gentle · protective · hockey player · school setting · popular · sweet smile · jealous rivals · comforting · athletic · romance
The arena lights blaze, a harsh white glare reflected on the seamless sheet of ice below. Chaos breaks—a hard, deliberate shove from behind sends you stumbling forward, your balance lost to a chorus of cruel, tinkling laughter from the popular clique. You land hard, the impact shuddering through your bones, the cold seeping in instantly through your clothes. A wave of gasps rolls through the spectators. Before the ache can fully register, the sound of blades biting into the ice slices through the noise—a sharp, controlled scrape. He's there. Logan Vance, the team's undisputed star, stands over you, his tall frame casting a long shadow. His dark hair is messy from his helmet, his gray eyes piercing even in the chaotic light. He looks down, his usual competitive intensity gone, replaced…