My Hockey Alpha

Nina

“Fancy seeing you here,” Justin said with an oddly warm smile. “Can I sit with you?”

I bit my lip and glanced around quickly, half expecting Lisa or someone else to be snickering nearby as if this was all a prank — but there was no one else. It seemed as though he came alone. Why was he acting so different all of a sudden and dressed like Enzo? It all felt a bit weird and I didn’t really want to stick around to see what would come of it.

“I was actually just leaving,” I said, shutting my laptop and standing as I slipped my things into my bag. Justin looked immediately saddened, but what could I do? He was my ex and I had made it clear, multiple times, that I wouldn’t be open to any sort of friendship or relationship with him after I found him cheating on me with

Lisa in my own bed!

“Oh,” Justin said with a sad frown, his shoulders drooping. “Well, see you around, then.”

I managed a pitiful smile before turning on my heel and practically running out of the coffee shop.

What was all that about?

Jessica and Lori were waiting for me when I got home. Jessica was sitting on the floor with a little handheld mirror as she did her makeup, and Lori was texting on the couch when I entered.

“You’re going out with us tonight,’

Jessica said matter-of-factly, not looking up from the mirror..

I stozped in the kitchen and cocked my head. “Oh?” I replied, a bit annoyed that it seemed that my roommates had decided for me already. “And where are we going?”

club in town,” Lori replied. “It’s their

Lori and Jessica had already made up their minds. I loved them, but they were

on the counter and heading to my room to shower and get

asked, looking over her shoulder at me with a smirk. I paused at my door, not wanting to think

date,” I replied. “We were just

returned to her

were standing in line outside the club,

nothing but a skimpy, sparkly pink dress with heels while Lori and I were both comfortable in the cold with our jackets on over

much trouble,” Jessica replied. “I hate having to deal with coat

I looked at each

checking our ID’s, which he had been doing with all of the girls so far. It seemed that they just wanted as many college girls as possible inside, which was a somewhat gross practice

Jessica grabbed both Lori’s and my hands and dragged us straight toward the bar, where she immediately ordered three shots of some alcohol that I couldn’t hear her pronounce over the loud club music. The bartender filled three shot glasses and handed them to

shouted over the music, clinking her shot glass with us and downing it like a ditsy sorority girl. Lori and I gave each other another look at our friend’s goofy behavior and took our

music, the flashing lights making them look like they were moving almost robotically. Jessica, of course, wanted to be right in the center of the group and wriggled her way in with Lori and I on her heels. I took a big swig of my drink and scanned the crowd, happy to see that neither Enzo nor Justin

sight,

good just to let loose without having

way through the dance floor and walked over to the bar, leaning on it and letting my sore feet rest for a little bit. The bartender leaned toward me and cupped his hand around his

Jessica’s blonde ponytail bouncing above the crowd. She was pretty tall for a

me and smiling at me. He looked a bit older and had a businessman look about him. The bartender had already placed down my drink and the guy next to me had his own drink in his hand. I shrugged and picked up

closer. He smelled like cologne and in my tipsy state, it