Page 55 of Break The Ice

“Do you hear what I’m saying to you, Raines? Go sit on the bench and watch.”

The team has gone still on the ice, watching intently.

“But it’s practice. What do you mean, watch?” I say in shock. “If I miss practice, I’ll lose condition, it will be-”

“Who’s in charge here? I’m telling you to go sit on the fucking bench and watch the practice. I’m not asking, I’m telling.”

My fingers curl. I can’t move. I’m glued to the spot, watching my fucking career sink and flush down the goddamn drain. All those years of work, and this is how it’s going to end?

How is this happening? Why? I had nothing to do with Typhor. All he wanted was Kelly. He never even bothers looking in my direction. Why?

I storm back to the locker room and peel my gear off again. I grab my stick and spin, putting all my rage into bringing it down on the bench. It snaps.

I don’t feel better.

It’s my career, broken. Done.

I sit down, pull off my skates, and rip open the bench, pulling out my phone. In four seconds, I’ve found the number I haven’t called in a long fucking time. I press call.

“Pick up, you piece of shit!” I hiss.

“Raider?”

“Who the fuck do you think you are? You think this is a game? You can just fuck off and play rich boy and then bail, leaving me to pick up all the pieces? Then play god with everyone and send your fucking friend to ruin me?”

“Raider, I don’t understand-”

“Don’t fucking bullshit me, Kelly. You knew who he’d come after. I worked hard for this. I earned this. While our parents were mourning you being off with him, then gone, I was alone, studying, trying to win, and here I am in my last fucking year, and you’re all taking it away.”

Part of me knows I’m not being rational, but I don’t care. We played along like brothers when we went to check on Locke and rescue him, but this has been coming for years.

It’s been building like a volcano, and now, it’s active.

The last words he said to me before he vanished still haunt me.

“Raider! Stop. I didn’t do anything.”

“That’s exactly right. You didn’t do anything. You just left me to pick up and clean up your mess.”

Kelly is silent for a long moment. “I have to go.”

“Of course, you do. Why aren’t I surprised? Hey, Kelly?”

“What?”

“You disappoint me with every breath you take.” I throw the words he broke my heart with back at him.

Kelly inhales sharply. “Raider, I didn’t mean-”

“Forget it. Go back to your happy island. Forget about us.”

I end the call and realise with frustration that I feel worse.

So I tear the locker room apart. When I come to, I’m almost blind with rage. I’m dripping in sweat and my chest is heaving, but the room is wrecked.

I stalk out of the room, refusing to look at Wren, who tracks my movements. I’m dressed, I have my bag, and I’m ready to go.

I am done.

---