Kiss My Ice

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11.

Like clockwork my body was up and wide awake at 4:00AM. The headache and fatigue from yesterday was gone and I felt eager for a morning run.

A shiver shot through my body as my bare feet touched the cold wood flooring. I felt no lingering effects from yesterday's hangover. Never again would I drink the mystery punch at a bonfire.

I shuffled across my room to my closet, pulled out a pair of Nike pro shorts, the matching sports bra, and a loose-fitting tank top. From the top drawer of my dresser I grabbed a clean pair of underwear and quickly got changed. I ran a brush through my hair and threw it into a messy ponytail and topped it off with a headband to tame any flyaways. Then I slid on some socks and my running shoes and made my way to the kitchen.

In place of a more traditional breakfast, I liked to make myself a smoothie. It was a perfect alternative. Delicious, healthy, and most important, easy for me to make. I pulled the silver blender from its spot in the corner of the counter, plugged it in before I gathered my ingredients.

One by one I dropped each ingredient into the blender and hit start.

My gaze flickered to the doorway, hearing someone's footsteps. My parents never got up before 8:00 and they both could have slept through a tornado so I doubted it would be either of them. It wasn't.

"You're up early," I commented as Scott walked through the doorway. He looked as wide away as I felt. I hadn't seen him since the bonfire since by the time I got home from the rink he had left for a friend's house.

He shot me a lazy grin. "You aren't the only one who likes an early morning workout, sis."

"You want to join me for my run?"

I turned back to the blender that, by now, had finished blending together my smoothie. I dumped the contents into my glass and lifted it to my lips.

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

Scott walked over to the cupboard to get a glass. He filled it with ice water and turned to me with a wry smile. "I missed seeing you yesterday. How'd everything go?"

I took a small sip of my smoothie. He was likely inquiring about the hangover since I was pretty sure that he wasn't aware of my punishment with Aiden. Unless of course Aiden had told him.

"Well apart from being hungover?" I lowered my glass. "Terrible."

"Even without a hangover it was still terrible?"

I nodded. The hangover caused the majority of my issues. The pounding head. Being late to my meeting. Muscle Fatigue and light sensitivity. But, punishment with Aiden still sucked regardless of all that.

"Why didn't you stop me from drinking?" Chris had told me that I cut Scott off when he tried to tell me I was drinking alcohol, but he didn't push it. He should have grabbed the cup out of my hand and made me listen. He's my older brother. I feel like that should have made him protect over me.

He frowned. "I tried. You snapped at me. And besides, I figured you were drinking because you were upset 'cause I invited a couple hockey players."

I took a big gulp. "I guess no real harm was done. Chris filled me in on what happened since I couldn't remember anything."

"Chris?" Scott set his cup on the counter and turned to me with his eyes narrowed. Now he was protective. "Is there something going on between you two? I thought you didn't like hockey players."