Taming the Ice: #13 Beckett Storm

Chapter 1 (Elodie) My wide green eyes were glued to the ice rink below me. The air crackled with the energy that filled the room as heavy vibrations crept up my legs. I couldn't hear the noises that surrounded me but I could most certainly feel them. I usually turn off my cochlear implant or what I like to call my "ear" whenever I attend Hudson's hockey games. Considering it was the first of the season, I knew the building would be packed. But I made sure to never miss a single game... not since my best friend joined the Minnesota Guardian’s Hockey team. Hudson Lee, not only was he my ride or die, but Hudson has also been my entire purpose since moving to Minnesota when I was eight. I couldn't help but fall head over heels from the first moment I met him... but he didn't exactly know that... not yet anyway. That was all going to change tonight. After my parents, Nathaniel and Valerie Jones found out about my rapid hearing loss, they decided to move us halfway across the country. Considering my father was a doctor, he had many friends who worked at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. But even with some of the most brilliant doctors in the world, there was nothing that could stop the inevitable. I was born with a mutation in my genes where the nerves in my ears didn't quite function the same way they normally should. So over time as I got older, my ability to hear became less and less until I was fully deaf at the age of four. Of course, my dad wasn't going to take that as the final prognosis... so he began looking into treatments. I had gone through four surgeries by the age of nine, and that's when I received a cochlear implant. I have come to accept that my hearing would never be perfect, but the fact that I regained 60% back when I wore it, I was more than happy with that. It made me feel like I had a chance at being normal. A lot of people tend to see me as some poor girl who will have this disability holding me back for the rest of my life... but in reality, I think it strengthens me. Since I'm unable to hear the people around me.., I watch them instead. Picking up on subtle traits others might not notice. Like for instance, the girl right in front of me is totally bored and uninterested in the game going on right below us. I can tell by the way her chest rises and falls with each deep sigh that leaves her lips. Or how she keeps twirling her hair with her finger and pops her gum with her teeth. The biggest giveaway? How she checks her phone every ten minutes. The guy next to her has no clue... he just keeps chugging his beer and cheering. I'm guessing they are dating... probably not for long though, especially since she is texting some guy named Logan. Hudson has never treated me differently though, not since the first day I met him. Hudson was the first smiling face I saw after moving here… and it wasn't that "poor you" type of smile I'm used to getting. I remember it fondly... how he pointed down at my shirt and seemed to laugh... god, I wished I could've heard it at the time. Since getting my cochlear implant, I realized Hudson's laugh is one of my favorite sounds. That and the rain falling outside. "Your shirt is awesome." His lips formed, making me glance down at the kitten on my shirt with the words "meows it going" beneath it. I couldn't help but smile brightly. I thought it was pretty awesome too. But maybe I get my sense of humor from my dad... mom always goes on about how corny he is. Hudson's dad is the same I guess, that's probably why they became best friends too. Hudson's dad, Jin was born in Korea and moved to the US to attend college. That's where he met Hudson's mom Sophie. Our families got along so well that we even began doing trips together. Hudson and I would bunk up and spend all of our time laughing and joking around while our parents joked about us one day getting married. Of course I couldn't show how excited that made me... but Hudson seemed to have a different feeling about it. He always told me that I was like the little sister he never had... granted I was only five months younger than him but that was the first time my heart was crushed by Hudson Lee. I'm hoping it won't be happening again anytime soon. Especially considering I plan on telling Hudson how I feel tonight. I don't know... things just feel... different. Lately, he has been texting me more and even asked to come to my dorm room. And when we watch movies together, he starts playing with my long red hair. I just get this weird feeling like something is changing. I feel like I have been waiting for this moment for my whole damn life! It only took twelve freaking years... and now that we are turning twenty soon... maybe he is seeing me as more than a sister now. Oh god... one can only hope. I swear I have never wanted something so bad in my life. Suddenly I felt someone elbow me in the side, causing my gaze to pull from the rink and settle on Ari's frowning face. "Look." She mouthed, pointing down to her phone. Ari was not only my dorm mate, but she has also become my closest friend, well, besides Hudson. I swear she and Hudson seem to hate each other though. Why that is, I have no clue. I let my gaze settle on the screen of Ari's phone as a text message popped up. Pete: This next score is for you babe ;) I blinked down at the message before scoffing. "I thought you ended things last week?" I asked, making Ari roll her eyes. "I did!! He seems to think this will win me back." I read the words from her lips as she blew a stray brown curl away from her face. Ari is gorgeous... her dark skin, full curves, and perfect curls were enough to make any man fall to their knees. I swear she was born to be famous... maybe a movie star, singer, model... something along those lines. And yet here she is, getting her damn heart broken by assholes like Pete. I don't know why Ari keeps falling for these jerks who end up cheating on her and making her cry for a week straight. "That text got to you didn't it?" I asked suspiciously, seeing Ari's cheeks warm before she shrugged and looked away. It definitely did. Pete also plays for the Minnesota Guardians. He was a right winger and was pretty good at it, I won't lie. It just sucks he ended up being another one of those cheating assholes. But a lot of the guys on the team are like that. Well, everyone but Hudson. Even now I could see all of the puck bunnies waving their little signs and shaking their asses to the music. They come to these games for one reason and one reason only. To sleep with one of those hockey players by the end of the night. I mean, I'm here to cheer Hudson on, but I also love watching the game and seeing the sheer talent and skill of these players. Okay, I'm mostly here for Hudson... is that so wrong? Suddenly the arena shook beneath my feet, causing my eyes to snap to the rink just as a fight broke out. I shot to my feet, searching for that number eight as my heart leaps into my throat. Please don't let him get hurt. I couldn't help but sigh in belief as I saw Hudson skating toward the brawl before going to yank two players apart roughly. Of course, one of them was number 13, Beckett Storm, and I swear that name fits the man perfectly. I watched as his ice-blue eyes snapped to Hudson before he pushed past him angrily, shoving his shoulder straight into him. Beckett Storm was one of the best players on the team but he also had the sketchiest reputation. He seemed to love getting into fights both on and off the rink. I try to stay as far away from Beckett as possible considering he and Hudson don't get along. Suddenly I watched as those ice-blue orbs flicked to the crowd next and when I saw them travel straight towards me, I swear I froze. Why was Beckett looking at me?! Or maybe I'm mistaken. I turned my head, peering behind me as I saw a group of girls were now giggling and I swear I let out a sigh of relief. He must've been looking at them. Okay, maybe Beckett makes me a little nervous. I mean, he isn't exactly bad looking. But I know trouble when I see it, and Beckett Storm is trouble with a capital T. Just as I turned back to watch Hudson skating to the middle of the rink, Ari nudged me again before smiling suspiciously. "What?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. "Well... Pete says there's this party." Great...