Rougher and Tougher

I leaned against the wall in the banquet room of the hotel. Who would've guessed that the actual combine would be in a banquet hall? It was obviously a makeshift place, as the equipment usually intended for a gym was spread out between stations. I took a large sip of Gatorade as the buzz of the mornings activities still hummed in my veins. Many trainers ran around the stations, writing down stats, and asking what the players needed; if they really needed anything. Unfortunately- I was split up from Hampus this morning since the more defensive defencemen went in group B, the goalies went in group C, and I was stuck with group A- Forwards. I didn't know many forwards here, but as with any other activity, all the forwards seemed to know me. I groaned, not hanging around Hampus has but in a horrible mood- and all the looks continued to be put in my direction.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Smyth?" A petite women with fiery red hair asked, and I nodded; afraid if I said anything it would come out snarky. She led me through the crowd of people over to a machine that looked like a bike with no wheels; I think they called them Excercyles. She mentioned with her hand for me to get on and I did. This wasn't the first time I'd done this- trainers, just randomly came and got you when it was your turn; and you did that until, you've done all of them.

I got on, excited to finally do something that would take my mind off a certain forward who I did know. Whom I couldn't stop thinking about since the moment I woke up this morning.

"When I say go, you will pedal as fast as you can for sixty seconds, okay?" She asked, and I was about to say 'okay' back when she yelled "Go!" And I begun to pedal as hard as I could, my breath coming out in short huffs, my legs burning, along with my lungs. I pushed myself until I couldn't seem to pedal anymore, the bike seemed harder the push, my legs seemed weaker, but before I could completely slow to a stop, she said "Stop!"

"Good Job, Smyth," The petite red haired lady said, and I smiled; then thanked her. She told me to go wait for a guy named Brent, so I could do the treadmill- which she said was the longest, and the last exercise today. I went back to my original place on the wall, just to have my mind flooded with the same thoughts.

My eyes floated over to Alexander as I revisited the memory of the kiss. I rolled my eyes at either him or myself, I wasn't entirely sure. Soon, as if he sensed my discomfort, Brent- a tall, brown haired tan skinned boy appeared with a clipboard in hand, and a t-shirt that said 'NHL draft Combine'.

"Hello." His voice was hinted with a southern accent, "If you'd come with me?" He asked, and I nodded, not because I thought I was going to be rude but, because he was so attractive it shocked me.

Like the red haired lady, he lead me through the crowd but instead of an exercise bike as a machine, it was a very new looking treadmill. He moved over closer to it, and begun talking to a few other guys with a V02 to monitor my breath intake, I guess. He begun punching something into the treadmill.

"Okay, get on." Brent said, gesturing, like the lady did, to the machine. I nodded, and got on. I wasn't the greatest runner, I think the longest I could last was about 17 minutes, give or take. He handed me the tube to the V02 machine, and I stuck it in my mouth.

"Just run for as long as you possibly can, when I say sprint- you sprint- when I say walk- you walk. Nod if you understand." He directed, and as he said, I nodded. It started off slow, and steady; only at about the level three or so- I could've walked it but, he didn't say walk and after his directions- I didn't want to fuck up.

It had taken a few minutes, about five for him to finally say sprint, and I did for at least a full four and a half minutes- which for me was a marathon on its own. To my surprise I wasn't totally out of breath, my lungs stung a little but other than that I was okay. Around the twelve minute mark, he told me to walk for a minute, even though I wasn't that tired, it was still amazing. I bypassed my set time of seventeen minutes, and by the time I hit twenty; some players were crowding around us. He yelled sprint for the last time at twenty-five minutes, and by that time- it was totally wearing on me. My calves were on fire, along with my lungs; I was getting a cramp it my side. I sprinted until half an hour, then I begged him to stop.

I collapsed in a chair on the opposite side of the room where I was leaning, holding a cup of Gatorade in one hand and my dignity in the other. I couldn't wait to go to my room and take a nap, or maybe get something to eat. My stomach growled with certainty. I was up on my feet, about to walk away when Brent; the guy from before stopped me. He wore a wicked smile on his face.

