Page 17 of Into Ruin

I smile, but my insides are writhing. It hits me that I like this, too. The girls who throw themselves at me are boring. They’re tired clichés. But Harper, off-limits, forbidden Harper… she’s fascinating.

“You truly can’t escape me now.”

8

HARPER

Olivia and I enter the arena with no small amount of trepidation. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: just because my brother plays hockey doesn’t mean I follow it. And this will be my first time attending one of his home games as a student, sitting amongstourpeers. Not just his—mine. Which is arguably the most nerve-wracking part of this whole thing.

I’d much rather be sitting in her dorm room, watchingThe Breakfast Clubfor the eightieth time, than be here. What can I say? It’s a timeless classic.

ButCynthia had some cheerleading meeting come up, she had already got a ticket from the Student Center and asked if I knew anyone who would use it. So I grabbed a ticket for myself, and now Olivia and I are at a hockey game.

She borrowed one of my FSU sweatshirts. I stole one of Royal’s hoodies that has his name on the sleeve.

It’s been three days since I stayed at the hockey house.

Three days since I’ve seen Camden Church.

And for three days, I’ve struggled to wrap my mind around him. And what he did.

As soon as he left, I opened the window and let in the chill fall breeze. It smelled like sex in Royal’s room, and I didn’tknow how I would explain it if he came in. Which, according to Camden, would be a horrible, terrible thing.

For him.

But also for me, if his threats are to be believed.

In the end, it didn’t matter. I cleaned up, stared at my pale face in the mirror, contemplated showering to rid myself of the sensation of his touch, then eventually gave up and went to bed. Royal never came up, and when I crept out in the morning—sheets changed on his bed like a nice sister—he was still asleep.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I glance around the arena at the mouth to our section. Only a small portion of the stands are filled in so far, and no one is looking at me. My gaze coasts over the rink full of players warming up, and I pause on one player.

Helmet on, cage obscuring his features, but it’s very clearly Camden. He’s looking in my direction. Assuming he’s looking at me would be laughable.

I shake it off and take my seat with Olivia. The rumors about him died out relatively fast. It never spread farther than student social media, which is good. No need for the NHL media to catch wind of a… prank.

A misunderstanding, more like.

The horn blows, and the players leave the ice. The Zamboni comes on, along with two students who remove the goals and push them out of the path.

I fiddle with my sleeve. Then my nails. Olivia goes to get us popcorn, and I sink lower in my seat. We’re about to be surrounded by FSU students. I keep my legs angled out of the way, and my row fills out, along with the ones around me.

No one pays me any mind.

The good news is, I’m an unknown on campus. No one has connected me to Royal, besides a few teammates who heard our introductions at that party. Tomorrow morning, they’re allgetting on a bus for an away game tomorrow night. A fan bus has been arranged to take students over to Crown Point University, which is a four-hour drive from here.

Nothing sounds worse than a four-hour drive in a cramped bus full of preening girls hoping to get laid by the star players. Plus, a four-hour drivehomeafter the game.

No thanks.

A chill goes down my back. I rub my arms and glance around again, just as my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Royal

You at the game?

Yeah, grabbed tickets last minute. That ok?

Of course.

---