"Is Maya coming today?"

"Not sure Stan, I know she was supposed to be back by today but I am not sure if she will come to breakfast."

"Fuck Pman," he mumbles while holding Elle and feeding her a grape.

"Think the whole house agrees with you there. Are you staying in my room because I have to go?"

"Oh no, sorry I got distracted."

"All good," I assure him as we both walk out and I lock my door behind us. With the prank war back on I am not taking any changes by leaving my door unlocked even for just a few minutes.

Stan heads off to his room and I tuck my silly string securely into my pocket before heading to Francesca's apartment. When I get there Francesca has just texted me that she is getting into the shower which means Luna is alone.

I quickly run up to the apartment not knowing if Francesca is one of those people that spends 10 minutes in the shower or a whole hour. If I had to guess, given the way her mind always finds another rabbit hole to fall down, it is the hour one but hey, she is known for surprising me.

"Hey, Ryder," Maya opens the front door for me.

"Hey, you're home, are you coming to breakfast?"

"Yeah I think so, just trying to find a good revenge outfit. Can't go over there looking like a bum."

I look her over, checking out her outfit. It is tight everywhere and her boobs look like they're about to fall out but if revenge is what she is aiming for she is definitely checking off all the boxes. Pman and Stan will both be hiding boners for sure if she comes over looking like that. "I think that looks good, Pman will be crying in his pancakes for sure."

Maya's face heats up a little at my comment and she lets out a shy giggle. "Thanks, Ryder."

"Yup," I tell her, leaving her standing in the doorway so I can find Luna. I burst into the girls shared bedroom where Luna is laying on her bed scrolling on her phone.

"Fucking knock you dumbass, what if I was naked!"

I cover my mouth and gag at the mere thought. "Disgusting, don't even joke about that. I'd rather play in traffic."

"I'd rather you play in traffic too. Instead your stink is invading my lungs. Why are you even here? My best friend is in the shower she said she'd text you when she was ready to be picked up."

"Have some business to attend to."

"Flirting with Maya some more?" she spits and I am taken back. I wasn't flirting with Maya?

"What? Maya? I am not flirting with her. Fuck, I am trying to hook her up with Stan why would I flirt with her."

Luna seems to soften a little at my confession. I know she hates me but why was she so upset about the thought of me flirting with Maya? God, imagine her reaction if she found out I maybe, sorta, kinda have feelings for Francesca? She'd dig my grave herself. "Then what the fuck are you doing here? Shouldn't you and the rest of your house be inventing fire."

"The caveman jokes are old. But it's ok because it makes this all the more satisfying."

"Makes what?"

Before Luna can realize exactly where this is going I take out the small can of silly sting and empty the whole can on her and her bed. "You're dead," I announce proudly as she screams.

"Ryder," she screeches, flying off her bed with a pillow and whacking me aggressively.

"Ow, fuck Luna, stop! What is in that pillow!" I drop to the floor trying to hide from Luna's pillow assault as she stands over me raining down blow after blow with her lumpy rock hard pillow.

"Now you're dead, you fuck face," she screams as she grabs a second pillow and beings beating me with both.

"Luna stop," Francesca yells, pulling her best friend off of me as I remain in a tight ball half under Francesca's desk chair.

I sit up and literally stop breathing. Francesca is in just a pair of black underwear with a nearly see through tank top on. Her legs are long and soft and seem to go on forever and her boobs are perky with her hard nipples showing through her shirt. I have to literally pull my legs to my chest to hide my current situation in my pants.

"Why?" she asks, looking between me and Luna.

"He killed me Fran," Luna tells her pointing to the mess I left on her bed.

"It is a game Luna, now apologize."

"I hope your rats pee on your face," she spits before marching out of the room.

"My rats love me," I scream after her.

Francesca just laughs as she crouches down in front of me. "You ok?"

"I think I will live." She is leaning forward inspecting the cut on my cheek which Luna opened with her pillow attack and it takes everything in me not to look down her shirt. I have never really been a boob guy but hers are every guy's wet dream. She doesn't have a big chest, nothing overly noticeable in her usual loose fitting shirts and sweaters but there is enough there to grab a handful; and boy do I want to grab a handful.

"I think you will too, tough guy." Her fingertips lightly trace the cut before she stands and leaves me to get dressed. "Is this like a dress cute thing or can I show up in comfy stuff?"

"I am wearing this," I tell her, gesturing to my sweatpants and hoodie.

She nods and then opens her closet and pulls something out. "Perfect," she tells herself before grabbing something from her dresser and walking across the hall to the bathroom.

I use this alone time to adjust the situation in my pants before sitting down at Francesca's desk. "What do you think?" She jumps back into the room, arms and legs spread out like a star. She is wearing footie pajamas with a hood and a tail.

"Are you a unicorn?" I laugh as she spins around and wiggles her butt at me.

"Of course! Luna got it for me fall semester for my birthday."

I have the biggest smile on my face as she skips around in her ridiculous onesie but if someone even dares to say a word about it I will be slamming their face into a wall. She is so happy in her outfit, I will raise hell if anyone takes that away.

"Come on little unicorn, we have a breakfast to attend." She happily leads the way and rounds up her roommates to head to my house. Parker and Luna changed into equally ridiculous onesies and the three of them protectively huddle around Maya as we walk into the house.

The guys are already in the kitchen cooking away and when we enter Bray bursts out laughing. "Beck, you have a tail," he laughs, picking her up and wiggling her so her tail swishes.

"Like it Bray bae," she asks as he inspects her.

