Dear All,

This edited and improved chapter will finally start to give you more new parts and you will see how I am trying to have Derek and Hayden, especially the latter, interacting more with the main protagonists, for I could see our dear Hayden has his own fans...guys, you made him so happy about this you have no idea!

Also, thank you for the feedbacks 😊 I swear, while I was editing "Fire and Ice" sometimes I wanted to crawl in some very hidden and dark corner, seeing the horrible grammar mistakes, the typos who stood out like a sore thumb, the contents even that needed to be adjusted, the use of some words...as Jasper would say, oh boy! So now, I am trying to give you the best possible version, pouring extra efforts.

I really hope you will enjoy it.

As I already said, give me some time and slowly I will update the banners and such 😊

In this chapter, we will have more interaction between Travis and Aleksandr, and I think I am slowly beginning to show you more of our hockey ice-made beast.

"Take me to your heart, feel me in your bones, just one more night, and I'm coming off this long and winding road," in 'Home Sweet Home' by Motley Crue.

TRAVIS POV:

A few days passed by since that little incident at the lockers and, thanks to my lucky star that finally decided to do its required job, the days passed by quietly and peacefully without major complications or even small annoyances. I definitely couldn't ask for more and I hoped with all my heart the situation would stay as such. It seemed that the plan to become invisible indeed began to work as it was meant to. Well, if not invisible, at least I was like a shadow.

Or so I thought.

I met Aleksandr only a couple of times, one in front of his locker, a second time in the corridors, when I was rushing late for a class, and it took all of my self-control and mental restrain to avoid turning around to shamelessly stare at his perfect and way too hot ass, and a third time during the class we shared. It was my favorite class no matter what and from where I sat, I could enjoy the view of him as much as I wished, my thoughts running and dancing around their favorite horny path.

Hell, he was as handsome as ever and the fact he kept only to himself or just counted few friends as I noticed in class, gave him a touch I couldn't resist. He wasn't a jerk, even though he was not a friendly or open person, in fact quite unsocial, but not an asshole. He didn't spare me a look or a word, while on my part, I spared him more than a look. I basically ate him with my super short and starving glares, and my thoughts began to follow their favorite path, losing themselves in the craziness of my brain. Yeah. It was easy to be guessed. I simply couldn't help it and truth be told I didn't want to help it.

Aleksandr was all I wanted, desired and lusted in a guy physically speaking; he had all I always dreamed to find in a guy, matching all my highest expectations and standards. No, what the heck was I talking about? He didn't merely match them. He surpassed and crushed them in insignificant dust.

To boot it, the class we shared served to show me he also had quite a functioning and smart, and therefore very sexy brain; it was known he had good grades, no matter the fact some professors did not like him completely or felt uneasy around him. I didn't understand why, for he was a real hockey-star, rumors saying he led the team to countless victories as no other captain did before, he never was rude to professors or school staff – maybe quite glacial and distant, and he wasn't a stupid douchebag. He was relaxed around his friends and one day during my favorite class, I had the fantastic luck to see him briefly smile at something Derek and another guy named Hayden said.

I sighed and observed my nails, seeing the nail-polish needed a quick fixing. Not really, but at least it would take my mind elsewhere for a short while, stopping myself from constantly thinking and daydreaming about a guy I could never have. It was pointless.

Shifting on my back, I stared at the ceiling of my bedroom, a really nice and big bedroom, the best I ever had in eighteen years. A very big and very comfortable double size bed faced a long and well-organized desk, where my laptop, books, CDs and what more were scattered around in my own precise order. I had one of those funny chairs that you could spin around and around and nobody imagined how many times I almost fell from there. Hanging on the wall was a flat, large TV and some pictures, awards and many other things, for I was a person who loved keeping my belongings around and displayed. I loved keeping the memories of what I did or achieved, or even simple pictures mom and I took on some normal occasions. It all represented my life and myself, and I always believed memories, especially the good ones, were very important and had to be cherished.

