The Hockey Playboy Next Door

Annie I never thought my biggest humiliation would lure my high school crush to me. Like every high school girl, I had a dream, a big dream of happy ever after but the one my heart beats for doesn't even look my way. I walked down to the rink with a red rose on my hand and a cheerful expression on my face. I was in high spirits. Admired by everyone I passed by, every guy wanted me but I didn’t want them but Fredrick. Sometimes it is okay to go for what we want. “Fredrick” I called, he pulled away his helmet. “Will you go to the school prom with me?” There is something about Fredrick I have known for a really long time, is the fact he likes flowers. It should be a woman thing but then that’s the secret I have to keep between the both of us. “Annie” he paused, making my heart skip for a second. Will he accept or reject me right in front of his teammates? His cheek lifted. “Yes I will” he took the flowers and spins me around before pushing me down on his right arm. “Annie..Annie” Elena clicks her finger bringing me out of my thoughts. “Do you think you can do it?” Elena sat besides me, her eyes all on me. We were at the school cafeteria. I took a quick glance at Fredrick who sat discussing with his teammates at a far distance not close to mine, clutching my bag close to myself with Fredrick's favorite flower in my hand. “He doesn’t even remember me. This is a bad idea” “Make him remember then. Annie, this is your childhood friend. He will surely remember you” Ever since Fredrick got transferred, he never approached me, he never looked at me and never acknowledged we were once friends. “He's the golden boy everybody wants and I’m nothing” my face lowered to the ground. “You either go hard or go home” “I bet I would go home then” I sat up not wanting to listen to Elena persuade me anymore before I bumped into her. I panicked when I saw who I bumped into. I wasn’t even looking. I quickly apologized but it was already too late. Two girls held me down, my bags and my phone together with my flower fell to the ground. “Annie” Elena ran towards me but she was held down too by Cella girls. A rude and disrespectful bully who thinks the world revolves around her. The captain cheerleader and Fredrick girlfriend. I have seen both of them kissing each other. “I’m sorry I wasn’t looking” “You lost your way going to the garden” “Oh my gosh” one of Cella’s girls yelled, raising my phone. Oh my God! I have been caught, I panicked. This should be the worst day of my life. “Annie has Fredrick photos as her Lock Screen” she announced. Cella's face widened as she took the phone before looking at me. A face, a mask of something dark, I could see every nerve on her neck. “What is my boyfriend’s picture doing on your phone?” She asked a question which I didn’t even have an answer to. I thought seeing his face each time on my phone will make him close to me. She laughs gleefully. “Fredrick will never know your name. He doesn’t even know you exist” Awchi, that hurts! “Let me teach you a good lesson and you will learn to stay away from my man” she said in a possessive tone. She was brought a plate of food and its contents were emptied on me. Something hot was poured on me too, probably coffee or tea but I racked of spicy food all over me, including my hair. I rattled on the ground before I managed to stand now circled by other students who were laughing and recording. I wanted the ground to open and swallow me whole but it never did. My cheeks burned with so much embarrassment. I couldn’t leave because I was blocked all round, I was held down to the ground again by Cella girls who dragged my clothes and it torn into half revealing my inner wear. I scrubbed the pieces to cover my naked body. “Look at her bra like my nanny’s own” I heard one of the students say. “She must have borrowed it from her grandma” another said and they began to laugh. I fought back the tears that threatened to spill out. I shut my eyes hoping the voices could go away. It was so embarrassing. “You’re a nobody and the lowest in the food chain and people like us trample on you. I don’t ever want to see you close to Fredrick…” She paused, pushed me to my heels, her hands tightened on my jaw forcing me to look at her. “You don’t even deserve to breathe the same air as him. If I ever see you an inch close to him. I will lock you up at the locker room and let you rot” “Do you understand me?” her split was all over my face. I nodded before she pushed me down but yet it wasn’t enough for her. “Are you dumb? When I ask you a question you answer” I couldn’t find words to speak. Too ashamed and too weak too. Cella is that girl in school who has her way on people and gets away with it. Today is an unlucky day for me. I had avoided even her shadow yet I fell into her trap. Her girls began to throw trash to my face. I curled myself up with my head low and that was when the tears began to drop. I have never felt this humiliated all my life, weak and vulnerable. Elena was dragged and there isn’t any chance of anyone coming to save me. “What the f**k is going on here?” I heard a familiar voice that made my heart skip. Am I dreaming? “What did you do to Annie?” I squeezed my eyes open and it was him.