I was in the boy's locker room when I heard it. I was putting on my hockey gear, and just prepping for the practice match with team defenseman Sanchez doing warm-ups beside me, discussing the strategy that we could apply to win this game against another Ivy League school this month.

Gossip and smack-talk were so common in the locker rooms that even if I wasn't interested in the gossip, I made sure to listen every word of it because 'knowledge is power' and all. You never know what information you could gain about someone and it might even be useful.

But this time, what I heard was hardly something I'd call useful.

One of them was talking, that was T.J, the big beefy, meat-head that couldn't solve a grade two level math sum without a calculator and liked to talk big before and after hockey games. I'd kept him on the team because he was a good player, but now I was seriously starting to regret my decision.

"You bet I have hots for her but she wouldn't even look at me," T.J complained to Grant Kelly, who wasn't paying much attention.

"Dude, there are loads of other hot girls in the school." Grant reminded him.

"Fucked em all. I wish Vicky would stop following Lockhart around like a puppy, that dude isn't going to throw scrapes at her anytime soon. Honestly, I won't be surprised if our captain is gay."

Grant's face turned red because meat-head T.J had no idea he was talking to a closeted gay-person. The rest of the teammates were just milling around, trying to mind their own business but also listening to him talk.

"Listen, man, Lockhart's sexual orientation is none of our business," Grant told him, there was a ring of warning in his tone.

"Hell it isn't, but you heard the rumors right? He's a virgin." T.J sniggered. "Kinda makes you wonder if he digs pussy or likes to suck dick."

Sanchez's face was as white as a sheet, he seemed to be embarrassed for me, the poor guy.

I stayed where I was, hidden behind the lockers to listen more trash-talk about me.

"Anyway, I wouldn't care less if he was gay, it would be good for us actually. The female population of Cold-Bay would stop sniffing around him." He commented.

I thought the bitching was finished, it turns out T.J wasn't done.

"You have a selection out of hundreds of other girls in school, what does it matter that Vicky is hung up on Lockhart?"

"Oh, it won't be a problem anymore. One of these days, I'm going to pop Victoria's cherry." T.J declared, "And that's going to be sooooo goddamn sweet."

"She's Lane's sister, man, stop talking about her like that. He's in the changing room, and if he hears a word about his sister, you're toast." Grant warned him again. "And who knows Lockhart and Victoria always hang out together, maybe they are not even virgins."

And then T.J said something really filthy about Vicky and my blood ran cold. I could only see red, and a blazing ball of Inferno firing up my entire body. I was pretty sure that I was breathing fire, Sanchez was talking in the background, but I couldn't hear what he was saying because all my attention was directed towards T.J.

I will kill that bastard!

The urge to kill him out-weighed my need to stay on the safer side. My hands were balled into tight fists. The plaster on the wall would come off if I didn't control myself.

You need to control your emotions, Tyler.

I kept repeating the mantra to myself, but nothing was going to calm me down.

So instead of pounding T.J's head against the wall and killing him in front of my teammates, I decided to compartmentalize my thoughts for the time being and focus on the game which really helped.

During the practice match, I noticed Vicky with her group of cheerleaders doing their practice drills outside of the rink. She was talking to Kayla, and then the girl whispered into Vicky's ear which made her turn and look at me. At first, there was hesitation, after a second she smiled and raised her hand to give me a little wave. I waved back at her before putting my helmet on and picking up the stick.

Vicky and I had practically grown up together, and while I'd always looked at her as Archer's sister, somewhere in middle school, things had changed. She started to grow breasts and her hips became fuller, her body taking a feminine shape.

I stopped seeing Vicky as just Archer's sister. She was more than that to me, a woman I so badly wanted. Before I knew what was happening, she started to star in my fantasies on a daily basis.

I wanted to protect her from everything evil, including myself.

I was striking the puck like it was nobody's business, mentally aware of Vicky screaming and cheering for me, my own personal cheerleader. Coach Jennings was pretty damn happy and told me to keep doing what I was doing and practice harder for the upcoming championship.

I made my way back to the lockers and into the showers, Archer fist-pumped me later, "good game, man."

"Wouldn't have been possible without you blocking T.J's advances." I said, and then added, "Archer, you need to watch T.J." I told him.

"Yeah. I can handle him."

"I mean watch him around Vicky."

He narrowed his eyes at me, "anything important that I should know?"

"Keep an eye on him. He's a real piece of work and I don't mean it lightly."

I wasn't really in a mood to have this conversation again so I took a quick shower, dressed up and stormed out of the lockers and almost walked out into Vicky and T.J talking in the hallway.

That sweaty meatball was talking to Vicky, smiling...no, literally fucking leering at her. I couldn't make out what they were talking about, but my urge to kill him was starting to grow.