To the side of the bed was the door to my walk-in closet and it was not a joke when I said it was quite impressive. I had stuffed it to its limit, my mom commenting I owned more clothes than she did, and she might have been right. I just loved buying clothes and doing shopping, something we often enjoyed together, for she had an amazing and very elegant sense of fashion. I had my own bathroom with bathtub because we both took forever in the morning and just one would be a nightmare. There was a shower, too, given I often preferred taking one, especially in the evening, washing away the tiredness and soreness from the training or of a long day. Beside the windows were shelves with many, many books, CDs, DVDs and comics, for collecting them was a sort of hobby. For one Christmas, mom bought me a x-box, but I didn't like to play games, also not having time for that, thus I used it to watch movies. People asked me why I never really downloaded a movie and I replied because I liked to actually own the DVD if possible, same for books and music. It was a quirk of mine and it couldn't be helped or changed.

Speaking of music, Motley Crue "Dr. Feelgood" was playing filling the room and it gave me the right push to start jumping on my bed, singing the song and moving following the notes, thinking of new possible combinations. My I-phone suddenly rang, bringing me back from the momentary break I took from reality, something that often happened when music and dancing were involved. It rang again and I answered. Yeah, I had a very boring and normal ringtone because it was the only way that made me understand it was my phone and not something else. It was a message from my mom, and I smiled at that. She was fantastic.

"Honey, dinner is ready, c'mon, get your butt in the kitchen!"

"Be right there, mom, <3"

I grinned like the Cheshire Cat at the thought of her; she was simply super cool. Then I guess a message was the only way to get in touch with me when my music was slightly louder than usual, and my mind completely absorbed in it while reading a book. Luckily, we decided to render my room sort of soundproof, or else I was sure our neighbors would had spared me a couple of words. Then I thought about it and what neighbors? We lived in a super cool penthouse.

We lived in a very nice area of Brooklyn, as my mum bought the penthouse apartment consisting of two very large and spacious floors in a modern and stylish building that with some extra renovation allowed us to connect them with a new, quite large and actually practical staircase. At first, it had a nice-looking but very unpractical spiral staircase and we changed it. So basically, we were living in a sort of house that in fact was a super-cool penthouse. How fantastic was that? Definitely very practical and it gave us space, considered we both needed it much and we owned many things, liking comfort.

"Yum, what's smelling so good?" I asked once in the spacious kitchen.

She was a wonderful cook; too bad she was extremely busy with her job and had little time to dedicate to such activity. But I couldn't complain at all, for she did her best to provide me with home-made meals whenever she had the time for it.

"Baked salmon with roasted potatoes. I also made a fresh salad, I know how fussy you are with your diet," she joked as she mixed the leaves with other freshly chopped vegetables, adding some herbs and olive oil.

I rolled my eyes dramatically at her comment, placing a hand over my forehead and executing a couple of steps around her, making her and myself chuckle at the same time. Well, she had hit the bull's eye. I wasn't really fussy or anything, because I simply cared and respected a very healthy and balanced diet. Not only because of my vanity and obsession for my body's shape and health, but for real, obvious necessity. Do you think stuffing yourself with junk food would give you perfect muscles, skin and performances? That it would not make you feel tired and heavy in a long term? Good luck with that.

I helped setting the table and then we sat around it enjoy the delicious dinner, the salmon being very soft and tasty, melting on my tongue. I hummed as I forked more and had some salad, and as I was about to swallow my bite, she surprised me.

"So, Travis honey, your birthday is coming soon."

"Soon? It's only November and my birthday is like in what? Three months and something?"

"Whatever, there is no difference and let us not dwell on details. The point is: have you thought about your present?"

I smiled while forking more salmon and a piece of roasted potato, staring at her and trying to understand at what she was aiming. I swear, sometimes she looked like a teenager and for sure this side of her personality made our bond and relationship even more fantastic and strong than it already was. She was a friend in a way, but mostly my mother. I blinked a couple of times and she winked, and so, all fell into the same picture. She couldn't wait to buy me a car, as if she had to buy it for herself.

I shrugged, to tease her a little and she obviously didn't buy it, for she eyed me firmly and severely on purpose, arching her brows and shaking her head, as to say to stop messing around. She knew me too freaking well and I smiled more broadly.

"Well, not sure," I tried to say again, but she gave me a pointed look and I gave in. "Actually, yes, I thought about it."

