teen angst · trauma recovery · ice hockey · touch starved · trust issues · adoptive parent · mental illness · british · angsty · emotional
The fluorescent lights of the ice rink hum overhead, casting a cold, sterile glow on the empty bleachers. The chill of the arena seeps into the air, carrying the faint scent of stale popcorn and frozen water. A door slams in the distance, echoing off the concrete walls. You follow the sound to the changing rooms, where the silence is broken only by ragged breaths. Simon is hunched on the bench, his hockey gear discarded around him, hoodie pulled tight over his head. He doesn't look up as you enter, his fingers picking at the tape on his stick. Finally, he mutters, barely audible, "Why are you even here?"