Page 17 of The Puck Chase

“A manwhore,” I confirm, because I know for a fact no one on the team has slept with more girls than him, and that’s not for their lack of trying. “Didn’t they teach you in that English boarding school of yours that quality is better than quantity?”

A mumbled curse comes from the other sofa, as he opens his mouth to respond, but Hallie quickly rushes out, “How about we get back to the game?” her question is choked out, but being female, her distraction works perfectly on my dim-witted goalie, who only eyes me for a few more seconds, before he switches his gaze to her with a smile.

“Excellent idea, Hallie, and from what I recall it’s your turn,” Alexander muses, shaking off his annoyance, and before she can deny that fact or correct him, he quickly adds, “Hallie, I dare you to kiss Archer.”

His dare hangs in the air, and I can feel him assessing me, but my eyes snap to Archer, finding him already watching me,watching me like he is waiting for me to say something. What the fuck am I supposed to say? I have no jurisdiction here, we are teammates who hate each other, and a dare is a fucking dare.

When I remain silent, he reaches forward and places his cup on the table, shifting his focus to Hallie. They communicate silently, in a way that tells me they definitely know each other better than I have ever realized, and my heart starts to thunder in my chest, as he leans towards her and gently presses his hand to her cheek. Time seems to move in slow motion, which means every second feels like a lifetime, and when their lips finally touch, a bomb detonates inside of me, and that sickening feeling from earlier churns deep in my gut.

This isn’t something I want to watch, not as their lips move in sync and they look so sickeningly beautiful and perfect together. The kiss has no passion or real heat, yet still it rips me to shreds and I don’t know why.

I can hear my heartbeat in my ears, feel it slamming against my ribcage, as it drowns out the groans of my captain and my best friend’s sister, but not the sounds of Archer and Hallie. Yet still I watch them. I watch their lips and tongues collide, as a fire threatens to burn me from the inside out, but just as a scream is about to tear from my throat, his stare opens and meets mine.

ArcherFuckingGray looks at me. He looks at me, as he kisses her, he watches me, as he kisses her, he fucking taunts me, as he kisses her, and I have never hated him more. I hate him so much it makes me fucking sick, yet beneath that hatred is something else, something more, and before I can let it fester and rear it’s ugly head, I jump to my feet, effectively ending their kiss, but also turning every eye in the room my way.

The music from the party still pumps in the room, mixing with the joint moans coming from the bathroom, but none of it is enough to drown out his fucking voice, and the memory of that fucking kiss.

“Forbes?” Archer says my name like it’s a question, and I want to steal the word from his throat and never hear it again, but at least if my name is on his lips, then his lips aren’t on hers.

Fuck.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I can’t be here anymore, I need to get out of here. I don’t speak, not a word, I just turn on my heels and storm towards the stairs, leaving all of them behind as Archer once again calls my name, but I’m already gone.

The cold temperature does nothing to take away the burn of watching Daemon Forbes walk away from me once again. He fled the basement faster than I have ever seen him move, and I wasn’t the only one to notice. Alexander made some baseless joke that I had to fight my tongue to defend him against, and Jake’s girlfriend looked beyond concerned, yet it was the gentle touch on my arm from Hallie that rattled me most. She looked both embarrassed and worried by the whole situation, and I had to force the mouth that had just kissed her into one of my signature smiles, just to ensure she knew everything between us was okay.

Yet she isn’t the one I’m concerned about. No, my concern lies with the one who ran from me like his fucking ass was on fire. I mean, what the fuck is his problem? I’m not the one whocame up with the stupid fucking dare, and why does he even care anyway? What got him so fucking pissed off?

So many questions that had me downing half of a bottle of liquor just to drown them out, and when Hallie said she was ready to leave, I jumped at the chance to walk her home. I wanted to leave that room and forget what had happened there, but now the silence is making everything worse. Hallie is quiet by my side, no doubt sensing my fucking internal breakdown. I’m not exactly hiding it, yet all I can do is lead the way back to her house.

I tell myself I’m quiet because I’m keeping an eye on our dark surroundings, given the late hour, but it’s fucking bullshit. The only thing running through my mind is my fucking teammate.

Once we reach the end of Hallie’s street, I feel her eyes on me again, before she gently asks, “Arch, is everything okay?”

Her question has me feeling like a piece of shit, because she probably thinks my fucking spiral is all about her, and I can’t even look at her as we walk toward her house, and I respond, “Yeah, Hals, everything is fine.”

A scoff leaves her before I have even finished that last word, and when I glance sideways, I meet her glare. “Fine?” she asks with a laugh. “Come on, Archer, even someone like me knows what that fucking word means,” she huffs, and I frown in wonder. Someone like her, what the fuck does that mean? Before I can answer she rushes out, “Are things going to be awkward between us now?” Her voice is lower now, more timid, and fuck I feel like a prick for making her think this is about her.

“Hallie, things are not awkward, it was just a kiss in a stupid game,” I sigh, wondering if that’s the correct approach. I’m not exactly used to talking things out with girls, my experience is beyond limited. “Is it too predictable to say it’s not you, it’s me?” I add, meeting her stare with my own, hoping she can see the truth in them, and thankfully she nods.

“You know we’re friends right? You can talk to me about anything,” she says, and the funny thing is, I know she is right.

We are friends, she is one of very few people I consider to be a true friend, and not just someone who wants to associate with me because of hockey, still I can’t find a way to explain what is going on inside of my head. I’m not even sure I know myself, and the alcohol running through my veins is doing nothing to help.

“I know, Hals, thank you,” I say solemnly, as I lead her to her front door, and I know she can tell that I’m not ready to say anything else. So instead she just nods, and turns to unlock her door.

Only once she slips through the door and turns on the light, do I turn and take one last check of our surroundings, before I make my way back down her path to the street.

“Archer?” she calls out to my back, and I turn towards her, tilting my head. “I’m sure all the other girls think you are great and everything, but please don’t kiss me ever again,” she pleads, and I can’t help but bark a laugh at the seriousness of her tone.

“Totally weird, right?” I ask, and she nods wildly, with a smile that’s infectious.

“Like kissing a sibling, or like an animal or something,” she responds with the slight curling of her lip.

“Okay,” I drag out, cutting her off before she ruins my ego completely. “Just get in the house and lock the door before all those other girls hear you,” I tell her with a smirk, and she rolls her eyes.

“Goodnight, Gray,” she sings, moving to close the door.

---