"I knew it!" She cheered, clapping her hands and smiling in return. "So, which one?"

"Why are you so excited about it, mom?" I wasn't sure I understood it completely, for thanks to her I was never really in need for anything. Sure, I behaved as an role-model son and had some part-time jobs in summer mostly to understand the value of working and earning money, to see how it felt – which felt amazing, by the way – and I had high grades in school, never acting spoilt or acting up.

"Travis, it is the very first big and important gift I am buying to you, so of course I am excited about it."

I stared at her in disbelieve and she creased her forehead at my expression. She really thought it was the first big and important thing she gave me? Was she crazy? Had she no idea how much she already gave me? She was all a child could ask for in a mother and parent, and she always provided me with everything, mostly with love, care, support and much more. She had protected me from an awfully bad father and took me away, making an incredible career and still remaining a loving, affectioned and ever-present mother.

"Mom, you are crazy, I swear. Hell, you are the best present ever!" I wasn't kidding or playing any card, for those words were said with all my heart and deepest sincerity. I couldn't care less or give a damn if anyone thought I was mushy or too sugary. Bite me, for all I cared, which was a flying fuck. "I live in a wonderful city, you love me and support me, don't get mad when I curse or listen to loud music, have a bedroom that's almost an apartment itself...you got us away from him, you protected me and were there for me months ago."

"Thank you, Travis, but you know I love you. You are a gift yourself; I hope you are aware of that, right? A crazy and cursing gift, that is very true, but the best one nonetheless." I laughed at the last part: hell, she was right.

"Back to business, which one?" Her lawyer side had the upper hand.

"Alright, if you insist, at first I thought about the new Dodge Viper, but I guess it's a bit too expensive."

"How expensive?"

"Quite expensive, believe me." She nodded, but kept listening intently, curious to hear what I had to say.

"So, I considered then the new Audi TT RS, which is less expensive and looks very sexy." I saw her smiling, for my mom had a soft spot for Audi or Mercedes, and her own car was a very comfortable Mercedes.

"Which color?"

"Black," I fired out and she just nodded, pretty much having it guessed already. Obviously. It was one of my favorite colors ever and I owned many black clothes. Silver would be awesome as well, but black was absolutely perfect for me.

"Deal then." What? My eyes widened along with my mouth, my hand stopping mid-way in the air holding the fork. She didn't even enquire about the price. "After Christmas we will go to order one. It is decided already."

"Thank you, mom, are you entirely sure?" I was speechless. Yeah, for once I was speechless.

"Of course, honey I am sure, or else I wouldn't have discussed it with you and not inquire about the price. I already have a rough idea." She smiled and ate some salad, for then looking back to me. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention it to you. My sister is coming to visit us this weekend and Justin as well is coming with her."

"For real?" I loved aunt Madelaine, she was this sort of hyperactive and funny person who slept something like 5 hours only, saying she had to be up early to do God only knew what, very thin and athletic as she went jogging every morning at 6 am before my cousin and uncle were up, chatting like a machine gun and cooking as if it was the mission of her life. On the other hand, her husband, uncle Richard, was always very calm and composed, an extremely patient man who never minded his wife organizing the day and pretty much their life. They were perfect together and balanced each other in the most amazing way.

Justin was my cousin, two years older than me, a very soon to be graduated electrical engineer, exactly like my uncle. He had skipped a couple of years because of his rather impressive and outstanding brain, both him and uncle being mathematics geniuses. I wasn't bad in that subject, actually quite good all considered, but I would never be able to compare to my cousin and follow his reasoning. I still asked him for help with math from time to time, which was a way for us to communicate, for we didn't have much in common, nor we would pull an all-night talking about whatever came to our minds. He was very quiet and mostly kept for himself, just meeting with his girlfriend and two friends he had from college, also being very gifted in terms of brain. However, even if we couldn't consider ourselves friends and very closed relatives, I still liked him and in his quiet way he liked me back.

"They are going stay with us?"

"Yes, I didn't buy this big and welcoming apartment for nothing," she replied and yeah, she had a point, considered the number of bedrooms the place had.

