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CHAPTERSEVEN
LINCOLN
Damn,that was a trainwreck. Why the hell did I lash out at her like that? I had every intention of apologizing for making her anxious in the coach's office and at Silver's, but I couldn't control my temper.
She just gets under my skin.
I wish I never had to see her again, but the mere thought of never crossing paths with her again leaves me with an unsettling restlessness. I have this terrible feeling that I just royally screwed something up. Which is absurd, because there's no good reason to think that way.
I can't tear my gaze away from her as I watch her gracefully skate around, interacting with the children. Two young boys get carried away in a race and crash into Sutton, sending her tumbling to the ice. I wanted to rush over and help her, but I stopped myself because it's such a weird thing to consider. After all, I don't even know her, and I have no obligations toward her.
She's too apprehensive around me, something I've never really paid attention to before - people who shy away from the spotlight. Maybe being friends with Liam has opened my eyes.
I've only made the entire situation worse with my outburst. She drives me absolutely insane, and I can't figure out why. I can't wrap my head around her, but I'm utterly fed up with it. I want to clear the air, but I just destroyed any chance of that.
I'm a mess, and my stomach churns with these thoughts. I watch as Leia helps Sutton to her feet, and she still manages a smile after being knocked down, twice. What I said to her, and those two boys – it's a double whammy of idiocy.
The more I ruminate on my harsh words and tone, the more my stomach churns. It feels like a case of food poisoning.
My family would crucify me if they knew how I spoke to a woman. I have a headache from overthinking this situation.
I have to keep reminding myself that she's not my problem – not my goddamn problem. But there's this nagging feeling at the back of my mind that it won't be so simple to move on from this.
Suddenly, Ro skates toward me, his expression ticked off. "What the hell is your problem?" He grabs my shoulder forcefully.
Great, now I have to deal with him, too. Must be my lucky day.
I push his body away from mine. "I don't have one. I tried to apologize to Sutton. I'm all good now. I wish I didn't have to deal with her again, though." I lie, and he sees right through it.
He knows how much this situation is messing with my head, and I'm so off-kilter that anyone can see something's wrong.
He gives me a look – the kind that screams "bullshit." Ro's pissed because he gives me an incredulous look. "I don't get it. You haven't shown interest in any girl ever, and you finally meet one that you can't stop thinking about, and you don't want anything to do with her."
I didn't expect that angle, but today is all about being wrong.
"What the hell are you talking about? I've shown interest in girls," I protest, although I have no idea why I'm even engaging in this absurd conversation.
He rolls his eyes hard, clearly fed up with my selective hearing and attempts to change the topic. "I've seen you with like five girls since freshman year, and you didn't spend more than twenty minutes with any of them."
I don't know why he's paying so much attention to me. "Mind your own damn business," I say, earning another eye roll from him.
"You are my business," he retorts. He's right, but that doesn't mean I like it.
I take a deep breath to avoid snapping at him as I did at Sutton earlier. He doesn't deserve that, and she certainly didn't.
After a few calming breaths, I tell him, "I'm sorry, man, but I really don't want anything to do with her or any girl. I don't have the time or energy." I look at him, but he's not even listening to me. He's eyeing Sutton, and I just pray that he won't do anything impulsive.
"Hey, Sutton! Come here!" Ro shouts. Sutton's head jerks around, and she spots Ro instantly. She looks apprehensive as hell, but skates over anyway.
She's far too kind for her own good. Someone should be teaching her to stand up for herself, especially against jerks like me.
Ro has a big smile on his face and grabs her arm once she's close enough. I could kill him.
"Hey. My buddy here needs help, and I think you're the only one who can do it."
She looks uncertain but nods her head. "Okay, sure."
I can't believe that, after our earlier encounter, she's so willing to help me without question. There's no way she's genuinely that nice.
