Chapter 15
2327words
I left Storm just after seven-thirty, right after her father came home. I hadn't heard anything from either Loki or Adam and tried to put it to the back of my mind. But unfortunately, I had two days’ worth of stress to burn off and couldn't wait another second. before heading to the studio.
The studio was an old warehouse building on the other side of town, converted into a gym and boxing studio by its owner. It was filled with athletes and students training most of the time, but tonight it seemed I was on my own. That was how I liked it.
I plugged in my headphones, turning the music up high and starting by skipping ropes. I had changed into my sports bra, sports leggings and converses. My hair pulled back in a high ponytail. I was ready to sweat. I started slow, jumping to the beat of the music. Then, my body started to heat up, and my muscles started to work—the song changed to 'run', one of my all-time favourites. I increased the pace. Swimming the rope faster and faster, jumping from one foot to the other. My breathing hard and fast. I stared blankly ahead, focusing on my breathing as I pushed myself. I was hot and dripping with sweat.
After skipping ropes, I allowed myself self-time to catch my breath; grabbing my bottle from my bag, I took a large sip. Then made sure to stretch. My glutes, hamstrings, back, quads, triceps, hips, groin, neck and thighs.
When I was all stretched out, I moved on to doing sets—squats, crunches, lunges, burpees and on-knee-push-ups. I did three sets of ten. Making sure to push myself an extra set just because. The burn felt good. My troubles and stress are quickly forgotten as I work my body through a killer workout after the sets. Next, I moved on to the punching bag. Making sure to strapping up my hands before I start to rip into the bag. I start in a boxing stance, bouncing on my toes. Then I start throwing punches. Jab, cross. Duck left. Bounce. Jab, cross. Duck right. Bounce. Twenty seconds then switch it up. My new combination. Bounce. Left hook, Right hook. An uppercut, uppercut. Bounce. Again 20 seconds.
“You’re a day earlier!” Coach calls from across the studio, his voice echoing off the wall, bringing my attention away from my punches. I pull out my headphones, panting. The coach was a thirty someone, black guy from the rough part of London. He was built like a brick wall and was probably the only reason I was still walking around. He was the coach for the football team and the owner of the studio. You wouldn't know it now, but he had once been a foster kid that had gotten the shit kicked out of him on a daily basis.
“Sorry, coach. I'm just working through some shit,” I admit. I wipe the sweat off my forehead onto the back of my arm.
“I can see that” He approves. Leaning over the metal railing that leads to his office. “I heard you got suspended” He raises an eyebrow at me.
“News travels fast. I didn't know you were in the loop” I shrug.
“Students talk, even when they think they are acting subtly. They’re not.” Coach tells me, a smile tugging at his lips, “I also have eyes. it's part of my job to know what's going on with my players and students” he pauses, eyeing me. “So you want to tell me what's going on with my Running back?” He asked, referring to Loki.
“Why would I know that?” I ask defensively. He raises a brow at me before moving off the railing, heading towards me. He doesn't answer my question; instead taking a different approach.
“He's missed practise days in a row”, He informs me as he walks. “I've known Adam and Loki since they were small. I know that their bond is closer than a brother. Yet Adam doesn't know where he is. It got me thinking,” He says, stopping a short distance in front of me, his arms crossed over his chest.
“It had to be a girl. It always is. But who?” He asked me accusingly.
“Storm”, I explain, closing my eyes shut. I wanted to tell him everything, to spill my guts out to him. I needed somebody to understand. To lift the weight that was squashing my chest. But I couldn't. Not without bringing up the past. I open my eyes again and take a deep breath. “Something happened at school”, I continue “she's pretty messed up. It's why I got suspended. Why Loki missed practise,” He nods, his eyes sad and knowing. He raised his hand. I had to force myself not to flinch. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. I had known the guy indirectly since I was tiny and personally for two years. But it didn't prevent the hairs on the back of my neck from standing on end. A voice in the back of my head screaming to run.
He put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. “If you ever need to talk, you know my door is always open. You don't need to carry the weight of the world alone,” He reassures me. Before dropping his hand, “Don't stay here too late”, and with that, he walks away, back up to his office.
I took a deep breath I didn't know I had been holding. I suddenly felt naked. Yet, it had nothing to do with the coach. Just an inventory reacting stirred up by old memories. A feeling of fear I hadn't tasted in a long time. I didn't waste another second before I got out of there. Grabbing my bag, I left. Passing my car, on my way. I needed to run.
Loki P.O.V.
I got home sometime after nine. I quickly bypassed my parents before sneaking up to stairs. I sure as hell didn't want to talk to anyone. I did, however, pop my head into my sister’s room to check she was okay. She lay, snuggled up under the covers, fast asleep already. I was half expecting to Scarlett piled in with her, but she wasn't.
When I got to my own room, I made sure to close the door as quietly as possible before pulling a bottle of vodka out of my bag. I had already had a fair amount of it already before getting home. I took a sip, instinctively peering out my window and into Scarlett's bedroom. I frowned, setting the bottle down on the bedside table.
It didn't look like she had come home, it was still early, and her lights were still off. The bedroom door left wide open. Was she not home yet? Where the hell was she? I pulled out my phone. Then cursed. The screen was still fucked, completely unusable. From where I had thrown it ageist the wall earlier. I had no way of getting hold of Scarlett. I wouldn't even know the first place to look. She was always with Storm in our house or in her own. At least as far as I knew. She probably didn't want to see me anyway. And what could I do? Search the whole dam town looking for her? I groaned.