We kept eating and chatting about many things, as for instance my days in school, her work, my training and much more. Once we finished, I obviously helped her in cleaning the kitchen and tidying around, preparing food for the following day, too. There was a lady that helped mom with cleanings and such twice a week, coming when we were out to school and work, but I still helped around. After tidying around, I left for my room, because I had to finish an essay and I was eager to begin my new book. As I completed my essay, a detail struck me pleasantly: today was Thursday, which meant school week was basically over and a relaxing weekend was ahead of me. I could really use some of it and have a break from the very hot and handsome and smart Aleksandr Lebedev.

Friday morning was very nice, and the wind was getting chillier than before, somehow whispering that autumn might become colder. I decided to enjoy it and I chuckled as the wind messed my hair, refreshing my face. Yes, it was true that California had breathtaking coasts, sandy beaches where you could run, lay down and relax, perfect waves for surfing, but I realized how much New York had changed in my eyes. Now, I loved this city and I considered it as my home, the place where I really felt at home and good. I liked this and I cherished that feeling deeply in my heart.

In the morning I took some time in choosing my clothes. I stood in front of my walk-in closet, trying to decide what to wear, and I walked back to the window to test the weather and see if it would give me inspiration; and right after sniffing the cold air outside, I opted for my very warm rock leather jacket, faded black skinny jeans ripped right below my ass and on the knees (hopefully our teacher weren't going to mind it or fuss about it), combat boots over them and a white long sleeves, turtleneck t-shirt whit a grinning skull printed on the back. Hell, even Axl Roses would be proud of my look. My usual silver chains in check and this morning a leather wrist band to cover that, just in case, considered the dream that woke me up during the night.

I checked my reflection in the full-size mirror I had in my room and decided it was perfect; so, with Guns N' Roses singing in my ears I took the bus for school, since mom had to leave earlier than usual for work, an important and big-ass client visiting their premises in New York.

While walking in the corridor, someone bumped hard against my shoulder, and when I looked back to see who had done that, my eyes caught the very unpleasant figure of that waste-of-space named John Collins sneering at me. As I said, he had brain issues and he was an award-winning jerk with too much free time in his hands. But that wasn't the problem here and definitely not my main concern, which actually was the fact he remembered my face (hell, who would forget it?) and seemed to send me a very bad message. Great. Just fucking great. Couldn't I mind my own business? No, I couldn't, because that was not my nature in such cases, and I would never be able to live with it. Plus, that kid was a real cutie and seemed very stressed.

I looked away even though I knew he was still staring at me, for whatever messed-up reason he might have had against me, and I simply ignored it, walking to my locker, chanting in my mind to let it go and repeating it was nothing to worry about, and right when I was lost in my own Travis's world, someone spoke to me out of the blue, surprising me no little.

"Hey dude, how are you doing?" A cheerful, familiar voice greeted approaching me.

I turned, for the voice came from behind, and I saw it belonged to Derek, smiling at me friendly and openly, waving his hand; and then my eyes caught the figure of someone else and I almost swallowed down at the view of Aleksandr. I stared at him for a moment and saw him staring back, clear blue ice contrasting with his dark eyebrows, his lips set in a rather hard line. We glanced at each other a bit longer than a simple moment and that made me shiver inside, but also made me feel shy for the first time in my life. OK, what the hell was that? I moved my stare away and concentrated on Derek, who definitely did not trigger anything like that in me. Alright, safer zone.

"It's Travis, Derek, even though Tommy Lee likes to use it, I don't like to be 'duded' all the time," I teased as my lips replied to his smile and Derek understood the joke, considered he chuckled and moved closer.

"Travis, then. I haven't seen you around, did you skip days or what? Ah no, wait, you were in class this week, just very silent and quiet." Err, was he checking on me? That didn't bother me much, to be honest, but I found it slightly weird, and true, we had one class together.

"Nah, I wasn't that super quiet and silent and as you said, I was in class. I guess we just didn't meet in the corridors, that's all." And let's not reveal the fact I wanted to keep quiet and alone, but I left the information for myself.

