Chapter 2 Hate is a mild word.

Hate is a mild word for what I feel right now seeing his face as he walks into the ice rink. My head was still throbbing from the excessive drinking last night, but thankfully the game wasn't starting anytime soon so I had more time to get my shit together.

“You okay, Lemaire?” The coach asked casting me a quick glance and I nodded. “Do you think you can play?? Jonas here can take over your spot.”

“I can play Coach.” I said. There was no way I was going to miss out the opportunity to see Felix bleed out those tears when he tasted defeat and there was no way in this entire life that I would give my spot to Timothy Jonas.

That dude and I didn't see eye to eye.

“Go train some more before the game starts, Julian I trust you know what to do?” Julian replied, I watched the coach retreating figure before turning my gaze at Julian who had his worried expression on his face when he looked at me.

“I'm fine.” I mouthed to him, knowing he was about to ask so I just saved us both the waste of speech. Julian just gave a tight smile before putting on his captain uniform and gave out the strategy plan we needed to play against Ravenberg.

We had two hours left before the game started.

Julian had us skating around the ice, he said we had better shots at winning if we're familiar with our surroundings and his beliefs had led us to victory through every game. We trained till exhaustion crept into our bones, at one point my eyes caught Felix standing outside the rink and watching us. When our eyes met, he gave me a smirk which I rolled my eyes at.

I was definitely going to crush him during the game and he would no longer smirk like that ever in his life again.

When we're done, we hit the locker room to freshen up. Julian came over to meet me when everyone had left, leaving only the two of us there alone.

“Are you sure you're okay?” He held my face, his hand brushing slightly against my lips.

“I am good.” I replied. His lips came crashing down at mine as his hands wrapped around the bare skin of my waist. I shivered under his touch, parting my lips and letting myself get lost in his kiss.

Julian and I had something going on, but not dating. He had expressed his opinion of wanting to date me over the past months but I wasn't ready to give myself completely to someone again. And surprisingly, he has been patient with me enough to understand that we could only make out with each other and nothing more.

The only person I had almost crossed that line with was Felix, yes that bastard. And it didn't work out well, so I was definitely not putting myself in that vulnerable position as I did before.

“Julian.” I pulled away, his eyes were fixed on mine as he nodded calmly. “Someone would see us.”

“I know but I can't help it.” He admitted. “My place after the game?”

“Wine??” I asked.

“Dinner and maybe a little wine.” He brushed the strands of my ginger hair that stuck to my face aside. “You really need to cut back on drinking.”

“I will, soon.” I wasn't definitely cutting my alcohol intake. I wasn't an alcoholic, though people be like that's what most alcoholics say but I wasn't.

Believe Me.

It just helps to keep my thoughts in check especially with the fact that I was going to see my nemesis today on the ice. But I don't drink during the game, just prior to the games.

“I know that's a lie.” I laughed as he walked out after planting a quick kiss on my lips. I was alone in the locker room, my butt found the bench there and my hands found my hair. A sigh left my mouth, I was holding myself from bolting through the doors because I wasn't ready to face Felix again, not after what had gone down between us the last two years.

My eyes went to my phone that buzzed with the sound of notification that came in, I picked it up and unlocked it.

"Good luck on today's game. Your dad said he was going to make time to watch you on TV at work.” My heart warmed at the message mom had sent, I replied to the text before putting my phone into my bags and my bags to the locker.

“I never thought I would see you here, Lemaire.” I knew that voice, I didn't have to turn to see who that was, I already knew who it was.

“What do you want?” My voice was harsh, but I didn't care. He didn't deserve any sweetness from me, he didn't have that right anymore.

“Ouch, you're not even going to look at me?” I watched him through the corner of my eyes as he leaned against the locker next to me.

“The sight of you makes me want to puke.” I turned and faced him. The bastard was still looking handsome, though slightly older and more athletic but he was still… hate to admit it… handsome.

“I know you don't mean that.”

I rolled my eyes, what does he know? “I do mean it.”

“Here I thought we could be civil.” He pushed off and closed the small distance between us, I caught the subtle scent of his cologne.

“There's nothing civil between us.” I crossed my hands, pushing my weight in one leg then raised my face to glare at him.

“Oh I beg to differ.” He smiled at me. “We had a lot of history.”

Had? My whole world was destroyed by you spawn of Lucifer himself.

“Did we??” One thing about me was I can't hide the annoyance I felt, even if I act like it, my face was always going to give me away. “I can't seem to remember.”

His face came close to mine, and for a sec

ond I thought he was going to kiss me. “I could always make you remember