FTB

Practice ended almost two hours later. Audrey had fallen asleep in the bleachers. The rest of the girls were up and chatting with Dana. Audrey's face was near the tunnel to the changeroom. Sam smirked when he saw her asleep. He took his empty water bottle and squeezed it at her. A bit of water shot into her face and she shot up. She jumped over the railing onto his back. He laughed, carrying her back to the changeroom door.

"I'm gonna kill you!" She yelled, wrapping her hands around his neck.

He leaned to the side, having her place her feet on the ground. She rested against the wall and faced her. He began leaning in before Danielle let out a whistle to signify the cameras coming. He growled and rustled her hair with a grin. She kicked him in the butt as he walked away. She let out a sigh then frowned at Danielle. Dani frowned back.

All the girls went to their boyfriends. Audrey waited with Dana. The crew asked Audrey to take Dana to where they'd be interviewing her. She nodded, guiding her new friend down the halls. Dana wanted to ask Audrey more about Sam but knew they would both always have cameras on them. She patted her friend on the back.

Candice wrapped her arms around Aaron's neck. He shrugged her off. She furrowed his brows at him. He took a deep breath and gave her a peck before walking into the changeroom. Candice threw out her hands. There was no reason for Aaron to be acting like that.

"Did my boyfriend of almost four years just curve me?" She exclaimed, her hands still out.

Michael chuckled, his arms wrapped around Dani. "Ekky is the curve king." He stated.

"I know! I enjoy when he curves other girls, but not me." Candice huffed.

"What does 'curve' mean?" One of the producers asked.

"It's like rejecting someone trying to get with you or get something from you." Kylee said, shrugging as she explained it.

"Maybe he's just tired, Can. They did have a two hour practice." Kaylynn suggested as SB walked into the changeroom.

"You're never too tired for your girl though." Andre smiled at Holiday.

Candice leaned against the wall, waiting on Aaron. She was scrolling on her phone, not even on anything. She was pissed off. Even if he was tired, he could've kissed her. If he was mad about something, he could've told her. She let out a long sigh before hearing the changeroom door open. Aaron walked out and right over to her. She glared up at him. He leaned down and gave her a small peck

"Not so hard, huh?" She spat.

He gave her a look. "We can talk in the car."

"Uh, guys," Audrey's voice interrupted as she walked back into view. "I just saw Mack in a city jacket. I think he works here."

"Fuck me." Kaylynn mumbled, earning a nudge from Kylee.

"Good for Mack. Let's go, please." Candice snapped at Aaron.

She took his hand and guided him out. He took his hand from hers. She stomped to his car. She glared through the car at him as she waited for her door to be unlocked. He unlocked his door, allowing the rest of the doors to unlock. She climbed in and buckled up as he placed his bag in the trunk. He finished up and came to the front seat. She allowed him to back out before she spoke.

"Okay, spit, Ekblad. What the fuck is your problem?" She growled.

"You know how all us guys are getting little features in this documentary?" He asked as he turned onto the street. She nodded. "I just want to be taken seriously in mine."

"Kissing your long-term girlfriend would make you a joke how?" She hissed.

"I wasn't finished, Candice." He said, sternly. She slouched in her seat, putting her feet on the dash. "I don't want to risk my chances of going further with hockey, maybe even the show. People are gonna see me in this and the way I play, and I need them to know I'm serious."

"Again, how am I a part of that?" She was confused.

"You're a distraction." He bit his lip.

"I'm a what?" She screeched.

"Can,"

"Pull over." She cut him off.

"What? No. Candice,"

"Pull the fuck over!"

"Can you let me finish?" He hollered.

"No, I'm distracting you from driving!" She screamed. "Four fucking years together and I'm suddenly a god damn distraction? Fuck you, Aaron!"

"I never said I thought you were one!" He argued.

"You said 'you're a distraction'! I guess I'm misunderstanding something there!" She mocked.

"I don't think you're one but the people watching me are going to!" He explained.

"And then you can prove I'm not!" She turned to him. He stayed quiet. "Please pull over. I want to get out of the car."

"It's a twenty minute walk home from here, Candice." He growled.

"Please, Aaron." She breathed, staring straight in front of her.

He did as asked. She climbed out and slammed the door shut. She just stared through the open window. He was frowning at her. She had her arms crossed and her face was blank. He took a deep breath.

"Please just get back in the car so we can talk more. You're not a distraction and I'll prove it to everyone." He spoke calmly.

She shook her head. "I need to walk." She choked out.

He sighed. He sped off down the street. Her jaw dropped as his over-sized SUV whipped around the corner. She let out a small growl before she began her walk home. She was pissed beyond belief now. She was typing away in the group chat about how much she hated Aaron, throwing out every mean name she could think to call him.

