#Chapter 08 An Easy Task
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Redmond High is well known for its ability to produce very skilled hockey players,
especially for a public school. Because school funding focuses more on sports than arts, we
were able to get our own ice rink.
Since it’s winter, I bundle up in my jacket before I try to go see him. Once I step into the room, as expected, it’s frigid, the warmth seeping from my skin.
The Redmond Chillers are all there, skating along the rink, sitting in the bleachers, talking, the works. I walk up to the first group of people I see, not wanting to catch Oliver’s
attention, wherever he is.
“Uhm…excuse m–me.”
The three guys all look over at me, curious.
“I’m looking…for, uhm…A—”
Before I finish, one sighs, startling me slightly. He points his thumb toward a short nook to
his right, my left, with a bored expression.
“Alex is in the coach’s office, back that way. He’ll probably be out soon, so you can wait for
him.”
Unable to verbalize my thanks, I just bow slightly at him before scurrying away.
The short nook turned right, extending underneath the bleachers in a long hall. I only
recently learned there was a path back here after Alex took me to the hockey locker room…
Oliver never showed me this area.
The lights embedded in the ceiling are dimmer than the ones further back, but I could still
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see quite clearly. One of the hidden hall doors was slightly open with the light shining out of it. As I get closer, the murmuring and voices from the rink fade, and I instead hear people speaking inside.
“And how the Hell did you even manage to break the door like that? Do you know how
irritated Coach Windsel was?!”
I freeze immediately, startled by a masculine voice yelling in irritation. It brings back some bad memories…but I have to get it together. I’m not the target of the anger, so I slowly loosen up.
“…Listen, Hewlett. As captain of the team, you shouldn’t be causing this much trouble. You’re good at this stuff, but you keep screwing around! I don’t want to hear any more complaints for the rest of the season, you hear me?”
“Yes, coach.”
“Haaah…get out of my face.”
I watch as Alex leaves the office, dressed in his hockey fit. He rolls his eyes once he’s out
the door, but pauses when he realizes I’m there.
“Cynthia? What are you doing here?”
“Uhm…”
I glance toward his coach’s office, and Alex’seems to realize what I’m thinking. He puts a hand on my shoulder and guides me back toward the end of the hall.
“Well? Is this about what I suggested?”
“Yes. Uhm.” My fingers fidget with the edge of my jacket. “…Fine. A while. We can, uhm…
fake.”
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I’d avoided eye contact, but when I look up, his brown eyes practically sparkle as they meet mine. A happy smile spreads on his face, bright and enchanting.
After a second, he seems to catch himself, his smile turning into that snarky grin I knew
him more for.
“Alright then, from here on, we’re ‘going out.‘ I’ll start talking about it and you can…eh, I know you’re not much for chatting, but if you mumble it enough times, folks will catch on.” He shrugs. “Anyway, since we’re now ‘dating,‘ we should seal our contract with a kiss, right?”
He starts leaning down a tad, and I quickly take a step back, my eyes shooting wide.
But then I realize his eyes never closed, and that grin becomes even more annoying. Warm air huffs through my nose with irritation, becoming slightly wispy in the cold air of the
arena.
“…Uhm…why me?”
“Hm?”
“Why did you…choose me?” My gaze trails off to the side. “There’s many girls. Ones that, uhm…would. Cooperate. So…”
“Oh, yeah, that’s simple.” Alex puts his hands on his hips, almost seeming proud of
himself. “It’s cause you don’t like me.”
Is he a masochist?
“If I tried this with some girl vying for my attention, there’s no way this would work out. The fact you didn’t answer me straight off actually reassured me, you know? That just confirmed you didn’t just jump at the opportunity to say you’re dating me. And, ah, not to
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touch a sore spot, but I’d think you’re not really looking at the moment, yeah?”
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…Well, he’s not wrong about that. I nod in agreement, and he seems even more convinced
of himself.
“So, all things together, with you not looking and me not wanting it, I think it’s fair to say we wouldn’t fall for each other. Right?”
At first I just look at him, but his eyebrows raise a bit, and I realize it’s a genuine question.
My immediate answer after just meeting him would’ve definitely been no. Now I’m mildly aware of his personality and, while annoying, he’s at least earnest. He’s also quite kind and
has an interesting sense of humor. Not to mention he has a nice face.
But I also know that he’s prideful. He takes pride in his strength and good looks,
considering how many hearts he’s broken through his own selfishness.
Why do you want this?” I murmur. “I thought…well…girls… You’d like that.”
Alex clears his throat, glancing upward. For the first time, I see him express something I’d
almost call sheepishness. Maybe even embarrassment.
“Okay, I…I like a lot of girls. I thought I’ve been really clear with them that we’re not dating even if we’re kissing and such. But, well, they never seem to get the picture. Always think we’re in a relationship. And then they look at each other and get angry, so they start catfighting. I don’t want to deal with this stuff anymore.”
My eyes lid disapprovingly at his admission.
Maybe he wasn’t the one setting them up in the boxing ring and demanding they fight, but his actions were certainly less than ideal. But it’s clear. Although I need his protection, he just as much needs mine.
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fios falling for him would likely be a rather easy tank.
“…Okay”
Alex’s embarrassment turns into relief, “Alright, cool. To start, let’s exchange number for now, then we can touch base later, kay?”
“Mm,”
He and I exchange contact information, his number in my phone with a heart symbol next to his name. I’m not the one to put it there he did, insisting it would be a subtle way to show our love! My name also gains a matching heart in his phone before he waves goodbye to me, heading to the locker room.
This is…definitely going to be more trouble than it’s worth, but we both made this decision together, so it can’t be helped.
I head back out from the back hall and almost bump into someone, looking down at my phone. I nod in apology and try to pass, but suddenly, the person grabs me.
The hand feels familiar, and goosebumps prickle on my skin.
When I look up, Oliver’s green–eyed gaze stares back at me. There’s such frustration there, and I quickly shake his hand off, backing away from him. His lips pull into a straight line, his brows scrunching with…sadness?
“…Are you okay?”
“Hm?”
“I, ah… heard about the pool.”
“…M’fine.”
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#Chapter 08 An Easy Task
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We stand still, sizing each other up. But I really don’t want to see him right now, so I start
to turn away.
“…You’re only going to get hurt, you know.”
I pause, not moving further. He takes that as a sign to continue.
“Guys like Alex…they don’t care. He really doesn’t care, not about you, or anyone for that
matter. He’s just playing around, so…I know you’re mad at me, but you should stop this.
He’d never really date a girl like you.”
My jaw clenches in my mouth to the point of pain. As if he, of any guy, has the right to say this. It was my fault that I didn’t see the signs, but now we’re beyond that point.
I can’t believe he’s such utter trash. It’s astounding to me.
I turn around and face him. Whatever he sees in my expression leads him to pause, his
hand stopping before it can touch me.
“Oliver Oakley…don’t talk to me about care.”
Before he can try to reply, I briskly walk away, not wanting to be in his presence any longer.
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