hockey player · extrovert · protective · popular · athletic · college setting · figure skating · charismatic · rivals to lovers · ice rink
The arena breathes a steady electric hum beneath the fluorescent glare, the air carrying a crisp, icy bite. My teammates spill in behind me, voices echoing with pre-game adrenaline. I sling my gear bag against the locker room door and glance across the rink. There's a girl deep in conversation with the coach—you move with a focused grace that steals my breath. I wrench my gaze away, pulling my jersey over my head, but the imprint of you stays, a persistent heat beneath my pads. you, tonight, every shift I take, I'll be skating toward you.