Sapphire

Well, my first week here is over.  What I was expecting was far from what I was expecting.  I am excited since most of my classes will challenge me in a good way.  So far, I am enjoying the classes, but that will change as the semester progresses.  I was anxious when Riley told me that we were going to some local pub and I would meet most, if not all, of the hockey team.  I am not antisocial, but I don’t like big crowds.  I was thrilled when I saw Lina snaking her way through the crowd.  All the guys seemed nice.  I thought my heart would punch through my chest when I saw Dylan.  My brain shut down when his steel-grey eyes locked with mine.  He is hands down the sexiest guy I have ever seen.  He has to be about a foot taller than my 5’4” frame.  His steel-grey eyes pop against his naturally lightened dark blonde hair, which is longer on the top and shaved up the sides.  I felt like an idiot when I ran into him coming out of the bathroom.  I thought I broke my nose on his chest, which by the way, is solid muscle.  I had to fight the urge to trace my hands up and down that sculpted chest.

Looking into his steel-grey eyes, I suddenly felt guilty.  Since that run-in with Karli earlier in the week, I have avoided him.  I didn’t want to cause any problems between the two of them.  Luke, Riley, Chance, and all the other guys repeatedly told me nothing was happening between Dylan and Karli.  

“I have been busy.  This first week was crazy.”  I tell him.

“My precuoious jewel, I know you have been avoiding me.”  Dylan states.

Before I could respond, a few of the team came over, jumping on Dylan, telling him they needed to get to practice and stop flirting with me.  I look down, not wanting them to see my face turn bright red.  Dylan gives me a look telling me that this conversion is not over.  I head off to my next class.

-Three Months Later-

I flop down on my bed face first, burying my face into my pillow.  I love my classes, but they are exhausting.  Thank god it is the weekend.  The guys have a game tonight, which Lina and I are attending.  I roll over as the front door opens.  A loud bang tells me that Riley dropped his hockey gear by the door.  I am still pissed at him.  While I understand why he did what he did, he still has no right to dictate who I can and cannot date.

_FLASHBACK START_

I was walking back to the living room, where all the team members live, when I heard voices.  I recognized the voices.  One was Chance, and the other was Keegan.  They were in the game room.  I quietly moved closer to the doorway when I heard my name.

“I don’t care what our mates say; Sapphire is a stunning sheila.”  Keegan says.

“It doesn’t matter.  She is off-limits to all of us, being Riley’s little sister.”  Chance tells him.

“I know.  I am not the one that is going to have a problem staying away.”  Keegan points out.

I have no idea who they were talking about, but I was pissed.  How dare he tell them that they can’t date me.  I turned on my heels and stomped down the stairs to where the rest of them were.  I made a beeline for Riley.  I shoved him, causing him to fall into Luke’s lap.  

“What the fuck Sapphy?”  Riley yelled.

“How the fuck dare you tell anyone that they can’t date me because I am your sister.”  I screamed.

Chance and Keegan came running into the room at that moment.  I could tell the moment they realized that I had overheard them talking.  I wasn’t mad at them.  Riley stood back up.  We were staring at each other.  I wasn’t backing down.  Living with Gary had taught me that trust was earned, and at this moment, my trust in Riley was down the dunny, as they would say here. 

“Sapphire…”  Riley started.

“No, you had no right, and you know it.  I understand that you want to protect me, but you were wrong to pull shit like this.”  I hiss.  

I don’t give him a chance to reply.  I turned around and stormed out of the house.  I heard several voices yelling my name, but I was too pissed to stop.  I needed to be alone, so I kept walking.

_FLASHBACK END_

That happened a week ago, and we haven’t spoken since.  In my defense, Riley's and mine's class schedules are opposite, so we don’t see each other much during the week.  While I am still pissed, my anger has dissipated.  I know we need to talk, but I am unsure if I am ready to talk with him.  I haven’t seen the guys all week, either.  I am sure they think I am a dramatic bitch.  I let out a sigh as I stood when I heard a knock on my door.  Riley stands there when I open it. 

