Worth the Chance (Watertown University #2)

15. Eliza

Chapter 15

Eliza

I watch as Garrett smirks, then turns around and heads down the stairs and out the door. I’m still frozen in place when I hear the front door shut and his truck engine start up. My own fingers make their way to my side now, retracing the way his ghosted my thighs. I can’t believe that just happened. It’s the front door opening again and my best friend's voice calling to me that finally snaps me out of it after who knows how many minutes.

“El!”

“Up here!” I call back before scrambling over to my vanity to touch up my hair and makeup.

“Hey.” Mia comes into my room and plops on my bed. “What happened here?” She raises her eyebrows at the pile of clothes on my floor.

“That is a story.”

“And? I’ve got time.” She sits up straighter as she waits for me to divulge more information. Since I need someone to dissect what the heck just happened I climb onto my bed beside her and spill all the details of what just happened .

“Woah.” Mia’s jaw is practically on the floor. “I mean he’s right El, you’re beautiful and I don’t think you see that.”

“Thanks Mi’s. I always thought I was like cute-ish ya know? But ever since getting sick I felt like a shell of myself in so many ways including physically. I gained some weight, felt puffy, and just felt dull. My personality feels like it’s coming back and my mental health but physically I still struggle.”

“I’m sorry you have to go through this.” Mia takes my hand in hers and squeezes it. “So is he saying he wants more?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so, as you know he’s sworn off dating or whatever.”

“Right but like physically? Would you be open to that?” I think about it for a second. I’ve never really been one to hook up. I dated Sam and he was my first and then last year I tried to branch out and hooked up with a few guys, they were all awful. But with Garrett, I don’t think it’d be awful. Quite the opposite in fact.

“Maybe. If it felt right in the moment.”

“You should go for it.”

“We’ll see.” Earlier was confusing to say the least but I can’t imagine Garrett would actually want me like that. He has plenty of girls to choose from, one’s who don’t have brothers he’s friends with. “C’mon let's finish getting ready.” I hop off my bed and over to the vanity, pulling out the chair I gesture for Mia to sit down. I curl her long blonde hair as we put on the newest episode of a new dating show Netflix has to offer.

Garrett

God what the hell was I thinking? I wasn’t, actually. She just looked so upset. There was a dimness to her as she talked about her body and her clothing and I hated it. She doesn’t see how stunning she really is. Her curves are hot as fuck. She’s got these thick thighs, a perky ass and amazing tits. Everything she wears looks incredible on her, tempting and taunting me every day. That’s not even mentioning her sweet smile and warm eyes that draw you right in.

Her asshole ex is probably the reason for these insecurities. He’s not man enough to handle all that woman. Scratch that, he’s not a man at all, he’s all boy. Speaking of the devil, as I get closer to the doors to head into the arena there he is, leaning awkwardly against the brick wall.

“What are you doing here?”

“Just wanted to chat, man.” He pushes off the wall, slowly approaching me. He looks like he’s sizing me up which is laughable considering he’s five foot eight at best and looks like he hits the gym, well, never.

“We don’t have anything to chat about.” I shake my head, laughing to myself as I move past him.

“Are you and Liza really dating? Or just fucking?” This dude. Just can’t let it go

I whirl around to face him, shoving one finger into his chest. “One, don’t call her that. She’s told you she doesn’t like to go by that. Two,” I shove another finger into his chest, “our relationship really doesn’t concern you.” He stumbles back slightly even though I didn’t really push him all that hard.

“I just think it’s interesting how you guys don’t post anything together.” He shrugs his shoulders. “Does her family know about you? Is she scared they’d be disappointed in her choices?”

“You’re insane dude. Ryan and Liam introduced us if you must know.” I mean it’s technically true. “Even set it up so we’d get to live together this year.” I raise my eyebrows at him and his face blanches.

“You live together?”

“We do.” I wink, playing up the situation. “Anyways if you don’t mind I’ve got a game to win.” I turn around, opening the door to the arena. “Oh,” I pause, twisting my upper half to look him in the eyes, “leave my girl alone.” Before he can say anything else I head through the doors and down the hall to the locker room, shaking my head to myself. What was he trying to get from that conversation? Was he trying to say he didn’t think our relationship was real? I couldn’t care less what he thinks but I don’t want him trying to get back with Eliza or him telling his shitty girlfriend and that coming back to El.

“Hey Gar.” Bryan claps me on the back as he approaches his locker next to mine. “You good?”

“You know anything about Sam White?”

“Who?”

“I know Sam” Alex appears out of thin air like he always does.

“You do?”

“Yeah. Guys a little odd but there’s this club in Boston that’s known to let a fake ID pass. I see him there on Saturdays, usually with some bleach blonde chick. They always take the train into the city.”

“Thanks Alex.”

“No problem. Why are you asking about him? Doesn’t seem like someone who’d be on your radar.”

“He wouldn’t be except he’s Eliza’s asshole ex.”

“Oh shit is that the guy from the bar?” Bryan pipes in.

“The one and only.”

“Seems like a piece of work.”

“You could say that again.”

“Alright boys, quit your yapping and let’s get to warmups!” Coach Williams' voice booms through the locker room. I pull my jersey over my pads and make my way out to the arena with the rest of the team. I glide across the ice getting in a few slapshots, enjoying the quiet of the stadium. The only sounds being from blades on ice and sticks hitting pucks .

I only learned to skate because my sister wanted to. There was a little pond in the neighborhood we grew up in that kids would skate on all the time. She watched in awe when we were really young and begged our parents to let her learn. When she turned five our parents finally agreed to bring her to skating lessons and they signed me up as well. We both fell in love with gliding across the ice.

It wasn’t until I was eleven that I joined an ice hockey league. Aubree passed away the year before and my family was falling apart around me. I was falling apart. It was my gym teacher who noticed first, Mr. Rivera, and got me into the town’s ice hockey league. I instantly fell in love with the sport. I loved that it was fast paced, I got to be on the ice, and it gave me a space to work through my emotions.

Ever since I’ve loved the ice. It’s been the one constant in my life over the past ten years and it connects me to Aubs. While I enjoy the roar of the crowd and feeding off the energy that fills the arena, there will always be something about the empty stands and just the sound of skates hitting ice that calms me.

As people begin to fill in the seats we all head back to the locker room in preparation of the game. Coach gives us his usual speech about how he’s proud of how hard we’ve been working and to feed off the energy of the crowd before he heads back out to greet the opposing teams coach. Today we’re facing off against the Woodcrest University Tigers. They've been playing good, have some giants on their team but I have faith that we can get a win this week.

“Let’s go crush those Tigers!” Bryan amps up the team, getting their adrenaline pumping and ready to hit the ice. The guys cheer in unison “Let’s go Bears!” Everyone removes their skate guards and we head down the hallway to the rink.

As I skate back on the ice my eyes scan the crowd, looking for one certain hazel eyed girl. Halfway down the ice my eyes land on her, she’s in the front row and as her eyes lock right onto mine she sends me a wave. She looks adorable decked out in my clothing. I see that she has something on her cheeks and as I skate to get closer I see it’s my number painted on her face. A big, goofy smile graces my lips making her smile even bigger.