THE ICE KING'S CLAIM

Raven. Today there is a hockey match between our campus' hockey team, the Glacier Kings, and the neighbouring school's, the Ice breakers. I understand nothing about hockey, but, I still show up, in every match, sit through the chaos, the cheers and the adrenaline, because the hockey star, Julian Roth is my boyfriend. It's the least I can do to support him and today, unlike the many days when I am alway seated in the front lines before the match kicks off, I am late. Our arts department had a test and I couldn't bail for anything, I still sat through it, with guilt and determination equally burning through me. Luckily, being a top student, and our homeroom's favourite, had its perks. I was allowed to leave earlier, immediately after I was done with my test. The walk from the teaching blocks to the sports arena felt longer than usual, and my heart was an erratic mess as I made my way there. To my dismay, by the time I got to the arena, the match was over and, the rink was almost empty, with just a few figures, clustered together, and judging from the deafening cheers, my school's team must have won. That should have been given, right? I mean, Julian's hands were gifted, and the rink was his fort. He would be disappointed that I missed the main part, but I was going to make it up to him tonight. Maybe, a sexy red lingerie, a bottle of wine, and a sensual night for our first time? The thought of it had a blush creeping to my cheeks as I made my way to our school's team. And there, cheerleaders, enthusiast and fans stood in a circle, surrounding a couple that were clearly locked together in a fiery kiss. From where I stood, I could see the girl's back, a slim blonde, breathtakingly beautiful even with her back facing me. Her skater skirt rode high, higher than I was comfortable with, leaving her thighs to the display. I knew who she was. Victoria Hale, the Campus's new sensation, the recent transfer and the cheerleading queen, beautiful, proud and confident, meant for the sportlight, something that I wasn't. Recently, she had been the talk of the campus, and the girl that every guy wanted to date. And from the public display, one of the hockey players seemed to have snagged her heart. Good for them. Not interested with the public make out session, I steered my gaze from the breathless pair, searching for a familiar face, my boyfriend's. With his popularity, the absolute star, he shouldn't have been hard to find, unless, he had already left the arena. I was about to turn and leave, but before I could, something prompted me to take a look at the pair, call it instinct, and when I did, I froze in place as I looked at the scene before. The couple were now a part, kiss ended, breathless, both panting, struggling to catch their breaths, and as I looked at that familiar face, those swollen lips from being kissed, I was struggling to catch my breath too, but for different reasons. It was disbelief, anger, and something deeper, something more cruel-esteem. The star of the make out show, also happened to be the star of the Ice hockey, and also, my boyfriend, Julian f*cking Roth. His hands were still delicately wrapped around her tiny waist, his eyes locked on her, the look on his eyes gentle, dreamy, something that I had once thought was exclusively meant for me. She was the cheerleading queen, and he was the star hockey player. And looking at them, a string of tears fell from my eyes. They looked perfect, and....I hated to admit it, but I felt small, ridiculous, for ever thinking that I and Julian looked good together. No one seemed to notice me. All eyes were on them, and their eyes were on each other. I should have slipped away, when no one was noticing, saving myself some face, the humiliation, and yet, I found myself squeezing past the tight circle, all the way to the ring. "Julian?" I called out, my voice bitter, broken, but my face clear. I had already wiped away the tears. " Oooh, Raven?" He acknowledged, casually, like I meant nothing, like I was a nobody to him, but that was not even the saddest part. His eyes were not even on me. They were with her, and that hurt more than I could explain why. It made me feel small, insignificant. " What is the meaning of this?" I asked, forcing composure, pretending I wasn't breaking while in reality, I could barely stay grounded. " This is what is called love, Raven." He whispered, softly, his words drilling through my heart with a numbing effect. "I have found someone that I genuinely love. And that person is Victoria Hale." Tenderly so, he declared, and I felt like my whole body was on fire, I wanted to scream, to slap the two, to tear them apart, and yet, I settled for clenching my fingers instead.. That was love? Then what did he call what we had? "You understand nothing about hockey. You and I don't belong to the same world."He went on. " Victoria, on the other hand, is everything I would want in a girlfriend." " She is beautiful, cheerful, and lively.." He didn't even need to proceed. I knew what was next, boring. Compared to Victoria, I was boring. " I helped you get used to the campus and big city life.." The arena was quiet, save for his cruel voice. All eyes were on us, curious, mocking, and some were burning from secondhand embarrassment, on my behalf. " Let's..." He started, but I didn't let him finish. I couldn't. For my sanity, for the sake of the little dignity I had left.. " You are right, Julian." I whispered, my steady voice scaring even me. He looked surprised, too. " But I have something to tell you, too " I added, peeling my gaze from him. " I have found someone that I love, too." And with that, I locked my eyes with my target, took a few steps to where he stood, and before he could react, I locked my lips with his . Into a deep kiss ..