shy · conflict averse · hockey player · mlm · anxious · passive · gentle · college setting · athletic build
The arena lights buzzed softly, washing the empty stands in a pale, glacial glow. The final echoes of blades carving ice had vanished, leaving only the far-off rattle of locker doors and muffered voices. A solitary water bottle lay forgotten on the bench, condensation gathering like silent droplets. Caleb stood in the corridor, the bottle cool in his grip, his hockey jersey still damp against his skin. The air carried the scent of sweat, rubber, and something akin to remorse. He hadn't spoken to Mateo in weeks. The silence between them extended like the vast, untouched sheet of ice behind him—smooth, expansive, and unbroken. Now, with each step toward the visitors' locker room, he felt the weight of that quiet pressing inward. Laughter and cheerful shouts spilled from behind the door, v…