What a morning.

I huffed out a sigh as I plopped down on the pull out couch. Easton had helped me roll out the extension that transformed the cream sectional into a bed. It took up a good chunk of space. So much so that we had to shift the desk in the room closer to the double closet doors. At least I still managed to open one of them and stuff what little I had with me inside.

I bounced up and down to test the mattress now that the sheets Easton had gotten me from the linen closet were on. It was firm, but it was a thousand times better than sleeping on a mat in a storage room.

Exhaustion hit me and I flopped back, my head hitting the pillows. I drew in a breath as I stared up at the ceiling. From what Easton had told me, the extra bedroom had transformed into a junk storage area shortly after they had moved in last year. There had been an attempt to have it be a gaming room. But even with the large window on the one outward facing wall, the cramped space got too hot with all four bodies in there at once.

And so, it was transformed into an office that was never used.

"Are you sure this is okay?" I had said to Easton when he escorted me upstairs about twenty minutes earlier.

For the third time that morning he waved off my concern. "I told you, it's fine. You can stay here for as long as you need to."

I clamped my lips shut. As much as I appreciated the sentiment, there was nothing he could say that would make me feel any less of a burden. It was almost second nature for me to feel that way––my norm. Miles had made me actualize that about myself on more than one occasion. Reassurance did nothing for me. So I stayed silent.

Easton led me down the hall, pointing to different doors as we went.

"That's my room." Easton gestured to the first door on the right of the staircase. "Of course Booker has the primary bedroom," he said, shifting the focus with his pointer finger. "Your room is on the other end."

I hiked the strap of my duffle bag further onto my shoulder as I followed him. The uncomfortable weight was taking its toll after lugging it all the way across campus. The other one dangled effortlessly down Easton's long frame and I was thankful that he had offered to carry it as I was packing up things in the athletic storage room.

As much as I hated to admit it, the sleepless nights and early wake up times had been taking their toll on me. I was wearing myself down. Both mentally and physically. Which is why I was happy––grateful––to take up residence at the Hockey House until I found somewhere else to go.

Easton's hand met a door handle as the other one continued to point. "Hendrix's room is off down that hall. His room is connected to a washroom that he shares with Maverick. It's closer, but if it's too messy in there you can use mine at the other end."

I nodded as he twisted the handle and opened the door.

"Don't mind the mess," he said, as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Booker's a bit of a hoarder. We'll move his stuff into the garage."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I don't plan on being in your hair for long."

Easton gave me a look, but I didn't bother dissecting it. I stepped around him and into the room, grateful for the natural light that poured in through the window. It showcased the thin layer of dust that coated the desk against the wall, but that was nothing a good cleaning wouldn't fix. There was a gaming chair sitting in front of a monitor and a cream couch against the adjacent wall. The rest of the room was filled with other miscellaneous items. Textbooks, hockey sticks, and baseball caps. Lots and lots of baseball caps.

A box full of things later and Easton had left me to unpack the few belongings I had with me.

From one storage room to another, I mused as I continued to stare up at the ceiling. Because if I didn't laugh at my situation, I was sure to cry.

I sat back up, staring at the blank walls of my temporary bedroom. All that mattered was that it was a secure place to stay until I found something more permanent. I fished my phone out of my back pocket. That meant I could get my belongings back. But more importantly, it meant I could go and get Oliver.

My fingers froze over the keyboard as anxiety gripped me.

The wall of messages Miles had sent over the past week slapped me across the face. While I didn't have the courage to block him, I did manage to go almost an entire week without any contact. That was a huge deal for me. I'd fallen into that trap with him one too many times. Anytime I was ready to pull away he was able to rope me back in with his sweet words and countless promises. I was a flower and he had rooted himself as my sun.

But now, peering down at the saccharine phrases that turned sour, I worried how he would respond.

I read over the last few messages over and over again. Was he serious about him wanting me to go and get my stuff or was it all an excuse to try to make me go back to the apartment so he could win me over again? I rubbed at my face and flipped my phone down on the mattress.

I'd revisit this after I had some time to decompress and figure out the logistics.

Like how I was going to transport everything.

