Luciano looked down on Roman, his frown deepening.
His fist clenched.
“Are you okay?” The coach asked, visible lines of worries etched into his face.
“Yes..s.” Roman answered with practiced difficulty, more aware of Luciano’s burning gaze on him.
His chest rising and falling heavily.
Above him, a circle of faces appeared.
Some looked concerned.
Others looked curious.
And only one looked downright furious.
Luciano Anderson.
Even angry, the boy was ridiculously handsome.
“Give him some water.”
Someone shoved him a bottle of water.
Roman took only two large sips before gagging.
Water nearly came back up.
Several players laughed.
Roman wiped his mouth and groaned.
“Take it easy.”
“I’m fine,” Roman muttered
Joshua and another player helped him sit up.
“Seems like someone can’t handle a standard ice.” Luciano spat out his voice full of contempt.
“Seems like someone is too slow to handle a puck.” Roman replied.
A few players gasped.
Others immediately looked away.
Nobody has ever spoke to Luciano like that.
“You got your hands on the puck once by pure luck and toppled over like a clumsy toddler. Is this how you are going to win the championship? You can’t be part of this team.”
“Tell that to me when you can make a pass with your eyes closed.”
“Enough.” The coach barked at them.
“Stand up Roman.”
Joshua and another boy wanted to help him stand but Roman shrugged their hands away.
“I can stand on my own.” Roman muttered firmly.
He dug the edges of his steel skates into the scratched ice, using his strength to push his heavy frame upward.
Once standing, his face was perfectly level, eye-to-eye with Luciano.
The rink fell silent.
Joshua visibly cringed.
Several players exchanged nervous looks.
Fiery green eyes piercing into Unyielding blue eyes.
Time seemed to hold its breath.
Intangible sparks and thick streams of condensation mist flew in between their faces as they breathed heavily.
The temperature of the rink dropped more than necessary.
Luciano’s eyes were searching and probing.
What is it about this boy that bothered him so much.
Why did he keep getting under his skin?
The moment he first heard Roman’s name from Coach Ferdinand, something had felt wrong.
A strange feeling.
An annoying feeling.
Now that Roman stood before him, Luciano felt it even more strongly.He has a feeling that his life would never remain the same.
His boring mundane life is about to be turned around for the better.
Roman stared back with equal intensity, his blue eyes looking calm and stormy at the same time.
The boy before him was tearing him apart with burning green eyes.
He couldn’t seem to fathom what the boy is thinking exactly at the moment but Roman has no doubt it was something close to murdering him.
The coach stepped in between them.
His body heaving in between them.
Breaking their intense stare down
“I need to talk to you Luciano.” The coach said.
There was a sense of urgency in his voice
Luciano puffed his breath, a stream of ice trailed out of him.
“Later coach.” He turned, dropping his skate noisily in the ice.
He skittered off.
Roman and the Coach watched Luciano’s back walking away until he disappeared out of their sight.
Coach Ferdinand sighed and turned to Roman.
He examined him again all over.
“Are you sure you are okay? You fell so hard over there.”
“Yes I am fine, I am just getting used to this ice rink.”
“If you have any problem don’t hesitate to tell me. We want you all in peak form. As for Luciano, I am going to talk to him, be rest assured. You boys needs to stay out of trouble”
“Thank you coach.”
The Truth is that this is not the type of ice rink that Roman was used to playing on.
The ice was so smooth, the rink so large.
The bright lightning was another headache of its own.
It shone so bright that sometimes Roman felt his vision affected.
The stick felt heavier in his hands.
The protective gear restricted his movements.
The puck bounced differently from what he was used to.
Roman knows that he needs time to get used to all these things.
He has never played in a standard ice rink before. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
The rink here doesn’t even look like a college ice rink.
It looks like a professional ice rink.
He had never worn a proper gear to play before.
Roman wasn’t struggling because he lacked skill.
He was struggling because of the unfamiliarity.
He has to allow himself to get used to the changes but it needs to be fast.
The championship cup has already been set.
There are also many high profile inter-school tournaments in between that will also determine their final ranking.
