Page 190 of Between the Blue
And I don’t make my commitments lightly. In any area of my life, unfortunately.
Ben tried to come after me when I left the locker room, but I ignored him. He ran and called after me. It didn’t seem like he was gonna stop. So I ran straight up the tunnel and back into the rink. Because I knew he couldn’t follow me there.
Because he’d been ejected from the game.
Because he got in a fight with his best friend.
Over a girl he doesn’t even love.
I don’t understand it. I’m not sure I ever will.
But I think I’m done trying. I think I have to be.
I shove my camera into my bag the moment the final horn sounds and bolt for the exit.
The Storm lost, so I speed walk down the tunnel to beat the players before they can get off the ice.
The second I’m out of public view, I actually do take off in a jog. I’ll make my postgame social media posts as soon as I get home. I just don’t want to be here right now. I can’t be in the same building as him–
“Addison!”
I jerk to a stop, my brows pulling together as I spin around. To my dismay, I see Ben storming out of the locker room, back in the suit he arrived in, his hair wet from a shower and slicked back.
My mouth falls open, but words seem to get caught in my throat, if I even had any to begin with. So I just shake my head at him and break into a run towards the parking garage.
“Addie! Stop!” Ben shouts after me, but I ignore him, moving my feet faster, not caring who happens to see me as I weave my way through the back hallways of the arena.
I never look back, so it’s not until I burst through the parking garage door and hear someone throw it open again behind me that I realize Ben is still following me.
“Cherry, please. Just wait!”
I don’t let myself slow down. I sprint straight for my car, digging my keys out of my bag as I run so that I can yank my door open and shove the keys in the ignition in one fluid motion.
I succeed, and the moment the car starts, I slam my foot on the gas, only having about a second to spare before Ben would’ve caught up to me.
He throws his arms in the air as I peel out of the parking spot, but I put my blinders on, only focusing on getting out of here and getting home.
I’m in such a locked-in state of autopilot while driving that when I park my car in front of my apartment and get out, I feel like I could collapse. Like I’m walking on land for the first timeafter being at sea for a week. And because of that, I take my time walking up the steps to my door.
I’m just turning my key in the lock when the loud sound of a car engine revving catches my attention.
I absentmindedly turn my head to look at the road behind me, and then my eyes widen as I see a Black Range Rover screeching to a stop in the spot right next to my car.
Within the same second, the driver’s side door flies open and out jumps Ben.
“What the hell are you doing?” I question him.
He doesn’t answer me, heading straight for me.
“You should be with the media right now!” I shout. “They’re all going to have questions for you. You’ll be fined if you don’t attend the press conference–”
“Fuck the press conference,” Ben grits, jogging up my porch steps.
“Why are you here?” I demand.
“Because,” he says, running a hand over his hair. “Because I had to talk to you–”
“What is there to say, Ben?”