"Fabulous my dear," he nods and kisses her cheek. I know Bray doesn't like Francesca like that, he couldn't, but I still feel this weird jealousy and pull her to my chest, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Does anyone need help," Maya asks, pulling all the attention to her very revealing outfit.

"Stan does," I yell, pushing her toward him while he looks at me like a deer in the headlights.

"Um yeah, yeah I need help."

"Happily," Maya smiles, making sure to be extra touchy with him as Pman enters the room.

Francesca looks up at me and I drag her out of the room and into the front coat closet so I know no one will hear us. "You know something," she accuses as we stand in the tight space.

"Alex likes Maya, he has for a while. I am just trying to be a good wingman since he is too shy to talk to her himself."

"Wait... Alex likes her?"

"Yeah, why do you think I wanted to know if she was coming?"

"I thought you liked her," she whispers.

"Why does everyone keep saying that," I whisper in frustration. "No, I have been trying to set her up with Alex since the second hockey game."

Either I am imagining things or Francesca looks relieved that I don't like Maya. Why would anyone even think that? I spend most of my time either with Francesca or talking to her? I don't even have Maya's number.

"Can I help? Please, I am a great match maker."

"Of course Beck, unicorns are magical and I think we need all the magic we can get. Alex is so painfully shy around her and honestly Maya just sees right through him I think."

"But Alex is so sweet they'd be perfect together. We just need Maya to realize that she doesn't need a starting line player."

"I mean, I get why she wants one."

"Here we go with the ego." Francesca rolls her eyes at me as I laugh and flex a little in the tight space.

The closet door opens and we both look at who is opening it before pulling it shut once more. "Meeting adjourned?" she asks.

"Yes," I nod and we both exit the closet with a bunch of people watching us in confusion.

We both rejoin the breakfast making in the kitchen and help where we can. Breakfast is chaotic and fun and since we did not pause assassins the last 10 of us still alive are jumpy the entire time. I try to keep Francesca protected but she seems to be less careful than she was at the start. Luna finally gives me her popsicle and it's someone on my team. By the time breakfast is done and everyone leaves, except Francesca, I realize one of my teammates must have her since there are now no figure skaters alive besides her. With now only 6 of us left I will do just about anything to make sure she wins.

"This thing is hot," she whines laying on my bed with the ladies while I clean their cage.

"Yes I am," I wink up at her from the floor.

"Not you, you ass, the onesie."

"Ok, but I am hot too."

"Eh, if beefhead jock is your type I guess you aren't bad looking."

Ow, ok that hurt a little. I don't know, I sort of thought yesterday she was checking me out but maybe I read it wrong? I don't answer her last jab and focus on cleaning the cage. She is mostly quiet, probably stressing about tomorrow.

When I finish the cage it is almost time for Francesca to go so I put the ladies away and sit next to her. She is so deep in thought I don't think she even realizes I finished or put them away or that I am in front of her watching her. "Beck?"

"I'm fine," she says, shaking her head and plastering on a smile.

"Don't lie to me," I warn her, lifting her chin so she's looking at me.

"What if I do bad again? What if I lose my scholarship?" Her voice is shaky and she looks terrified. I have never worried about losing my scholarship and I think even if I did my parents would just pay for me to finish. I have no idea what that feels like, to have so much added pressure on you. Yeah my parents suck but they throw money at every problem and when you have the ability to do that life becomes a lot less stressful. It is far from perfect but it definitely makes it easier.

"Beck, you can't think like that. I have watched you practice. If you just go out there and skate like you skated for me yesterday during our ice time you will easily win. You can't psych yourself out like this."

"I don't want a repeat of the last competition."

I tug on her arm and she climbs onto my lap. She is so much smaller than me and every time I register this little fact the urge to protect her only grows stronger. She fits so perfectly in my arms so I can just wrap myself around her and protect her from the world. "You are so talented and hardworking, just believe in yourself."

She doesn't answer and I scoot her off my lap and walk over to my dresser. I don't believe in superstitions or pre game rituals but I do have one thing that has always brought me a little bit of luck. The old tattered hat has been through it all. My first playoffs as a kid, juniors tryouts, Michigan scouting me, NHL teams watching me, draft night, two frozen four wins, the list goes on and on.

"Here," I hand her the ugly, worn out, hat. It is a faded all black hat my first coach bought me when I was a kid. I wore it all the time as a kid, and now as it gets older more sparingly, but still on those important days. My first coach was the reason I became so obsessed with the game and the hat reminds me of the reason I continue to play to this day.

"A hat?"

"My coach got me this and I have worn it every important day of my life since, it has yet to fail me."

She places the ratty thing on her head and looks at me for my approval. I take it off her and put it on backwards, like how I wear mine. "Perfect," I muse as she begins to smile.

"Thank you Ry." She stands on my bed and gives me a hug. "I should go, we get on the bus in 30 minutes."

"I'll drive you, we can stop at your place and grab your stuff and I will bring you to the arena."

I wrap an arm around her waist and set her down on the floor. She says bye to the ladies for the weekend and then we both leave. I bring her home first before bringing her to the arena. I list off everything she could possibly need, making sure she has it before I throw her bag on the bus. It is a little windy so she holds the hat protectively on her head.

"Thank you Ry, for everything."

I pull her into a tight hug and hold her for a minute. "You're going to kill this competition butt, kick ass."

She climbs onto the bus and I get back in my car and head home. Originally I thought my day once she left would be boring, but I now have murders to commit and the remaining 4 threats to Francesca all happen to be my teammates.