He placed a hand behind her on the wall and leaned in, Vicky took a step back. I watched the exchange silently. He spoke to her briefly, and she shook her head, giving him a smile of dismissal, one that said 'would you do me a favor and leave?'

Of course, T.J didn't. He was so far up in her face, I bet she could smell his breakfast and lunch altogether.

Fucking turd-face.

Seconds later, I decided I've had enough and I walked to the two of them. When Vicky saw me, her lips broke into a smile of utter relief.

"My teammate giving you some trouble?" I asked casually and just as casually placed my hand on her waist.

She shrugged, "Well..."

T.J's face fell when he saw me there. "Was just talking to her..."

"Leave," I told him firmly.

And he left without a second glance at the back, maybe he read my mind. Meat-head T.J could be psychic and saw a punch coming towards him in the five seconds that followed, it was no wonder he'd left suddenly.

I turned around to face Vicky. "What was he talking to you about?"

"Jealous much?" She asked, rolling her eyes but also enjoying the attention from me thoroughly.

If there was anyone who could read Victoria like an encyclopedia, it had to be me. She was blushing inwardly.

"He was asking me if I would be coming to Kayla's party."

"And what did you say?"

"I don't think I'll be going. You do know I don't enjoy parties. I get anxiety and sometimes it's hard to breathe."

I nodded. "Good. Stay away from him, okay?"

"What happened?"

"Promise me, Vicky."

"I promise." She said, and the way I could read her, she read me well too. She placed a warm hand on my cheek. "You look worried. Do you want to talk about it?"

I didn't think she would like to hear what he said about her and it would only hurt her feelings.

"I'll drop you home every day from now," I said.

"But my cheer practice..." she started saying.

"I'll wait until it gets over."

She smiled as her face lit up, "what's gotten into you?"

Oh, how much she loved the attention from me. And I'd be kidding if I said I didn't enjoy her liking it. I think it was safe to say I was more protective of her than her brother was.

She licked her lips, and my gaze dropped to her full lips.

Cherry gloss.

I could even smell it.

All I needed to do was tip her face up and claim those inviting lips, I knew Vicky wouldn't bother complaining.

These days it was hard to keep my thoughts from straying to her. All I kept thinking about is us.

If I acted upon my feelings, it would only be harmful to her.

"Ty?" She called, pulling me back from my thoughts.

"I'll see you after class."

"Hey wait!" She called out.

I stopped and turned to look at her. She pulled out a small Tupperware container and handed it to me. "I made cupcakes last night. Thought you might want to try one."

"Or three. Or a dozen." I replied.

She giggled. "Try this one, smartass. If you like it, I'll give you some more."

"Have I ever not liked anything that's made by you?"

"Tyler Lockhart, if you keep flirting with me like that, I don't think I can stop..." she did dramatic quotes with her fingers, "throwing myself' at you."

I chuckled. "Thanks for the cupcake."

During the days that followed, I kept a close eye on T.J who seemed to have become almost too obsessed with Vicky. He would wait outside her class making dumb excuses, and she saw right through him.

I knew T.J stayed until later after practice every evening to master his swings. I saw that as a God-given opportunity. So you see, the universe was in my favor.

After everyone had left the rink on Friday, I did the same. I showered, dressed, and left the school. The team went for pizza at the local Pizza joint called 'Gennie's'

The aroma of garlic bread and pizza permeated the air. Groups of sophomores and senior year girls entered the restaurant. They took over the booth opposite the table occupied by us. The girls were like a bunch of blood-thirsty sharks and could sniff Jocks from a mile away. It was no wonder they were here.

I ate about six slices of pizza, I wasn't a glutton and my genetics didn't allow me to gain much weight which was great. After eating my fill, Archer and I decided to go home. I took the turn leading to the mansion but didn't go home. I waited. Archer honked his BMW as he passed me and I waited a few seconds before I was headed back to Gennie's.

I parked my car a little far and noticed how most of the hockey players began leaving for home by eleven-thirty. At exactly eleven forty-five, T.J walked out. He'd probably joined them after his extra hour on the ice.

He was literally moving from side to side, obviously drunk out of his mind. It was pretty common in Cold-Bay for teens to have fake I.Ds for alcohol.

I climbed out of my car, went around the trunk, pulling out my hockey stick.

Our town wasn't exactly one of the safest places, and definitely not for the rich and the privileged. The crime rate here wasn't that high, we had a few break-ins and murders occasionally.

Well, I was going to make a news headline tomorrow, only my name wasn't going to be mentioned anywhere in it.

My anger bubbled up as I tightened my hold over the hockey stick and swung at him so hard, I thought I heard a splat.

I instantly felt better.

T.J lay on the ground, groaning so I struck him again and again for the third time.

When I saw the hockey stick painted red, it was then that I realized what I'd done.