"Hey." His voice interrupted. She stopped and saw him in front of her. "If you're walking home, I'm walking with you."

"Fuck off, Aaron." She breathed, walking past him.

"What do you want from me, Candice?" He asked, following behind her. "I said something stupid and now I'm trying to make up for it."

"You shouldn't have said it in the first place." She stated.

"I made a mistake. I'm human." He pointed out. "You know what? You, one hundred percent, are a distraction." He said. She spun around. "But I wouldn't want to be distracted by anything else in the world." He walked over to her. "If people see you as a distraction to me, they're right, because I choose to distract myself with you. I need you to distract me from hockey sometimes or that'd be all I have in life. But it isn't. Because I have you and all I need is your stupid hothead keeping me in line." She glared.

"I am not a stupid hothead." She spat. "But thank you, Air."

"You're my girl, no matter what." He told her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Even if future model, Claudia Lemieux showed up nude right at this very second?" Candice teased.

Aaron rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't even look at her. You're the only girl I wanna see nude." He smirked, kissing her.

"Annoying." She scrunched her nose at him as they walked to his car.

"Do you think Kaylynn's going out with Sam after practice?" Aaron suggested as they climbed into his car.

"I know she is. Why?" Candice cocked a brow.

He shrugged with a grin. "Just making sure we'd get some alone time."

She shook her head. "Such a male."

Candice was disrupted by her phone buzzing frantically. She picked it up, seeing fourteen texts from Kaylynn. They were about Mack coming over to where everyone was standing. Mack talking with some of the guys. Mack nodding at her. Audrey and Dani going to talk with, oh, surprise, Mack. Kaylynn almost let out a scream when she received Candice's reply.

Don't have a Mack Attack.

She looked up from her phone when Sam walked out of the changeroom. He came over to her, with Sam Reinhart soon following behind. He looked around. Poor guy was lost without Audrey. He saw the cameras and went coy.

"Anyone seen Aud? I offered her a ride home." He announced.

"What kind of ride?" Jack Eichel waggled his brows.

"Jack, you know it's not like that with them." Holiday elbowed him.

Yeah, Dustin would kill me if I ever did anything with her, right, Coach?" Sam turned to him.

"Yup." Dustin nodded. He dialed his daughter's number. "Where are you?"

"Talking to Mack with Dani. Why?" Audrey replied.

"Sam was looking for you to drive you home." He explained.

"I'll meet him at his car in five." She said before hanging up. "Sorry. So continue."

"And then it was just too much so I dropped out." Mack shrugged.

"I'm sorry." Danielle frowned.

"So, Kaylynn's back with Sam, huh?" Mack chuckled. The girls just looked at each other. "It's alright. I'm not gonna like go crazy. He's just so wrong for her."

"Why is he so wrong?" Dani challenged, crossing her arms.

"He's so up her ass. She controls him and it's not okay. Sam should be with someone he isn't afraid of and Kaylynn shouldn't be with someone she treats like a puppy." He spat.

"You don't get to decided what Kaylynn should and shouldn't do." Dani hissed.

"C'mon, Dani. We all know that he's just her rebound." He scoffed. "She doesn't care about him."

"When you find someone like Kay, someone that tries their hardest to stick by you regardless of how difficult you are, you keep them, Mackenzie!" Audrey screamed. "Keep them at all costs because finding someone who cares enough to look past all your flaws is not something that happens every fucking day, Mack! You lost her! You lost that! Don't try to ruin what her and Sam have because you're bitter!"

Audrey let out a long breath before stomping towards the front doors. She wrapped her arms around herself as she cut across the parking lot. Her boyfriend was leaning against his car, waiting for her. He could tell she was upset. He reached out for her but she brushed past him. She climbed into the passenger's seat, put her bag in the bag, and buckled up. She crossed her arms and pouted as she stared out the windshield.

"You don't want to talk." He noticed while he got into the driver's seat. She shook her head. "Are you mad at me?" She shook her head again.

Sam put his SUV into reverse. He placed his hand on Audrey's seat and glanced over his shoulder as he reversed out. She still hadn't looked at him. He put the car in drive and turned forward. He began to drive. Audrey was still pouting.

He let out a growl. "Babe, come on. Talk to me before we get back to the house."

She shook her head. "It's nothing to do with us. Or you. Or me." She explained.

"I'll take you for frozen yogurt if you tell me." He pleaded.

She glared at him. He knew her too well. "Fine." She snarled. "But promise me that you'll never give up on me. Or us."

"What would even make you say that?" He huffed, reaching over to play with her hair.

"Mackenzie Weegar is a tool, that's what." She exhaled. "I love you, alright?

"I love you more than you love frozen yogurt." He grinned.

"Cheesy." She snorted at him.

Notes