He already has a great start and a great play.
His raw dribbling skill is almost next to none.
He just find it hard to maintain the momentum because of the heavy gear and suffocating atmosphere of the elite academy wearing down on him.
And then there is also Luciano Anderson….sighs.
He can’t continue like this.
If he kept falling during practice matches, people would begin questioning why he was recruited.
Roman refused to let that happen..
But he doesn’t want to tell the coach.
He doesn’t want to worry him.
The coach blew his whistle and announced a short break.
Roman decides to use that opportunity and slip away.
****
Luciano was sitting on a cushioned metallic bench on his special corner in the locker room.
He has removed his gears, it layed scattered around him.
Sweat poured out of his body.
His breathing was uneven.
His hands fidgeted slightly as he struggled to open the orange cover of a supplement container.
When he opened it.
It contained a whitish small tablet.
His eyes darted around frantically as if he is commiting a serious crime.
His ears strained for approaching footsteps.
When he was sure no one was coming he pooped out two white tablets and swallowed them instantly without water.
The tablets melted on his tongue and started seeping into his bloodstream.
The bitter taste coated his tongue instantly.
He closed his eyes and leaned his head back as its sensation washed over him.
A wave of calm washed over him.
His muscles loosened.
His breath steadied
Suddenly the door of the locker spluttered open.
Luciano’s eyes moved sharply to it.
Then Roman entered, Luciano frowned as Roman locked eyes with him yet again.
‘Why is he everywhere?’ Luciano thought.
Then Roman’s gaze drifted downward.
Toward the orange container still clenched in Luciano’s hand.
A flicker of curiosity crossed Roman’s face.
Luciano’s grip tightened instantly.
His pulse spiked.
“What are you looking at?” Luciano asked in a husky cold voice.
Roman’s eye moved from the orange plastic container Luciano was shielding tightly in his grasp to his face tinged with cold sweat.
“I don’t know it’s also a crime to look at my captain.” Roman said.
But then he noticed something that stirred an internal turmoil in his mind.
His eyes darkened as it went to Luciano again.
Luciano is currently sitting beside the locker assigned to him that morning.
His name tag that he has not noticed before sticking to his locker door.
Does this mean that he and Luciano are going to become locker neighbors?
That they were forced to share the exact same narrow corner of the room every single day?
“Watch your mouth, I am not your captain.” Luciano said, watching Roman’s every movement.
Roman ignored him and walked across the locker room until he stopped in front of his locker and opened the door.
Luciano’s eyes expanded in shock.
“What are you doing?” he growled.
Flares shooting up in his eyes.
Roman gave him a bored nonchalant look.
His eyes briefly resting on his glistening chest before prying it away.
“What do you think I am doing?” He tapped his metal door loudly making Luciano flinch slightly.
“Am I bothering you?”
“Not that, I mean why are you opening that locker?”
Roman gave him a lazy smirk.
“Because that is my locker of course.”
Luciano paused.
His brows knitted in a frown.
“Who allowed you to use this locker?”
Roman gave him a quizzing look, his hands perched at the top of his locker making a tapping sound.
“The Coach assigned this locker to me, if you don’t like your locker being close to me you can move.”
“Why did the Coach assign this particular locker to you? Why?”
Luciano’s voice has raised with an octave.
He can’t believe that the Coach gave Roman the locker that belongs the former captain of the Vesperridge wolves.
Him and Alberto used to sit together here before each game discussing pre game plans and strategies. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
This locker held sentimental value for him.
Even when Joshua wanted to move his things into the locker, Luciano held him off claiming he still had things inside the locker.
Now the Coach gave the locker to Roman of all people.
What a mess.
He would rather share it with anybody in the world other than Roman…
He can’t put into words properly how he feels about Roman.
He bothers him.
He made his hair stand and he made him become more self conscious and self aware.
He makes him feel exposed.
“You can ask the Coach yourself why he gave me the locker if it bothers you so much.” Roman said and flicked his tongue he turned towards his locker and opened it not wishing to engage with Luciano further.
