When I got back to the car, I was confused to find Jade not in the drivers seat. It didn't take long for me to realise he was sitting in the back, his thighs spread, arms folded and his head tipped back, looking up at the roof of the jeep.

Well, I must've done some major damage to upset him this much. I carefully slipped into the drivers seat and closed the door, my movements slow and careful as if I were trying not to wake a sleeping bear.

For a moment, I just sat there, not sure if I should drive or apologise or both. I clutched the steering wheel and took a deep breath.

"Um," I cleared my throat and peered through the rear view mirror. "Jade, I'm sorry. I. . ." Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was apologising for. It wasn't like I'd said anything that offensive. But whatever I said, it'd rubbed him the wrong way.

He didn't respond, he just kept his eyes focused on the roof and his jaw locked tight. Burning day light seemed useless, we only had a few hours left, so I started the jeep. Before I had the chance to put my seat belt on, the back door opened and closed and then Jade was swinging my door open and gesturing me out of the car.

"Wha—"

"Out. I'll drive."

"Jade, I know how to drive."

He looked at me, his abrasive glare set in place. "Out."

It was clear he was in a bad mood but all his bossiness did, was make me angry. I shoved him back by the shoulder, grabbed the door and closed it. "Get in the car," I shouted through the window. 

Two seconds later the door was open again and this time, he didn't give me the option. He snatched my wrist and pulled me out of the car, being firm but surprisingly gentle too. We stood toe to toe by the door and I pulled out of his grip.

"What the hell, Jade. It's my damn car?!"

"And? You were happy to let me drive until now."

"You were the one that chose to sit in the back and sulk."

His face got lower and he slammed his hand down on the roof of the jeep. "I didn't think you'd decide to take the wheel all of a sudden. I prefer to drive. You prefer to sit there and suck up all the air in the car. So shall we just continue with the way things work?"

"I hope you know, I despise you."

"What's new?"

I glared at him, at his stupid beautiful scowl and the way he made himself impossibly close while keeping an enormity of distance. My breath came out in cold puffs and I felt my nose heat up in anger.

"By the way, we're done," I seethed, feeling the heat of his breath on my skin. "There is no way I can pretend to be in love with you."

His laugh was devoid of humour as he moved me out of the way with his hand on my hip. "I'm glad to hear it, doll. Last thing I want is you under my feet all fucking week."

He slid into the drivers seat and shut the door, leaving me in the cold with enough rage to keep me warm for the next seven winters. I flipped him off through the window and started walking across the parking lot. I didn't care if it was childish. I couldn't be in the same space as him right now. I'd end up saying something I regret.

There weren't a lot of places I could go. The Tim Hortons parking lot took me out onto the sidewalk, which was separated from the freeway by a barrier and small drain. I wrapped my arms around myself, doing my best to ignore the chill as I walked. The extra vortex of wind created by the passing cars didn't help either.

This might've been a dumb idea.

But turning around now was too embarrassing to consider.

My foot kicked a can as I mulled over the entire exchange. I had no idea how we'd gone from coming up with a fake relationship to yelling at each other in a parking lot so fast. Screw Jade. I apologised, he didn't need to be such a dick.

But maybe I really hurt his feelings by being so shocked that he was working with kids.

Can he blame me? His addiction to beating the shit out of people literally ruined his career. Not the most emotionally regulated person.

Then again, I work with kids and I decided the best way to deal with my frustration was to sulk off down the freeway.

No one is perfect.

Footsteps approaching fast behind me caused me to stop and turn around just in time to find Jade falling into step beside me. Toque on his head and his coat buttoned up tight. He hadn't been wearing it before. Perhaps he was banking on me being difficult and keeping us out in the cold for hours.

"Doll, it's freezing," he nudged me with his elbow and slid his hands into his pockets.

The nerve he had to act like nothing was wrong was mind blowing. I ignored him and spun on my heel, heading back in the direction of the car. He wasn't wrong, it was so cold I was pretty sure my joints were frozen in place.

"Dahlia," he said through a clenched jaw. Though it wasn't in anger, just the fact that he was clearly cold. "I forgive you."

I stopped and stared at him. "Forgive me?!"

He looked confused. "Yeah. You apologised. I'm forgiving you."

"Fuck you. I'm taking it back."

He rolled his eyes but I didn't watch him for long before I kept going. I could barely remember why I was so mad at this point but I knew that the man walking next to me infuriated me to no end and at the same time, the fact that he was close enough that our arms kept brushing, made me feel a sense of relief that just infuriated me further.

"I feel like I don't deserve it," he said and I listened, but I didn't stop. "I don't deserve to have this opportunity, training kids and maybe giving them the skills they need to create a future that I let slip through my fingers."

My steps faltered at his raw honesty but I had a feeling that it was easier to open up like this, without the pressure of my full attention.

"I was given a second chance. Someone believed in me enough to know that I'm not a thug, I'm just. . . not a pushover and I care about those kids. I want to help them grow their potential. I'd never hurt them or treat them badly and I was so fucking scared to tell you because you're the gold standard, doll. You've always been the most compassionate person I know. You work with kids and I can't compare to what you do, but what you thought of my new gig. . . it mattered."

This time I did stop. We were back in the parking lot now, the shelter of the Tim Hortons building protected us from the cold blast of wind and I looked up at Jade, the way he avoided eye contact and chewed the inside of his cheek. Shit, what was so precious and heart melting about this boy's heart sitting on his stupid sleeve?

"Jade, I was just surprised at the fact it'd happened," I admitted. "Not at all surprised or doubtful that you could do it."

