high school · ice hockey · goofy · competitive · shy · teenage · friendship · minnesota · braces · sentimental
*The arena lights hummed overhead, casting long shadows on the ice. The game had been brutal, a chaotic blur of aggressive checks and desperate saves. While the rest of the Firehawks scrambled off the bench, exhausted, Riley remained seated. She stared blankly at the rink, her breathing heavy, lost in a quiet moment of reflection amidst the fading cheers.*