I turned to get my books and then looked again at Aleksandr, who hadn't spoken yet. Again, I saw him staring at me and I wonder why he did that, but I couldn't read his expression at all. There was something in his beautiful eyes that kept me locked and lost in them, but my brain reacted to that and forced them to look somewhere else. Yet, he was still observing me, in complete silence and without bothering to spare me a tiny word. Was my look that weird for him? Right, I forgot my jeans were ripped right below my sexy ass, so he perhaps found that somehow either weird or out of place. Freaking hell, I wished his jeans were completely ripped all over him.

But I couldn't complain about his clothes, for I liked his style, nothing too eye catching or strange, but neat and sportive, still able to let his physic and magnificent body to stand out. Fit blue jeans, which I bet hung perfectly on his ass (I was drooling in my mind just remembering it and the hot thoughts I entertained...bad Travis, bad, horny Travis), long-sleeves black polo-shirt and black Vans. I could see the thick and strong muscles of his arms flex when he moved from his spot and took a step to his locker. Those firm and strong muscles would definitely feel fantastic on my skin, while his hands were grabbing my hips, or his arms snaked around my back. Crap, I really had to stop with this, or else I would soon sport a very evident boner. I shifted on my feet and pretended to check something in the locker.

"I think we only have one class together, right? Otherwise, I would had noticed you in the others, I mean, you sure stand out." Derek was a flirt by nature, but I knew he was joking, mostly to make conversation because something in me somehow attracted his curiosity. Well, so I thought, and he confirmed it by keeping talking to me. He simply wanted to talk.

"I am sure you wouldn't have missed me, because who wouldn't notice my face and my sexy body? Hmm?" Ops, it slipped out of my mouth, but I just really meant it as a joke, for I could see Derek sure didn't mind it and was actually the type to enjoy that touch of silliness. Then again, I knew my body was amazingly shaped and fit, because I worked my ass off for that and I enjoyed it.

"Yeah, that's true," he however admitted chuckling and I quickly peered at Aleksandr, looking back with another unreadable expression, even though a moment before I could have sworn, he had snorted, but not in a bad or annoyed way. "I like your jacket, it's really cool, don't you think Alex?" Would he even bother to answer? Well, it was his friend that asked him, so maybe he would grace me with the sound of his very sensual and hard voice. God, I spent the past days trying to imagine how it would sound in bed and honestly speaking, it had been a very dumb idea, because it got me even more horny and spiked my desire for him insanely.

"His jeans are even more interesting," he said to his friend without looking at me, for then slightly smirking in a way my blood gushed in my veins out of mind. I swallowed down really hard and very silently, my eyes locked on his face and then, my tongue just decided to be annoying, paired with my pride.

"I am standing right here. You know that, right?" Smart ass, Travis. Smart ass, indeed. What the heck was wrong with me for challenging him every single time? I silently snorted, thinking that wasn't very clever, but something in him ticked me to reply back and clear things out.

He glared at me in a way I could not decide if it stood for being mad or no or whatever the hell that was, since it was very much impossible to read his icy eyes. And then, he just snorted, his eyes travelling me all over, quickly but intently. The things I would do to him and the things I would let him do to me. He was way too hot for my mental and cock's sanity.

"Don't mind Alex, he likes to be rough and cold," Derek said with a huge grin, patting his friend's shoulder. I swear I never met someone as cheerful as him and it was refreshing, very nice and definitely making me feel at ease, for he cut the tension it seemed to form between Aleksandr and I whenever we met and exchanged a few short, curt words.

"Rough is hot, I definitely don't mind it but on the contrary: I like it," I automatically replied without thinking twice and in the moment my words left my mouth, I wished to bite my tongue.

Fuck. I didn't just blab that out, did I? Yes, I did. Oh fuck. Absolutely great.

Derek just burst into a loud laugh that sure attracted a bit of attention, hugging his own belly, but Aleksandr shrugged it off, as if nothing, as if I hadn't spoken. It ticked me off, but I let it go, because there was nothing else to do. Maybe sex wasn't that interesting to him, and well, I couldn't really expect some major reaction, for I was a guy after all, and I am sure all the girls in this school were hot for him. The idea made me cringe and prompted me to veer my thoughts elsewhere. The path they took wasn't a very healthy and recommendable one, for I stood no chances when a guy was completely straight, and I even didn't want to get into that. Been there, done that and...let's leave it.

"Sorry, it just slipped out," I commented, as a way to test whether he would then say something or not.