He still refused to look at me, shifting on his feet.

"You taught me how to play lacrosse when we were kids. Remember?"

He finally looked at me, blue lips tilting into that small smile. "Of course I remember."

"You were a super sweet, patient teacher. I remember it surprised me because you hardly ever took a break from teasing me about my prim and proper braids and dresses. But that afternoon was different. You remember that pinky promise?"

"The one where if you ever wanted to be taught something, I'd quit being an asshole for the day and teach you."

I smiled. "A truce of sorts. You were the only one in my life that made learning not feel like a nightmare."

Jade watched me, his gaze becoming a little heavier, a little more focused on my lips and eyes. "Ivan wasn't the best teacher," he said. "Someone had to step up."

"Yeah I know. I miss one shot in the goal and he's telling me I'm a clumsy dip shit."

Jade laughed and then nodded his head behind me. "Can we get in the car. My balls are in my stomach trying to hide from the cold."

"Nice."

We went back to the car and there were no more arguments about who was sitting where. Jade hopped into the drivers seat and I got in the passenger side. Before he turned the car on, he peered over at me.

"You still wanna break up?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No. For the next week, you are mine."

His gaze travelled me slowly. "I like the sound of that."

                         We got back on the road and I tried not to worry about how many hours we'd managed to lose today. I'd planned on being in Whistler by six, but it was apparent that wasn't going to happen. At least Jade was driving and I didn't have to concern myself with operating a vehicle in the dark. Which for me and my astigmatism was particularly unsettling.

"Can I ask you something?" I said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Jade looked at my feet on the dash and scowled before he gave a quick nod. "You have a favourite student?"

He held the steering wheel with one hand and quietly laughed. "No, of course not."

"Bullshit," I called. "Every teacher and coach has a favourite student. I have favourite case kids."

Jade gave me a quick look of obvious judgement. "That seems even worse than having a favourite student."

"I treat them all equal. I just have kids that are little sweet angels and I'm happy when I get to see them. Some of the kids I work with are . . . horribly mean. Not that I would ever blame them after seeing what they go through but to a lot of them, it doesn't matter that I'm trying to help, they see me as the bad guy."

Jade nodded, looking thoughtful. "Suppose this one kid, Mila."

"Wait, the team is co ed?"

"At the moment, for their age. Next year they'll split."

"So why is she your favourite?"

Jade gave a little shrug. "She skates circles around some of the boys, she's got an impressive slap shot. Like the accuracy is insane for her age. She always comes in with a good attitude and loves to have a chat. Oh and she doesn't take shit, from anyone. The mouth on her when someone pisses her off. It's hilarious. She's gained the respect of the other boys pretty quick."

"My kinda girl."

"I can see her doing well in this sport," Jade said, the tiniest hint of a smile on his mouth.

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Shoot, doll."

"What made you angry enough to put your coach in hospital?"

Jade swallowed hard, I watched the lump in his throat roll and I was sure he wasn't going to answer me. It took a while, silence pushing against the walls of the car to the point I wished I hadn't asked.

I reached across to where his hand rested on the centre console and covered it with my own. I saw his gaze flick down, looking at what I'd done with more emotion than I was prepared for.

"You don't have to—" I started.

"It's not that it's some big secret. Well, it is. But not because— it's just. . . I don't know. It's hard to talk about something that cost me so much, but I would never change."

I kept quiet and then Jade turned his palm over so our fingers could interlace and my pulse quickened at the small but such intimate action. I couldn't stop staring at my hand in his. We'd never been this close before, touched like this, talked like this. It felt so natural to put all the guards down and allow ourselves to trust.

"We had a girl around, she must've been like, eighteen. She was mentally disabled. Couldn't communicate the same way we can and she didn't pick up on social cues, at all. But she was part of the team in a way. She was hired as part of an initiative for keeping people with disabilities in society and giving them a shot at a normal working life. So she cleaned the locker rooms and our uniforms and she'd hang out after games and some of the guys would take her on the ice and teach her how to skate. That sort of thing. She was a cool girl and the team took care of her."

Jade's jaw clenched and his chest expanded on a breath.

"Walked into the locker rooms one evening after I forgot my phone and uh," Jade's breath shook and his nose flared as a tear slipped down his cheek. My heart was beating so hard I felt light headed. "Coach was touching her. Shit, I'll never forget her face."

He inhaled sharply and sniffed. That was when I realised my own tears were falling.

"She looked so fucking scared and confused. I think what I did to him after that might've scared her more though. I don't know, I should've handled it better but I saw red and then I almost killed him."

"That's fair," I said, struggling to find the right words. I wiped my face and wished I could offer more to ease his the turmoil he was in.

"Her family thanked me but they asked me not to go public with the reason I'd done what I did. The police knew and I was let off major charges but I was never able to defend myself to the general public and without that, no one wanted to see me back on campus. I don't blame the family for asking that of me. I'd keep that secret again. I paid coach a visit too, in hospital.  Told him if he didn't quit I'd make sure I finished the job."

My hand was gripping Jade's tightly.

"I still visit her," he said quietly. "She's helping with the gardens at a plant nursery. Lots of sweet older women taking care of her. She seems happy."

"I'm sorry I was so cruel to you when I found out you'd been thrown out of the college," I said, guilt gnawing in my chest.

Jade shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

"It does," I was practically leaning across the centre console, getting closer to him. "I was such a bitch over something I didn't understand. It wasn't fair."

Jade took a moment to look away from the road and meet my sincere gaze, one that I hoped was full of the apology I felt.