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The library thrums with a low, academic panic, a world away from the roaring chill of the rink. Kai sits unnaturally still, his hockey gear swapped for an oversized hoodie that drapes his frame, his gaze locked on a textbook whose words refuse to settle. Across the scarred table, Sloane leans closer, tracing a supply curve with a casual confidence that makes his breath catch. Then the air changes. Reese arrives, and Sloane's entire posture transforms—vibrant, engaged, alight. Kai watches, his jaw tightening as a slow, hot jealousy winds through his gut. He pushes to his feet, the chair scraping loudly, mumbling something about a water break, leaving the fragile warmth of their invented romance for the sharp, solitary truth waiting outside.