Chapter 4

Reign, age 18

Hockey is my number one love, and it will never change. The two things that follow are close seconds: making Riley Conrad miserable and strawberry shakes. All of which I have accomplished in the past few hours. I can't wait for Riley to figure out what I've done after she lost our most recent challenge. It's always fun to leave her hanging; she never expects the payback when it happens. I had snapped a picture of her drinking last weekend and somehow, it slipped to her coach. Anytime this week she should be finding out and most likely there will be some type of consequence. It is good for me, and bad for Riley and her school's hockey team.

"What time are we leaving for camp next week?" Leif, my best friend and team goalie, turns to me and asks.

Next week starts our summer camp before school. While the normal season starts in October, our coach likes to keep us on the ice as much as he can. Dryland camp is meant to work on our speed, agility, and conditioning before the summer is over. It helps that there's a lake on the property as well and a beach a few miles down where we often sneak out to party. Usually the girls' team tries to get paired with us when we go, but this year they managed to slide into a different camp. Not that I mind because the team that slipped in, in their stead is the Pirates girls' team. I'm keeping that information to myself, and I can't wait to see what Riley will do with that information.

"Try to get there at nine. We start the same day." I shrug at him. He turns to some of our teammates and they talk about the new information.

My gaze wanders around the area, taking in the various kids I go to school with and a few from other neighboring areas. Pirates, Eagles and Saints alike. Raising my glass up, I take a drink of the best strawberry shake of my life. Seriously, the reason this diner is my favorite is because of these things. I'm about to order a second one when my other best friend, Carter, and our star defenseman, elbows me in the side.

"Con-man is here. She looks pissed."

"She's hot when she's mad." A different player on my team almost fucking moans out loud and I shoot him daggers with my eyes.

I used to be best friends with the girl; she was funny and nice with a temper that rivaled my own. I've seen her grow and change over the years. I'm not blind or stupid. I noticed the very feminine changes in her three years ago when she found me at the end of summer break after spending the whole time out of state with a distant grandparent. I had been pissed she wasn't around to torment while also shocked when she got back. Her body changed, suddenly curvy and soft in all the right places. As a fifteen-year-old I noticed her tits had filled in. And so had all my friends. The ban against her started then. I carefully drove off every male to ever pay her attention. If Riley dated at all during high school, it was over my dead body. I couldn't explain why I cared. I just wanted her to be miserable and without a boyfriend.

Even now as she storms over to me, her dark brown eyes spitting fire and her cheeks tinged pink, she looks like an avenging angel. It is a constant war within myself. I hate her. I want to end her. She is pretty. I want to touch her. No one else can have her. Riley is my personal punching bag.

"I can't believe you stooped that low," she practically growls at me.

I know my face is radiating smugness. So she found out early then. "Should be more careful next time."

Her eyes glint with malice. "Everyone was drinking at that party, asshole, including you. I have to sit out for our first home game."

I laugh, the sound taking us both by surprise. I had not expected her coach to go that far. It was off season and she wouldn't be the only one this summer who had snuck some drinks. My shoulders shrug. "Who knew the Pirates' coach was so strict."

I can see the different emotions war with each other across her face. Anger. Shock. Confusion. Hurt. It's the last one that always seems to make my heart pinch even when it shouldn't. Riley did this to herself. She brings out the worst in me, ever since we were little and we stopped being friends. Still, the fear is always there that one day she'll give up on our challenges. One day our worlds will be forced in different directions, and while I can't wait to escape this town and live out my college and NHL dreams, part of me is hesitant.

"Try harder next time. Just like you should when you play the Eagles in a few weeks. You don't need another repeat of last year," I remind her of the shame when they almost lost to our city's biggest boundary war rivals.

Her eyes turn almost black and her lips thin out. I think she might slap me. Or yell. I'm not prepared and completely stunned when a cold, wetness hits my head and drips down my cheeks. My perfect, tasty, pink shake is on my head, slowly sliding down my face.

"You should learn to guard better, Thorn. Remember that when you touch the ice at all this year. Someone is always waiting for you to mess up." She turns and flounces out of the diner with her two friends in tow.

A wet rag is dropped next to me. "Guess she found out." Leif grunts and Carter chuckles next to him. I should be pissed. I should be chasing her out of here, finding a way to destroy her again. It's completely lost on me why all I can do is sit here, grinning. She dumped my shake over my head. Riley is a firecracker and a pain in my ass, but I look forward to our challenges. I don't know what I will do when this ends. I can't let myself think that far.