until i found you (wlw hockey romance)

chapter 8

Mia

"You're avoiding her."

"No, I'm not." just as I say this my phone starts buzzing for the second time.

I immediately turn it off and Theo looks at me raising his eyebrows. "Who was that?"

"No one." I say way too quickly. "Just shut up and eat your food."

He takes one piece of meat into his mouth. "Why are you avoiding her?"

I mimic his movement to keep my mouth busy so I don't have to respond. He's talking about Luna, it seems like all we do is talk about the hockey player. I'm not avoiding her, I try to convince myself. I've just been very very busy for the past three days. Aurora's birthday is in less than a week and she just decided she wanted a princess themed birthday so I've been focusing on that and taking extra shifts at the shop because I need money to make a birthday party, so of course I haven't been replying to her texts, any texts actually. It's not just her.
I mean, am I embarrassed about what happened Friday night? yes. Is it my fault? no. Do I want to face Luna after that? no. Am I avoiding her? Okay, yes I am.

"I had a full fucking breakdown in front her and her teammates, Theo." I rub my face with my hands and groan. "I'm not ready to see her yet."

"I think it's called PTSD, which, she does not know you have because she doesn't know you." he says softly. "You don't have to explain yourself to her but she's worried about you, obviously."

We both glance at my phone. I've read her texts a lot of times, they make my heart beat fast and there's guilt building up in my body. I know she's worried and she seems like she actually cares about me but I don't feel ready to face her.
I've been skipping Aurora's hockey practice too, Theo is the one who takes her and then they come home and Aurora tells me everything Luna's taught her in that evening.

"Aurora invited her to her birthday party." he grins. "Then Luna asked me if it was okay if she came and of course, I said yes."

I smack his arm. "Theo!"

He winces in pain. "Ouch!" he rubs her arm. "What was I supposed to say? 'No, you cannot come to the little girl's party because her mom is avoiding you'?"

"Yes! That's exactly what you were supposed to say!"

He claps his hands and looks at me with a smile. "Aha! I knew you were avoiding her."

I groan and hide my face with my hands. "Now I'll have to text her back."

I hear him laughing. "She cares about you, Mia. I don't know why because you haven't known each other that much but she does. She likes you, don't push her away."

I'm just terrified I'll care about her more than I should and then she'll break not only my heart but Aurora's too and I don't know if we can handle it. It's what I want to say, but instead I'll just go for; "Okay, I'll text her."

We both stay in silence for a few seconds and then he cocks his head, looking at my phone and then at me. "You want me to do it right now?!"

"Yes?" he laughs. "C'mon. Do it know, in front of me because I know you won't do it if you're alone."

I pick up my phone and open her chat.
I've memorized her texts but I reread them again.