"No worries man, crap, you are really something, Travis," Derek cheered, still slightly shaking in laughter, and of course he was the one responding, while the other kept silent. Oh well, he wasn't described as ice-made for nothing. I shrugged and decided it was about time to cut this.

"OK, I think now I'll go to class." My tongue had embarrassed me enough and staying there was pointless, for the hot beast was just ignoring me and not even talking directly to me.

"Which class?" Derek inquired.

"History of art. What about you?"

"Alex and I have mathematic and then more. So, see you later then."

"Math...good luck with that," I joked, slightly smiling as I brushed my hair to the said and felt like playing with my piercing.

"You good luck with those jeans," a voice my brain had already memorized said and I turned around suddenly. That had been Aleksandr and my eyes quickly widened at him.

I was speechless. Well. Just for a very, very short moment, of course. He might have made me feel sort of shy, but there was something else in him that triggered my reactive side. A very interesting and quite messed-up combination.

"Do you want to try them on? I'm sure they'd suit you perfectly," I fired back and again, I wanted to bite my tongue. Again, I talked back to him once more. Why couldn't I talk to him normally? It was like turning back to the age of 12 or even younger, considered my way of reacting at him.

"Not my style," he calmly replied, this time giving me his complete and rather overwhelming attention.

"Have you got a problem with my style?"

"Travis, where is your class?" Derek decided to stop it, even though the hot beast didn't look annoyed at all.

"Over there." I gestured toward some random direction, which turned out to be actually accurate.

"Will we see you at lunch?"

"Well, not sure. I have to read a book, you know, because I need to keep my grades over a certain threshold." It was half true, since I had a very good book to read, but I had no problems with my grades; they were very good even without making much effort.

"Yeah, that's right, I get it. See you around then, OK?" He clearly bought it and I was relieved for that, sparing me from more explanations.

"Sure, later." I turned towards Aleksandr and spoke directly to him, challenging him, "see you."

He nodded, which was already something I pretty much didn't expect, but he still didn't utter a single word. Oh well, whatever, I couldn't get everything, right? I stared at his eyes openly and then at his lips. Triple damn, it was a torture to just look at them and not being able to touch and lick them. I am sure he would taste really good and somehow, I had the idea he would be an amazing and mind-blowing kisser.

Alright, boner-alert, so let's walk away.

ALEKSANDR POV:

I looked at him, at Travis, walking away and once more noticed he had a peculiar way of walking, a mixture of cockiness and elegance, rather sensual and attractive in the complex and I had to force myself to look away. The fact that he stirred my curiosity in a way I couldn't understand at all very much annoyed me, and in addition, it annoyed me even more the way our glares crossed, the way our eyes locked together and seemed to lost contact with the rest of the world for that brief moment. He had such intriguing eyes of the purest black I have ever seen, and I really found myself chained at them, wanting to plunge into them and see more, discover more.

I knew he was gay; Travis definitely did not try to hide it or anything, but I didn't mind it. If I would, my brother's fiancée would bite my head off in a blink of an eye. However, Nichole or not, it wasn't a problem per se for me, given my best friend and teammate River was gay and, as he said, out of the closet. Not to mention, I was never raised to have prejudices and I never had any to begin with.

I spared him another glance and I couldn't help to watch his jeans, showing a bit of his toned skin, wrapped around his obviously fit and round ass, which made me privately grin inside of my head.

For someone who wanted to keep quiet and for himself, not exactly seeking for company, he had extremely eye catching and uncommon looks and style. Derek didn't notice it, but what he said earlier clearly was an excuse, because I had the idea he didn't need to keep up with his grade. I bet he was smart enough to not really care about it. The past days I noticed him always keeping alone, listening to the music, or simply trying to not mingle with the rest of the students. I was sure someone like him would be easily at the center of the attention, for I saw how girls eyed him, and even some guys couldn't seem to stop glancing at him. He got on well with Derek immediately, meaning he was not shy or aloof, but still he would keep for himself and politely decline my friend's offer to have lunch together with an excuse. I wondered what made me him act like that; if he just didn't care about getting along with other people or if there were other reasons. I remember spotting him going to the library during a lunch break and my curiosity sparked even more; there was something about him that really got me and prompted me to tease him.

