taking a bite of my bacon.

His eyes flare. “Then, in turn, you’ll accept the offer from Michigan and choose Business Management as your major?” My father looks past me to my mom, who is wearing the biggest smile ever. “What do you think of this?”

My mom’s a hopeless romantic and I know she’s always had a soft spot for Riley. When I mentioned it earlier, I dropped Riley’s name and my mom has been smiling sunshine and unicorns since then. “I think it would be good to show the town that we use our money for more than just buying team uniforms for youth sports. Besides, Riley is a good kid. She will be excellent on the girls’ team this year.”

“This is for a girl?” My dad swings his gaze back to me and I hold still under his scrutiny. This time he’s looking at me like he doesn’t know if I’m his son or not.

I roll my eyes. “She’s a good player. She deserves a fair shake and a chance to make her life better.”

My dad scoffs and runs a hand over his face. “I want it in writing. I want you to sign the agreement before I make the offer.”

“Call the school board now. School starts this week, and she needs to be given the offer before her first day.”

His brow rises. We watch each other and my mom giggles, while grabbing another breakfast pastry. “And you both thought the other was more stubborn.”

Riley

This can’t be my life. I swing my eyes around the spacious dorm room. Because yes, All Saints Academy has dorm rooms that are more like apartments, for students who aren’t within five miles of the school and therefore can’t go home during the school year. I had adamantly refused to take the scholarship when it was presented to me. Like hell would I ever agree to be a Saint and leave my school and my friends. This had Reign written all over it and I knew it was payback for how I played him with the cars. I heard he took the fall for it, not even dropping my name or any of the other public students involvement. He had to sit out his first game too, which made us even, I guess. But this was next level. In the past I had wanted to be at All Saints but that was when I was trying to win back Reign’s friendship and he destroyed that. I told the committee to shove the offer up their asses. Then they went behind my back and spoke to my dad instead.

Practice was bearable today and everyone was in mostly a good mood with school starting in a few days. I couldn’t wait to get home and share the family BBQ news with my dad. It’s his favorite fundraiser we do all year. Rushing inside I sling my bag down only to find my dad hunched over in his rocking chair.

“Dad? Are you okay?”

His deep brown eyes, that match mine, lift and a sad smile pulls his lips. “We need to talk kiddo.”

My heart sinks, but I make my way over to him to sit down anyways. “Is it the episodes again?”

He shakes his head, and his eyes cloud like he’s failed me or something. “No. I’m okay.” He pats my hand with his.” We aren’t a super touchy family so this feels off.

“Dad, what’s happening? Just say it.”

He sucks in a breath, and our gazes meet. “Did you get an offer from All Saints and not tell me?”

My heart hammers away in my chest and I think my vision blacks out for a minute. “I did. I told them I didn’t need it. I’m happy at Public and my team is going to kick ass this year.”

He smiles at me and a small laugh escapes. It doesn’t take the torment out of his face though. As if this conversation is the hardest one he’s ever had to have. “I know you’re happy with your friends and your team. I also know you excelled at Public. But, Riley, a scholarship to All Saints? That could open up a new world of possibilities for you, sweetheart. The courses are designed to help you be more prepared for college. Have you even thought about college? Graduating from there and with your ability on the ice, you could easily secure a spot at a D1 school. I’m not sure how their scholarships or programs go but it could mean a huge change in your life, Riley.”

“Dad, I don’t need those things–”

---