A quiver of hunger rumbled through my stomach and the thought of breakfast popped into my head. I hadn't had the most nutritionally balanced meals over the last few days. My diet consisted mostly of granola bars and anything else I could get from the vending machines around the corner from where I was staying. Once a day I would splurge on a hot meal from the Student Centre, but I was aware of my financial situation. Or rather, the lack thereof.

While my parents had given me enough money to pay my part of the lease, Miles had been adamant on helping support me financially.

"I want you to focus on what you're most passionate about," he had told me over the summer break.

And so I foolishly let him take care of everything. It was just another block stacked up against me when I decided enough was enough.

As I left the room I made a mental note to begin applying to jobs around campus. The last thing I wanted was to worry my parents with everything going on.

I just have to take things one step at a time, I reminded myself as I descended down the stairs. One step at a time and hope I didn't land flat on my face.

I plastered on a smile as I reached the bottom of the stairs. This would be the true first impression that these guys had of me and I didn't want it to be a bad one. But just as I reached the main floor I wished I hadn't left the safety of my new room.

"She can't stay here."

Those four words sent draggers through my chest. I stopped in my tracks. The chill of the tiles beneath my feet seeped through my socks as I held onto the banister.

Easton's voice filtered through the front foyer next. "And what would you like me to do, send her back to live in a storage room?"

"I don't care where she goes. All I know is that she can't stay here."

"Come on, Ricky. Have a heart, man." It was an unfamiliar voice this time.

"I have a heart, but we also made a deal, remember? The number one rule of the Hockey House; no girl roommates. No exceptions."

The light clattering of cutlery on ceramic plates told me they were discussing me over what was left of breakfast. While the stinging didn't subside, there was a strong desire to put faces to the voices I was hearing. Especially the one who didn't want me there.

With careful steps, I edged closer to the hallway that led to the kitchen.

"What's the problem with having a girl roommate?" said the one who had been cooking. The striped dish towel was still draped over his shoulder. He leaned against the quartz countertop of the island. That one was Hendrix.

The other guy, who had been sitting in the kitchen when Easton and I walked in, glanced between a couple of his teammates. Brown eyes darken as he scrutinized them. "You can't tell me that the both of you are actually okay with this."

"Why wouldn't we be?" said the one wearing the backwards snapback. That must have been Booker. The one with the hoarding problem.

That left one last roommate; Maverick.

"Remember what Coach said about distractions?"

Hendrix barked out a laugh. "I doubt she's going to be anymore of a distraction that Mila or any other girl you bring around would be."

"Women complicate everything," Maverick replied, his tattooed arms crossed tight over his chest. "I can bring home who I want, fuck who I want, don't have to make sure the toilet seat is down after I piss...why do we want to ruin a good thing?"

Easton was next to speak. "What you're saying is there isn't a woman around that will criticize you for the way you treat other women or hold you accountable."

"Exactly!" Maverick threw his hands out in the air as if they were finally beginning to understand him.

Easton rolled his eyes, running a hand through his black hair. "Celeste's sweet. Even if she does think you're a piece of shit, I doubt she'll say anything to you about it," he explained. It dispelled a little weight off of my heart. "Besides, from the sounds of it, she doesn't plan on staying long."

"Good," Maverick replied, getting up and disappearing from my line of sight to put his plate in the sink. "The sooner she's out of here the better."

Afraid that he was headed in my direction next, I scampered back up the stairs as quietly as my shaky legs would take me. I didn't stop until I was in the safety of my temporary bedroom with my back pressed against the door.

The hunger that had settled in my stomach had subsided. Instead stones of discomfort filled me. Forgotten thoughts of me being a burden flooded back over me tenfold and solidified. If there was any sliver of a possibility of me staying at the Hockey House for the rest of the academic year, it was gone.

I would be out of their hair as soon as the university's housing office got back to me with their availability.

Maverick didn't have to worry about breaking any rules.

_ _ _ _ _

author's note:

Poor Celeste just can't seem to catch a break. I truly feel for her. Also, how are we feeling about Maverick right now? Is he giving off the man-whore douchebag vibes I'm hoping for?

Also, thank you so much for 1k reads already! This story has only been up for a couple of weeks. That's wild.

Have an amazing weekend!

Happy reading!