His jeans really were interesting, as I said before in all honesty, just like his style. It was funny though to tease him because he wasn't scared of me and he just talked back with quite a flicker of pride and temper, his eyes boring into mine.

"Alex my friend, who is Tommy Lee?" Derek asked, bringing me back from my thoughts. I eyed him and shook my head in seeing his clueless expression. Figure it, Derek was hopeless in the general music department, aside what he liked and listened to, which was very limited.

"Does Pamela Anderson ring you any bell? She was his ex-wife," I explained, knowing that some famous and generally-considered hot model would probably make his memory work faster.

"Yeah, right, he was some sort of singer?" Seriously? He was completely clueless, and I frowned at him, letting go of a sigh.

"Tommy Lee is Motley Crue' drummer, don't you know them?" He ought to know them, for crying out loud.

"Sure dude, now I remember, thanks," he answered, playfully punching my shoulder. "You listen to them if I am right, because you like rock music, too." Indeed, I hadn't missed the detail that Travis seemed to know them and possible listen to them, granted the way he dressed.

"Yeah, you won a golden hockey stick."

"Ha. Ha. Ha," he mocked. "By the way, you shouldn't act so tough and cold with Travis, he is really cool and sexy for sure."

"When did you change your sexual taste?" I asked with an edge in my voice I didn't exactly expect to have, and I mentally groaned at myself. For some unknown reason, his last comment bothered me and not understanding why it bothered me annoyed me even more.

"I haven't changed my taste, you know that very well, but you can't deny Travis has a rather sexy ass and body, and he definitely knows it, seeing how he dresses. I wonder what kind of sport he does."

After hearing his last answer, I had a vague idea of what kind of sport or activity however he might enjoy very much, which made me want to kick myself. Argh, what was I thinking about? A guy?

"I don't think my being rough does bother him, Dee, you can see he isn't a scared cat," I spontaneously replied, realizing too late I just dug my own grave.

"Oh, I am sure he'd like you rough and untamed," Derek joked, without knowing what his words triggered in my mind and not only in my mind. Shit, what the hell was going on? I tried to move from it with a typical reply.

"Am I some kind of beast now?" I rolled my eyes at him, slightly annoyed mostly for having to try changing subject.

"Should I answer?" He only said and I punched him back, but he just grinned and waved at Dima and Hayden. "Hey guys, is Alex a beast or not?"

"Man, he is gigantic and very scary beast when inside the rink, that's freaking sure, and even out. Who would bother him, ha?" Dima commented with a bright and full grin, approaching us and slapping my back. "Sorry Sasha, don't beat the crap out of me during training, OK? I have a date tomorrow night and I'd like to be in shape for that."

"I think Alex beating your ass at training isn't the problem, buddy," Hayden commented and smiled at me, for we all knew how it worked with our Russian blonde bear.

Another date for real? Sure, another date he was going to ruin by blabbing out something wrong or completely moronic, in his usual fashion. I grunted at him and went on with Hayden, who kept useless comments for himself, simply telling me about a hockey game he watched the night before and about a new training program his father had come up with for him.

"Hey Sasha, I'm talking to you," Dima called after me following us, probably having said something else I tuned out.

"What is it?" I asked curtly, but he didn't mind it one bit because he knew me too well and was very used to my lack of patience and very curt attitude. They called me unsocial and yeah, I guess in way that was true.

"My date has a friend who knows you and she asked whether you'd be interested in seeing her. She's quite hot, believe me. We can go out together tomorrow night if you want." Jesus, that was surely something I did not want to bother with. Not because of my friend, but for the simple reason dating was out of question. She could be hot as hell, but nothing changed. The last experience had been annoying enough and I needed a due break from that annoyance and madness. I still regretted having spent a very few months with Erin, because she kept being a gigantic pain in the ass.

"No, you know how I see it and I have no time to waste. I promised River to go to the cinema together, anyway."

"Oh c'mon, you don't really need to date and get all serious and shit. You can just have fun as I plan to do," Dima went on and I stopped walking, staring at him. He was serious in his BS and I just groaned out in complete lack of patience. "Yeah, Dee, he's such a beast we should think of some special leash."

