Forever Mine (ROYAL RIDERS SERIES BOOK #2)

22| Hockey

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Hockey

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Chapter 22: Hockey (Michael's POV)

"I didn't lie to you." 

"Yes, you did," she insisted. "I asked you two days before I found that envelope. I asked what you were thinking, where your head was at with the offer and you told me you were still thinking about it." 

"I was. I only signed the contract that same morning and a few hours later, you showed, we fought, and you ran out." 

She exhaled, looking down guiltily. "I was hurt," she murmured. 

"I know. And I'm sorry I hurt you." 

"Were you? Because you just lied to me right after that. Bold-faced lies." She held my gaze. 

She finally let me into her dorm after fifteen minutes of me banging on the door, begging her to let me in. She opened it and walked right back inside, ignoring me. 

"Amelia, listen to me." I grabbed her arm, yanking her back. 

She took in a sharp breath, crashing right into me. 

"I didn't choose! I..." I held her gaze. Her teary gaze. She was crying. "Wh... why? What? Why are you crying? Why?" 

"Why?" she asked incredulously. "Because you're going to leave me!" She stared at me, blinking to keep her tears at bay. I put my arms around her and she hugged me back just as tightly. 

"No, I'm not," I found myself whispering. "I'm not leaving you. I'm not going anywhere." 

She sniffled, pulling back to look at me. "What?" 

I shook my head. "I thought I could do it but I can't. I can't be there without you." 

"What I said wasn't all a lie. I really couldn't be without you, I didn't want to." 

"But you did just fine anyway," she replied, her words bitter. "You never brought it up again either, you pretended everything was okay, you let me think everything was okay. You didn't even tell me that you were leaving. You just booked your tickets behind my back and kept lying to me. Why?" She stared at me. "Why not just tell me?" 

"I didn't want to hurt you," I shook my head. 

"But you did. You really did," she nodded. "It's why I... left you. It's why I let you go." 

"You're not going to the graduation party?" she asked, sitting on my bed. "Why? Everyone else is going." 

I went to my closet, taking out the bags I already packed. "I have a flight," I murmured, my heart pounding, drumming in my ears. 

"A flight?" she hesitated. "Are you going somewhere? To see your uncle?" 

"I am going to Boston," I huffed, standing in front of her. "But I'm not coming back."