Pulling off my tee, I flopped onto my bed. Grabbing the bottle, I started gulping it down. How had my life gotten so goddam complicated? When only a week ago, I was walking around like the prodigy's son. With not a fucking care in the world. Now, look at me? Drinking vodka straight on a Wednesday night. Obsessing over the girl next door.
I awake with a start. The bottle of vodka rolling onto the floor. “Fuck”, I mutter, getting to my feet. I didn't know how long I had been sleeping, but it couldn't have been more than a couple of hours. I peered over to Scarlett's window; the curtains were closed. Lights off. She was home. I should go talk to her, I decided. I was too drunk to second guess myself. It was the middle of the night, but all I could think about was how much I wanted her. I stumbling about the room, grabbing a tee and chucking it over my head. Not forgetting the half-empty bottle of vodka as I leave my room. Trying and failing to keep quiet as I stumble down the stairs. I fumble with my shoes, putting them on the wrong foot the first time around. Once they were on, I walked out the front door. The door clicking locked behind me. Fuck I forgot my keys. Oh well.
I try the front door. Locked. Shit. I didn't have my phone. No, wait, it was broken anyway. God, I was thirsty. I lean on the railing. Twisting off the lid on my bottle, dropping it in the process. Fuck it; I'll just have to finish the bottle. I take a large gulp. Setting the bottle down on the porch before stalking round to the side of the house. Scarlett's window was visible on the second floor. “Scar!” I whisper a little too loudly.
Nothing. I look around, finding a handful of gravel. Then start chucking them at her window. Like they do in the movies. Expect I'm pretty sure normally they are not drunk. The thought made me chuckle. I defiantly wasn't sober.
Her bedroom light turns on. Then a pissed looking Scarlett appears in the window. Like my own Rapunzel, except you know way hotter. None of that long pink dress crap. Mine was wearing a black silky vest top. She opened the window, glaring at me. “What the hell do you want?” She scowled, her voice a harsh whisper.
“I...I” I had no fucking idea what to tell her. “I wanted to say sorry?” I offer, not sure where I was going with this? My words slurping.
“Are you high? it’s the middle of the night!” She questions, crossing her arms. She wasn't wearing a bra. The movement making her breasts stick out. God, she was hot. I lick my lips.
“No...But I might have had a few drinks.” I shrug. “Can you come down? Or I could come up?” I ask, stuffing my hands in my pockets.
“Go home, Loki”, She orders. God. I liked her mad. I bet she was an animal in bed.
“I forgot my keys”, I admit. She shakes her head at me.
“Unbelievable”, She mutters to herself. Then shuts the window. Pulling the curtains closed. Wait? Where she goo? Was she that mad that she would leave me out here? God, it was freezing. I pick up another handful of gravel and start chucking it at her window again.
“Loki!” Scarlett harsh whisper sounds from behind. Making me jump out of my skin. I drop the gravel, stumbling as I turn to look at her. Her silky blacktop had matching shorts. I couldn't keep my eyes off her legs. “For fuck sake! Get your arse inside!” She hisses. Turning on her heels before storming off. I mental shake myself before sprinting after her. She gives me the death glare before leading me into the house. The lights were off downstairs, and I couldn't help myself as soon as the door closed behind us. I had her pushed ageist the wall, my body pinning her in place. A gasp escaping her lips.
“Loki, what are you-?” she breathed, but I didn't let her finish. I crushed my lips ageist hers in silent demand. I wanted her, right here. Right fucking now. A split second later, she kisses me back. Are lips melting together. My hands grasping at her hips. My body pressed hard ageist her. Her hands fisting my tee, pulling my lips closer. I growl, biting her bottom lip, making her moan. Her lips parting. I press my tongue into her mouth, finding hers. Her soft sweet taste making me crazy. My hands move down to her arse, picking her up. Her legs wrapping around my hips. Our lips never parting. I press my rock hard member ageist her core. Letting her feel my want. My desire. She gasps. Arching her back, her hips starting to grind ageist me. Like a pro. “Fuck”, I groan. Burying my face in her neck. My hands squeezing her arse. She felt so fucking good.
“Scarlett?” Adam called.
Fuck! Shit. Reality hit me like a bucket of ice-cold water. My head snapping to the stairs. To my horror. I could see the shadow of someone in the upstairs hallway. The footsteps of someone upstairs. Holy shit. I had just dry humping my best friend sister in the middle of the fucking hallway. I let go, letting her get back down to her feet. I didn't know what to do.
“Scarlett?” Adam called again, his voice closer this time. Scarlett started pushing me toward the living room. I didn't need to be told twice. I pegged it. The room was pitch black, but I didn't care. Launching myself into the space and diving behind one of the sofas.
“Kitchen”, She called out. I heard the sound of cupboards being open and closed, then the fridge opening. Adam footstep started down the stairs; my heart was beating out my chest. This was how I was going to die—being caught with my dick in my hands.
His footsteps neared, and I held my breath. Then they walked past the living room door and into the kitchen. I allowed myself to breathe. Focusing on small, quiet breaths. They started talking, their voices muffled. I couldn't make out a word of it. I had done a lot of stupid shit in my life, but this...it was probably the worst. Adam had told me to stay away. And yet, I hadn't. Fuck I was the worst person in history.
