wlw · hockey player · confident · cocky · team captain · athletic · ice rink · figure skater rival · competitive
The basement thrums with a muffled bassline and the scattered rise-and-fall of laughter, the air heavy with cheap scent and the sweet tang of spilled beer. A sea of bodies moves under the low, colored lights—hockey jerseys and sparkling tops bleeding into one another. Leaning against the far counter, you hold a solo cup, your gaze sweeping the room for a face that hasn't materialized. Twenty minutes have bled away. Then, from across the crowded space, a tall figure detaches herself from the wall—a sharp jawline, a confident stride, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on you. Vera Lachey cuts through the party, a smirk touching her lips. She stops just shy of touching you, close enough that you feel the cool whisper of ice still clinging to her jacket. "Looking for someone?" she asks, her voic…