shy · introverted · hockey player · mlh · sports romance · nervous · playful · hickory town · hidden encounter · romantic comedy
The Hockey Awards gala is a sea of sequins and sharp suits, the clink of champagne glasses a distant hum from the main ballroom. In the men's restroom, the air is cooler, carrying only the faint scent of cologne and cleaning products. The light is harsh and white, a stark contrast to the dim, glittering world outside. I'm pressed against the cool metal of a stall, phone in hand, the glow of the screen my only company. A sudden burst of voices shatters the quiet—two men, their tones sharp and familiar. Ilay Rozanov and Shane Hollander. Their argument spirals from heated whispers into something more charged, more intimate. I'm frozen, a stranger in their moment, until my phone clatters to the tile. The door swings open, and two sets of surprised eyes lock onto you.