"sweet words, sour actions"

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I look down at my sleeping sister, dreading what's about to happen. I have hockey practice and I need to drop Charlotte off at my dad's. While she is the sweetest child in the entire world, I'm pretty sure she's a banshee deep down. God help the person who wakes her up from her beauty sleep. I stroke her hair and she snuggles into my hand but doesn't wake.

"Charlie," I whisper, trying to make this as painless as possible.

She doesn't move.

"Charlotte," I say a little bit louder.

"Charles." I used the name that always elicits a giggle from her, but nothing.

I decide against waking her and just carry her out of the car into my dad's house. He was supposed to pick her up from gymnastics class tonight, but he was busy working.

"Dad?" I call out.

"Right here" He replies, quieting down when he sees the six-year-old in my arms.

"I've got to go to practice but she's knocked out and I didn't want to wake her"

I hand her over to my dad and leave before he can protest. I love my dad but I value not being yelled at by my little sister more right now. I get back into my car and start driving to the gym. Today I'm just going to work out alone for practice. I need to blow off some steam and the gym is how I do that.

I wipe the sweat off my forehead and decide 2 hours is enough for the day. I take a quick shower and jump back into my car.

I pull up at my house, or rather our house. I live with my four best friends and teammates.

"How was Charlie's practice?" Mason questions, his arm wrapped around his girlfriend. Daisy gives me a quick smile, wearing his jersey displaying his last name across her back 'Young'.

The two of them are high school sweethearts. They met in grade 10 biology and have been inseparable ever since. I've had the misfortune of third-wheeling with them for 5 years, but I love the two of them.

"Good, I think. She fell asleep pretty quickly on the ride home." I answer his question.

"I met her coach," I add, wondering why the fuck I felt the need to tell them that.

"Delaney." I continue, apparently not able to stop myself.

Jesus fuck Sterling, shut up.

Before I can deal with their questions and my own humiliation, I leave, walking up to my room, not missing their dumb giggles.

They're dicks, both of them.

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My mind wanders back to earlier today.

"Hey Dad, what do you need?" I answer my phone.

"I have to stay late at work and I need you to pick your sister up from gymnastics."

"Yeah ok, when does it end?" I reply.

"7:30."

"7:30?" I repeat, looking down at the time. "You do know it's 7:37, right? You couldn't have told me a little earlier? She's probably scared right now, wondering where you are"

"I know, I feel terrible, I just lost track of time." My dad tries to explain.

"Whatever, I've got to go if I want to get her." I hang up the phone and grab my keys.

I let Mason know I'm going out to pick Charlotte up and drive as quickly as I can.

A little over 10 minutes later and I'm finally pulling up in the parking lot, nervous Charlotte isn't okay. I walk in quickly, bracing myself to see my sister crying or freaking out, when my eyes find her. Not Charlotte, someone else. Her coach, I'm assuming. She's pretty, I think to myself, and short, maybe 5'2". I observe the girl standing in front of me unaware I just walked in. She has long brown hair tied up, allowing me to see the row of earrings lying across her ear. Charlotte asked for one a month ago, I see why now.

I snap myself out of my daze when the door closes and she jumps forward meeting my eyes. What the fuck just happened? Did I really just stare at some random girl?

Being the captain of the hockey team comes with perks. I can basically get whatever girl I want, not in a douchey way, just stating the facts. I won't deny that I've had the occasional hook up but I definitely don't live up to the reputation the school has placed on me. Honestly, none of the girls that want to get in my pants interest me. They're all the same, desperate and average.

"Hi, I'm Charlotte's coach, Delaney. I'm assuming you're not her father?" She speaks.

That's when I realize I need to leave and get the hell away from this girl. For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I don't find myself wanting to fuck her. Ok, that's wrong, I do want to fuck her, I just feel like she deserves more than that. She's not a girl I would- as Owen puts it- fuck and chuck.

My response is short, probably a little too rude, and I leave without so much as a reply from her. I can't have myself thinking these thoughts. 2 minutes around her and suddenly I'm Mason.

God, I was a dick today, I finish reflecting on the scene I caused.

Whatever, I'll probably never see her again anyway.

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I wake up to the smell of pancakes, which can only mean one thing. Theo is home. He's been gone for a couple of days on a trip a few hours away. He's a hockey coach to a group of annoying ass kids, but he likes it, so whatever. He went with them for a game and I'd never admit it but I missed him. He's the responsible one in the house, and when he's gone and Mason is with Daisy, I'm left with dumb and dumber. AKA Luke and Owen. I love them, don't get me wrong, but they share 3 brain cells.

I throw on a hoodie and walk downstairs, following the scent of maple syrup.

"Hey, Holloway" I greet Theo "Thanks for breakfast."

"Of course. Owen wouldn't stop whining for them, so I gave in."

I laugh and start to ask him about his trip when a screech interrupts me.

I look over at Luke and Owen who are currently wrestling over a pancake.

Make that one. One collective braincell.

"Could you two shut the fuck up?" I plead.

"Sure thing, Blake" Luke replies and whips the pancake at my head. Owen now standing beside him sticking his tongue out at me.

I scold myself for having such moronic friends and go about eating my pancake.

I've only known the three of them for a couple years, but I feel like I've known them my whole life. We met on the team, first day of practice. I was surprised when I found myself enjoying their presence instead of wanting to shoot them in the heads. The three of them are chatty, I don't do chatty. Well I didn't, I guess, because now I live with them.

The boys are basically brothers to me. They know things about me I never thought I would share, but they help get me through it.

Ok, enough with this sappy shit, if I say another nice thing about them, I may have to run them over with my car, and take myself out with them.

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After eating about 13 pancakes and watching Owen chug the bottle of maple syrup I leave and head to the rink. I don't have practice until later today but coach texted me and asked for me to meet him. I know what this is about. I'm failing psychology and if I don't raise my grade I can't be captain anymore.

I walk into the office, dread radiating off of me.

"Hey coach," I speak, making him look up from his computer and greet me.

"You need a tutor."

"I know." I cut to the chase. There's no point in arguing it, not with someone like coach, anyway.

"I submitted your information and you're being pairing with someone today."

"Ok.." I start, hoping for a little bit more information.

"You have to go to student services in about 10 minutes. Apparently your tutor is already selected and ready." He continues.

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Sorry if this chapter sucked, It was my first time writing from Sterling's pov and it didn't come as naturally to me. I wanted to have their meeting described by both of them because I feel like it's important so I added a flashback!

Let me know how you guys like the rest of the boys! I feel like I'm going to have so much fun writing about them.

Also, how do you guys feel about the chapter length? I can try to shorten or lengthen them if need be. I just want you guys to enjoy this story as much as possible :)

Quick mental health check in: comment how you're doing and try and give some encouraging words to other comments.

Thank you all for the love. Stay safe and healthy!