“Are you at least still coming to my game?”  He asks.

“Yes, I was thinking we should talk after the game or tomorrow.”  I tell him.

“Definetly, remember three of the guys are moving in tomorrow after practice.”  Riley states.

I wrap my arms around his waist.  I felt his arms wrap around me.  We might fight now and then, but we always talk it out.  Most of his concerns were about what happened in high school, but he still had no right to do that.  I also know that he is protective of me because of his Dad.  That is one person we don’t talk about.  He and Gary talk often, but I don’t ask about him.  I know he wants Riley to come home for Christmas but won’t.  He hasn’t come home since he left for college.  I spoke with my grandparents, who are coming here for Christmas, as is most of the family.  One of my aunts, my mother’s sister,  lives here with her husband, so we see them frequently, along with their two kids.  Riley heads down the stairs to his room to get shit together for his game.  He’ll have to leave to get to the rink soon.  I have no idea who the three are that are moving in.  Considering we haven’t talked most of the week and I have been more or less avoiding him, he hasn’t had the opportunity to tell me who it is, and I haven’t asked.  I admit I forgot they were moving in.  With all the other shit going on, it slipped my mind.

I grab my bag and head out to the gym.  I was wandering around town two weeks after school started and found a gym.  Ironically, the gym owner here knew the owner of the gym I used to work out back home.  I had been a regular at one back in the States.  I wandered into it when I was 14 and begged them to let me come and train with them.  Thanks to Mom, I took a few martial arts classes when I was younger.  She wanted me to be able to defend myself if something was to happen.  Honestly, I didn’t fully trust Gary not to try shit.  I never told anyone, but I had overheard him and a few of his buddies comment on my body.  I was concerned that they would try something, and he wouldn’t bother trying to stop them. 

“It’s about time you showed up.”  Lina snarks.

“Sorry I went to the the gym and I lost track of time.”  I admit.

“Here, I got the last one before they sold out.  I knew you would want one.”  Ace interjects. 

He handed me a giant soft pretzel and a bottle of water.  I lift my gaze when the crowd starts going crazy.  The guys are taking the ice, and that is when I see him.  Dylan is in front, along with Riley and Keegan.  Damn, he looks yummy.  I can’t take my eyes off of him.  The two of us haven’t spoken much these last few months.  Besides our class, we don’t see each other unless I hang out at the hockey house.  My breath catches when his eyes lock with mine.  The smile that appears on his face has my heart rate spike. 

“You okay over there?”  Lina asks.

“Yeah.”  I reply.

That was a great game.  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.  The guys won, but it was close there for a while.  Ace, Lina, and I await the guys to come out.  We are going to the pub after for an after-game celebration.  The guys played like the beasts they are, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Dylan.  I do not know when this crush on him popped up, but I know it will never go anywhere.  I am sure some of it concerns Riley and the shit he pulled, but I know I am not his type.  Dylan, fuck, all these guys are so far out of my league that it is ridiculous.  I have come to terms with this fact, and while it hurts, it is what it is, and I will live. 

“Arlo just texted me.  He said that we should go ahead and head to the pub.  He said coach is giving a speech and he has a feeling it could last a while.”  Lina tells us.

“I can only imagine.”  Ace says.

I let out a giggle as we walk away.  Thankfully the pub is close by, so we start walking.  My cheeks turn pink as we walk in, and the barkeep welcomes me by name.  I admit that we eat here a lot, and I know the guys are here often after games, so it makes sense that they know our names here.  I smile when we reach our usual table as Ace plops down in one of the chairs.  I laugh at him being his dramatic self.

“Stop laughing at me bitch.”  He hisses.

