Page 69 of Between the Blue
“Are you serious?” Ben asks, his voice so low and husky that I question if I heard him right. Or if he’s even talking to me. But when I don’t respond for a few seconds, the slightest tilt of his head in my direction tells me that he definitely is.
“Why are you back here?” he questions me.
“I…I just…” I swallow, taking a few steps closer to him. “The period is almost over. I just wanted to check on you.” I’m standing just to the side of him now, and I see that his head is still lowered, his gaze on the floor. “I wanted to make sure your lip wasn’t bothering you.”
He says nothing.
“I can go get the trainer for you now, if it’s hurting. You know, now that the shock has worn off.”
I let a few beats of silence pass, and Ben doesn’t move.
I take another step forward. “Ben?” I reach out hesitantly. “Are you okay–”
The second my hand brushes his shoulder, it’s like it snaps him out of whatever weird trance he’s in. He shakes off my touch, flying to his feet. Between the pads he’s wearing under his jersey and the several inches of height his skates add, he truly is towering over me.
“The only thing bothering me, Cherry, isyou,” he grits. “Do you not get that yet? I’m not sure how I can make it more clear.”
My mouth falls open, but before I can even think of responding, he spins around, taking several steps away from me.
I stare at his back, truly bewildered for several seconds before the words tumble out of my mouth in a mumbled whisper. “What did I ever do to you?”
Even though it’s a whisper, I know Ben hears me, because his shoulders stiffen.
I shake my head. “I just–”
“Are you still here?” he asks.
My mouth slams shut, my voice dying in my throat. I roll my lips together, giving Ben one final chance to turn around to face me or say something else that doesn’t make me hate him, but he doesn’t.
I turn away from him and start to walk out. But I only get two steps in before my feet automatically stop.
Because this isn’t me.
And I know who I am.
The only question left is:Who the hell does he thinkheis?
I spin on my heel, storming straight over to him.
“You know what, Ben?” I say, my sudden and firm voice making him turn around to face me with raised brows.
“Yes,” I tell him. “Iamstill here. And guess what? I’m going to be here the rest of the season. So you may as well get used to it. I’m not going anywhere. And you’re not scaring me into quitting. Even if it requires putting up with every ounce of your bullshit, I don’t care. Because I need this. And I won’t let you take this away from me”
He lets out something between a laugh and a scoff.
“I mean it, Ben,” I say, taking a step closer to him. “You don’t have to like me. But you’re going to tolerate me.”
He looks away from me, shaking his head, and I square my shoulders. “I can’t believe you don’t understand this,” I breathe.
“What, Cherry?”
I swallow down the emotion threatening to well in my throat. “You already got your dream.”
Something in Ben’s face shifts, his brows pulling together. I think for a moment that his expression is softening, that I’ve finally gotten through to him. But then, all at once, his eyes fill with a blaze angrier than I think I’ve ever seen on him. He steps forward, forcing me to step backwards.
“What makes you think you know a damn thing about my dreams?” he practically growls.
He continues forward, and, fearing for my toes being sliced off by his skates, I have to keep moving backward until my back comes into contact with a locker. I stand to my full height, even pushing somewhat on to my tiptoes, refusing to let him think I’m intimidated by him.