He tugged at the neckline of his jersey and pulled it over his head.
The paddings also fell off leaving Roman’s upper body bare.
Luciano’s eyes strained immediately.
And without knowing it his eyes trailed Roman’s body involuntarily.
His body, even though it was not as pale as Luciano’s or other people he knew in Vesperridge City, was smooth and clean.
His olive or tanned complexion which was as a result of staying outdoors for a long time either farming or playing hockey in an open field was glowing with moisture.
Lean muscles splayed his skin.
His back was broad and smooth.
His chest was not as huge as Luciano’s but it was hard and there was a much darker perk on each side of it.
Luciano’s throat dried momentarily when his eyes glazed over that area.
His biceps were moderate in size and his lower arms were splayed with veins.
Other people might think Roman’s skin is darker or dirty but for Luciano this is the most beautiful body he has seen….
Luciano coughed, he caught himself before he went too far.
Was he just admiring Roman’s body right now?
Did he just catch himself feeling an inkling of lust for him?
Is he out of his mind?
He threw his face away quickly but not without Roman catching the burning look on his face.
Roman felt slightly surprised.
How can Luciano go from giving him a murderous gaze a minute ago to looking at him with a hint of longing and desire in his eyes.
But the look quickly condensed into a cold look making Roman think whether he imagined it.
So he decided to tease him.
“Do you like what you see, captain?” He turned to face Luciano fully.
He made sure he was getting a full view of his olive tanned chest and narrow waist.
He intentionally flexed his body and his muscles to know how he would react.
Luciano’s face went from shocked to flushed then to anger when he realized that Roman was deliberately teasing him.
Anger rose in his face.
He would not allow a rural boy that plays hockey in the mud get the best of him.
He stood up.
His hands went to Roman’s neck.
He pushed him backwards until his head hit the metallic door of his locker.
The resounding sound echoed through the locker room.
Luciano was now breathing heavily.
His green eyes wild.
“What do you think you are doing now? Is this how you got your position in this team.”
Roman’s face was not showing any form of anger or panic.
If not, there is a hint of amusement dancing around his eyes.
He seems to be enjoying this.
“What am I doing wrong? I am merely practicing a few warm ups to the upcoming games or does my little body stretches affect you in any way, captain.” Roman tilted his head.
Luciano’s eyes darkened and his grip on Roman’s neck became tighter because he knew the truth.
Roman was indeed affecting him in ways he shouldn’t and with the look in his eyes it seems he knows that.
“Don’t overestimate yourself, muddy boy. The only thing I feel for you is irritation. You irritate me so much that I want you to leave this team. Leave this school and never come back again.”
Roman let out a loud laugh.
He laughed so much until Luciano thought he was crazy.
“Irritated? Captain Anderson, I don’t think you are irritated at all, I think you are just threatened. You are not as good as you think you are. Not even all the money your daddy pours on you can change that. But…”
Roman suddenly held his hands around Luciano’s waist and pulled his body into him.
Earning a grunt from Luciano.
“But if you want we can work together. We can cooperate. We can use our skill to lead this team to glory.” He paused as his eyes moved from Luciano’s green eyes to his lips.
“We can be much more.”
The last part came out in a whisper but its effect was instantaneous on Luciano.
Their proximity was glaring now.
Hard chest pressed against hard chest and Luciano painfully realized that both of them were bare.
They were feeling each other’s heartbeat.
Face mere inches away from each other.
But Luciano decided to stand his ground.
“You must be stupid to think I want anything to do with you.” Luciano said with practiced spite and that was the last straw.
Without warning he dislodged Luciano’s hands from his throat.
He spurned him around and they exchanged positions.
This time around with Luciano’s face pressed to the locker.
Roman crashed into him from behind pinning his hands on the wall.
His legs knocked his legs into position and his hard chest were pressing onto back.
Luciano struggled to break free but Roman had knocked him into position.
Roman leaned in, breath brushing his ear.
His voice was quiet now.
Almost playful.
“Captain,” he whispered, “why is your ass so soft?”