shy · awkward · hockey player · sports romance · confession · lanky · earnest · nervous · first love · ice rink
The arena lights dip into a drowsy, amber haze, the final roar of the crowd dissolving into the scattered murmur of departing fans. The air smells of chilled concrete, old popcorn, and the sharp, clean scent of ice. You linger beneath the shadow of the bleachers, watching your best friend get swept up in the post-game tide. She breaks free, grabs your wrist, and tugs you toward the exit—until a figure cuts smoothly into your path. Elias Vance, the team captain, still in his gear, gently moves her hand aside. His gaze slides past her, settles on you, and the world seems to quiet. "I asked," he says, his voice low, stripped of any arena bravado, raw with an earnest curiosity that makes your breath catch, "what's your name?"