A Spark Like This (Mature Jocks Series #3)

Chapter Two ☽︎ Hey, Mom

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive."
-- Unknown

H U D S O N

"STOP STARING AT me," I growl at Zac, who sits on the bench, looking at me like I ate his breakfast.

"Come on man," Nick skates behind me. "He's here to watch, and frankly, I don't see him bothering you, or anyone in particular,"

"I'm just having a shitty morning," I groan, slamming my hockey stick against the ice.

"You're always having a shitty morning," He chuckles, skating back to the guys on the other side of the rink. I toss my helmet to the ice and then I take a sit next to Zac. He looks at me for a second, and then I give in, by rubbing his back.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you buddy," I say more to myself than him. "I'm just really stressed out, and I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," I'm talking even though I know he's not listening to me. And to be honest, it's a lot better than talking to Nick. Dude literally dissects you as you speak. I sometimes wonder how Brittany puts up with him.

"Don't need anymore ice time?" I hear Coach behind me, when I turn, I see him walking with Anderson. I really need to learn how to call this dude his first name.

"No, no, I actually need more ice time," I skate to my feet. "I'm good, I'm good, just having a good chat with my buddy Zac here," I look to Zac for help, but he walks back into the hockey facility building. Yep, I definitely offended him.

"Well then get back to the game, you don't want to be a bad left winger, do you?" Coach cocks his head to the side.

"What's the hell is that supposed to mean?" I raise a brow.

"Anderson here is now training and practicing as a left winger, that is, a substitute just in case you do something bad in the rink, during our next game," Coach shakes his head and Anderson looks excited. He's always been on the sidelines, and now he's finally getting ice time, he's going to be my replacement if I fuck up. Perfect.

Well, personally I totally understand Coach Mike. I've been playing like shit lately, I just wish he wouldn't rub it in my face by bringing Anderson to the party. My life officially sucks.

"Welcome then," I salute Anderson before I give a quick nod to Coach and skate my way towards the guys. I fucking hate every moment of this morning. From yesterday's Hollywood Reporter interview to T, waking me up with really loud music, to Anderson next in line to taking my fucking place on the team. Today's a mess. And now I doubt the who "better days are coming crap", because that's not happening for someone like me.

"You look stressed out," Terence skates towards me with the puck rolling around his hockey stick.

"Says the guy who woke me up with the Imagine Dragons screaming fucking Radioactive," I growl at him.

"Dude, I hate to," he raises his hands in mock surrender. "You sure your stress has nothing to do with a certain Miss Summers?" He cocks his head to the side and I almost freeze, and I'm so late to pretend I have no idea what he's talking about.

Because every fucking body knows Kimberly Summers.

"She's Aaron's Sister-in-law okay?" He whisper-yells. "And in case you've forgotten, he's our Captain, and you do not want to pick a fight with him," He says in that warning tone of his. I'm busy pondering on how the hell he knows about Kimmie and I, and then he says, "I usually come to check on you before I go to bed," he continues in his skates. "Because contrary to what you might think, I actually care about you're lazy whinny ass,"