"I actually think we found someone who would love his beasty, untamed side," Derek dropped there and I arched a brow to him silently telling him to shut up, but he ignored me and Dima looked between us two, not understanding what was going on. I myself wasn't sure what he meant at first, but then I got it and I just moved along. He said he liked it rough, hmm? I found myself thinking about some clever comeback about that I never ever believed of saying. I shook my head and let it go. This wasn't normal one fucking bit.

"Dima give up on the date. You know you'll forget the name as soon as your blood will run south, and possibly get nothing out of it," I said as I walked away, wanting to see River and get a break from their idiocy. My friend shouted something after me, but I tuned it out, because in my mind something else took the precedence, and I had to thank, sarcastically speaking, Derek and his comment. Would he really not mind my rather harsh and cold personality? I wondered and then shut everything down. There was nothing to consider, because he was a guy and I surely wasn't into wasting other time in dating.

Thank God, River waited for me in class and seemed immersed in some conversation happening on his phone, and after seeing his expression, I knew he was trying to politely dump someone.

"Sasha," he warmly greeted me, and I sat beside him at once. "Give me a few extra seconds and then I'll be all yours."

"Take your sweet time in dumping that poor sap," I joked, and he smiled in a way that signaled I had guessed right.

"You know me well."

"I sure do and when you look like that, I have no doubts someone is now crying over their lost and ruined chances."

Right when the bell rang for lunch time, I saw Travis walking in the direction of the library. He must have had class right beside mine and it was weird I hadn't noticed that before. Then something else took my attention and that was Collins looking at him with a glance hat I didn't like at all. It was probably better to keep an eye on him, as I knew for a fact that he was an idiotic and quite vicious asshole. He seemed to consider something and again, I didn't like how his face sniggered and how his eyes concentrated on Travis' walking figure.

Something seemed very wrong and I didn't miss how he went to follow him, so I decided to walk toward that piece of crap and, as soon as I reached him, I harshly shoved him way.

"You are still in my way, Collins," I said with very cold and quite menacing tone.

He glared, but the smell of his fear was too sharp to be missed, just like the way his face contracted as I smirked at him in not a friendly way. I also found him stinky, but that was probably because I really hated his guts, especially for what a few times he had dared saying to River. And now, he appeared to have shifted his attention to Travis. He looked at me, valuing his chances but didn't reply, and after a hesitating moment, he walked away.

As I said, I had to keep an eye on him, because you never knew what people like him could come up with in their rotten mind. A thought that brought me back to Anatoly and just thinking about him, made my blood boil. He used to be my best friend and turned out to be just like someone like Collins: how the hell could that be possible? I couldn't believe it; I didn't understand what happened. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth as my mind moved more on him, aware of how much River missed him, even if he never really told me. And what about me? Did I miss him?

I shoved that question away and shook my head. Spending time over that was useless; he had made his choice and he had been very clear with that, saying he hated us. So, why would I miss him? If there was someone to miss was the past Anatoly, my true and real best friend, but he maybe was gone for good.

Irritation burned inside of me and I found my feet moving automatically, my instinct telling me to follow Travis and see what he was doing during lunch; however, when I went to look for him, he was gone. Where to? The library maybe.

Author's chit-chat:

So, what are your comments on this chapter? Did you enjoy it and could feel differences? I can tell you it is longer than the first version.

Also, I am giving explaining more of Aleksandr's background, giving more space to his thoughts and past experiences, which will keep going on through the entire story. I think, his stories and past episodes, his issues and such needed more attention and deepening. Thus, I hope you'll be satisfied with learning more about him, and maybe, you will understand him more.

When I first started to write "Fire and Ice" I hadn't exactly planned the entire series, so you can imagine that editing it now means also adding other parts, such that small moment where Aleksandr mentions Anatoly...this matter will be better considered in this enhanced version 😊 to render the series better linked and cohesive.

Travis and Sasha sure have quite the heated exchanges at first, right? I am having fun with that and yeah, we see more of Sasha's thoughts.

Thank you dear all for your wonderful support and love!

Lots of Love, Magic, Hugs & Meows,
-TheWitchAndTheCat-