"Hey," He said, stepping in front of me, "You did a great job." He said, his tone borderline seductive. He bit his lip, and I had to do the same because I was about to burst out laughing. He reached for my hand, but I took it away at the last minute.

"Brent, I have to go shower and eat." I said, trying to break away from him as I sidestepped him. However, he didn't have the same plans, he grabbed my upper arm, and squeezed. He pulled me back to face him, his eyes dark and scary.

"Jordan, don't do this. I know you want me." He warned, his voice threatening and frightening while his glare was penetrating to my bones. How did he know my first name? I hadn't told him. I didn't want him! I just wanted to leave. I tried to wrench my arm out of his grasped but, I couldn't manage it with his grip.

I noticed now, that people had filed out of the room for lunch, and we were alone in the back right corner of the banquet hall. I needed to get out of her, out of this situation. I wanted to scream but, it would probably make things worse; he'd deny it and they'd believe him. I wrenched again, clawing at his face with my fingernails. Just as I scratched him, he dug his fingers in the muscle underneath my arm, and I let out a long shriek. Suddenly, I was being yanked out of Brent's grasp, and being pushed behind my saviour. Someone with buzzed brown hair, I couldn't take the time to tell him I was grateful as he quickly jumped on Brent; pinning him up against the closest wall, his fist raised. He'd be disqualified if he hurt one of the trainers; even if he was saving me. I touched Alex's long muscular arm, and his eyes snapped to mine. The look he was just giving Brent was as scary as the situation itself, a deep fire burned deep in them; his jaw was clenched, and his eyes were squinted into slits.

"Alex, let's go." I said, as calmly as I could, with a begging tone, "Please. Just leave it alone." My fingers curled around his bicep, gently giving it a light squeeze. His eyes bored into mine, his angry look dissolving into an understanding look. He slowly lowered his arm into my grip, and I tugged him away from Brent.

"You lay a finger on her," Alex's voice was so deathly calm it was almost murderous, "I will make it a personal goal to make your life a living hell." Alex growled, while I gave him one last tug and after he was done glaring at Brent, he came along, wrapping his arms around me, then kissing the top of my head.

"Are you alright, honey," He whispered into my ear as we exited the hall, and out into a long hallway that branched off to the elevators and if you turned left at the end- you'd be in the Lobby. I was in stunned silence as he pressed the up button for the elevator. He hadn't loosened his grip on me, and if you didn't know us, you would've thought we were married or at least going out.

All I could do was nod. I was petrified, shocked, scared to look at any man (besides Alex) ever again. But I was alright. Although I knew Alex didn't believe me. I didn't believe me either. As soon as we got into the elevator, Alex held up the arm that Brent had be clinging onto. There was four bloody nail marks on the under skin of my arm, and it looked swollen; no doubt there'd be a bruise there tomorrow. Alex growled as he traced with a light touch the half moon nail marks. He looked as if he could rip off Brent's head, but he settled for kissing each of the marks with his light lips.

"I'm so sorry." He said, when the elevator doors opened. I noticed not what he said but, what floor we were on. This wasn't my floor, it was his. I couldn't get off the elevator, my mind jumped to all kinds of conclusions.

"Jordan?" He asked, touching my shoulder lightly. He sighed, "I just want to keep an eye on you, in case he comes back for more." He uttered the last half like he would actually kill him if he came back for more. I saw the logic in his reason, and grabbed his hand; intertwining our fingers.

I shuddered at what he would do if he came back. The thoughts scared me enough, I pressed up against Alex, tears threatening to come. I didn't want to cry but, if I was going to cry in front of anyone, I'd like it to be Alex. He unlinked our fingers, and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, drawing me closer to him. Before I knew it there was small tears streaking my cheeks, and those small tears turned into bawling into his chest as he opened the door to his room. He held me close to his chest, as he walked me over to his bed on the far side of the room.

"Baby," He purred calmly, as I cried into his shoulder, "He won't hurt you again," He paused, kissing the top of my blonde hair again,

"I'll make sure of it."

Notes

Ohhhhhh dammnnn. I know, I know! WHY DIDN'T YOU UPDATE SOONER, BITCH? Well, I had a tad bit of writers block, but now- You're probably like:



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