Shattered Glass

Nathan came with me. We ran back to campus. I was scared. Who does this to someone? And why me?

There were people in my hallway when we got there. Emma was talking to campus security by our door. She ran to me when she saw us.

"Sophie, I'm so sorry. I went to get lunch and when I came back..."

I walked past her. Then I stopped. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Someone had destroyed everything. The couch had huge rips in it. White stuffing was all over the floor. All our dishes were broken in the kitchen. My books were torn apart. Pages covered the floor.

My bedroom was worse.

My violin was in pieces on my bed. Grandma's violin. The one she gave me before she died. Someone broke it into bits. On my mirror, in red lipstick: "STAY AWAY FROM HIM OR NEXT TIME IT'LL BE WORSE."

I felt like I couldn't get air. Grandma taught me to play that violin when I was six. She made me promise to keep playing no matter what.

"Sophie?" Nathan put his hand on my shoulder. "Security needs to see everything."

"My violin," I said.

"I know."

"It was grandma's."

He hugged me. I cried on his shirt. I didn't care who saw. Jamie cheated on me yesterday. Then the weird texts. Now this. It was too much.

"Miss Chen?" A security guy walked up. "I need to ask you questions."

I wiped my eyes. "Okay."

"Know who did this?"

"I got some texts. They said to stay away from someone."

"Who?"

I looked at Nathan. "Him."

The guard knew who Nathan was. Everyone did.

"Mr. Cross, is anyone mad at you?"

"Other teams trash talk. Nothing serious," Nathan said.

"What about your team?" I was thinking of Jamie.

Nathan frowned. "Could be."

We answered questions for an hour. They took pictures. Dusted for fingerprints. Nathan never left my side.

Emma's friends came to help clean up. I picked up violin pieces. Nathan came over.

"You're staying with me tonight," he said.

"Nathan—"

"My room locks. You'll be safe."

"People will talk."

"Let them." He looked mad. "Someone broke your stuff and threatened you. You can't stay here."

I was too tired to fight. "Okay."

Nathan helped me pack some clothes. Tyler showed up as we left.

"What the hell?" he said, seeing the mess. "Who?"

"We don't know," Nathan said.

Tyler looked between us. "Jamie?"

"He was at practice," Tyler said. "I saw him there."

"So who?" I asked.

Tyler shifted his feet. "Nathan, can we talk?"

They went down the hall. I still heard them.

"Could be Madison," Tyler said. "She's been weird about Sophie all day. Says Sophie's gonna mess up the team."

"Madison wouldn't," Nathan said. But he sounded unsure.

"She's liked you forever, man. Now you like Sophie? Madison's... she's not okay. You know that."

Nathan came back. "We should tell Coach. And maybe real cops."

"Why?"

"This is getting bad."

We walked through the athletic dorm. Hockey players watched us go by. I heard Jamie's name.

Nathan's room was clean. Hockey posters. Books on a shelf. His bed was made tight. It smelled like him.

"You take the bed," he said. "I'll take the floor."

"That's dumb."

"No it's not." He pulled out blankets. "Want food?"

"Can't eat."

He sat on the bed near me. "This sucks. If I caused this—"

"You didn't."

"If leaving me alone keeps you safe—"

"Stop." I faced him. "Jamie already made me feel small. I won't let someone else control me."

He watched my face. "You're brave."

"Not brave. Mad."

He smiled.

My phone rang. Unknown number. Nathan answered it.

"Who is this?" His voice was mean.

I heard a girl but not her words.

"You come near Sophie again, I'll make you sorry. Stay away."

He hung up. I turned off my phone.

"Who?"

"They hung up." He looked tired. "I need to tell you something."

My stomach hurts. "What?"

"Last year a girl followed me everywhere. To class. To practice. To my room. I told her to stop. She wouldn't. Coach banned her from games."

"Who?"

"Madison's roommate. Rebecca. She left school. Madison said I ruined Rebecca's life. Said I led her on. That's a lie. I only told her to go away."

"Madison's getting revenge?"

"Or Rebecca's back."

Someone knocked. We both jumped. Nathan opened it.

Coach Williams stood there. Big man. Gray hair.

"We need to talk," he said.

"Coach, Sophie's apartment—"

"I heard. That's not why I'm here." He frowned. "Jamie filed a complaint. Says you stole his girl. Wants you out as captain."

"That's dumb," Nathan said.

"Three guys agree with him. Say you missed practice for her."

"Optional practice. And I was alone at first."

Coach looked tired. "I don't care who you date. But the team—"

"Will be fine."

"Big game in three days. NHL scouts coming for you. Focus matters."

"Sophie doesn't distract me."

The coach looked at me. "Miss Chen, Nathan worked hard for this. Maybe—"

"Stop," Nathan said. "My life. My choice. I'll handle Jamie."

The coach watched him. "Team votes tomorrow about you staying captain."

He left. Nathan looked beat.

"I'm ruining your life," I said.

"No." He took my hands. "Jamie's being a jerk. Madison's nuts. Not you."

"Your captain spot—"

"Don't care."

"You should!"

"What if I want more than hockey? What if I want something real?"

He kissed me. Hard. Not gentle. When we stopped, we both breathed fast.

"We just met. This is nuts. But you make me feel like myself. Just Nathan. Not the hockey star."

Glass broke. The window shattered.

A brick landed inside. Note attached. Someone ran away outside.

Nathan read it. His face went pale.

"What?"

He gave it to me.

"You have 24 hours to leave her or everyone knows about Rebecca Walsh. This time someone gets hurt."

"Nathan, what happened to Rebecca?"

He looked scared for once.

"She didn't leave school," he said softly. "She's in a mental hospital. Because of me."

.

[TO BE CONTINUED...]