I squeal when the piece of ice he threw at me slides down my shirt.  I instantly pull my shirt away from my body so the freezing piece of ice can fall to the floor.  He is so dead.  I shoot him a glare, but he is too busy laughing like the hyena he is.  The barmaid comes to our table, and I order for everyone, well, the guys.  Lina and Ace order for themselves.  She tells us that she will bring a couple of jugs of beer for the guys.  I let Ace know that I will be back in a few.  Why is it every time I walk out of Dunny  I run into someone? 

“We need to stop meeting like this, my precious jewel.”  A familiar voice states.

I look up and into the steel-grey eyes of Dylan.  My breath catches in my throat, and my legs refuse to work.  My head snaps to the side when a loud yell reverberates throughout the pub.  I slide by him, making my way back to our table.  In the short time I have been in the dunny, the entire team has made their way to the pub and our usual corner.  I glance over to see Dylan standing over by Riley.  Shit, we still need to talk at some point.  I decided that we could talk now.  I walk over and pull him aside.

“I’m sorry.”  He yells out.

“Me to, I know you were just looking out for me, but I am a big girl, and I can take care of myself.”  I tell him. 

“I know, but between Dad and what happened in high school, I just didn’t want a repeat.”  He admits.

“I know but none of these guys would do shit like that.  Besides none of them think of me like that.”  I point out.

“I know you have a crush on one of them, tell me who it is.”  He grumbles.

“It doesn’t matter.  He isn’t interested in me like that.  You know as well as I do that guys aren’t interested in me like that.”  I comment.

He shakes his head but hugs me anyways.  This has been an argument between us for years. At some point growing up, a few guys were interested, but none of them ever approached me or stated their interest in me.  I know I am not ugly; I have had a few people approach me to model in ads and on tv, but that didn’t interest me.  I know that none of his friends would pull that shit, and as usual, I have been adopted as the unofficial little sister. 

“That looked like an intense conversation.”  Ace points out.

“Just having a talk that was long over due.  I needed to calm down before it could happen.”  I reply.

Ace nods his head.  We both look over when we hear a squeal to see Lina thrown over Arlo’s shoulder like a fucking sack of potatoes.  I know he isn’t that drunk yet, so I have no idea what the fuck is going on with those two.  I don’t want to know.  I have to cover my ears when the food is on the table.  I freeze when someone kisses my cheek.

“Thank you, my precious jewel; I know you are the one that ordered this.”  Dylan whispers. 

A shiver travels down my spine as his breath wafts over my ear.  With his hand on my hip and his lips barely brushing my ear, I want nothing more than to turn and slam my lips on his, but I know that all I would get would be pushed away, which would be horrifyingly embarrassing.  I sit down before my legs give out as the guys inhale the food.  I swear they have bottomless pits for stomachs.  

I am unsure how long we stayed there, but I am sure all the guys were off their faces.  I don't know how they are going to get home.  I lean back as a yawn escapes.  I hear someone laugh, and if I weren’t so damn tired, I would smack whoever it is.  My head falls to the side and lands on someone's shoulder. 

“Come on, my precious jewel, lets get you home.”  A familiar voice states.

“Are you sure you are okay carrying her?”  Riley asks.

“Yeah, I am fine carrying her.  You can barely walk straight, mate; there is no way you could carry her.  The two of you would end up on the ground or in some bush on the side of the street.”  Luke says.

I nuzzle deeper into the warm body surrounding me as the other two idiots argue about something.  I mumble that I can walk, which causes the muscular chest that I have nuzzled into to vibrate.  Whoever this is, is laughing at me.  I choose to ignore the laughter and nuzzle into his neck.  Damn, he smells good.  

“Thank you.”  I whisper.

“No worries, I will always ensure you get home safely, my precious jewel.”  He says.

This makes me smile, and I want to say more, but his warmth has seeped into me, and I can’t fight this sleep any longer.  I know his voice, but I can’t believe he would go to this trouble for me.  As I succumb to sleep, I swear his lips press against my forehead.