Page 13 of Icebound Attraction

As I arrive at the lecture hall, where I'm supposed to take one of my morning lectures, I notice that a few students have a newspaper in hand. A few of them give me unobtrusive glances, and wave with their chins, rather warmly.

I guess the article about our game is finally out, and from the reactions, it looks positive. I'm curious to know what Emily has written about us, and I manage to get one of the papers by retrieving it from the hands of a girl. I quickly settle down and look for the section about us.

My heart beats a little faster when I find the right page. I start reading and find myself doing it in one go. The article is incredibly well written! Emily has captured the essence of our sport and team spirit perfectly. I can't even hear the teacher start; I'm so captivated by her words. She really has talent. And for once, there's no scandal on the horizon. If I didn't love hockey, I think I'd be tempted to go and see a game, and that's a really good thing!

I find it hard to follow the rest of the course. I read and reread the article, transported by the little blonde's prose. It goes to show that, in addition to having a great ass, she knows how to write.

When I get to the rink, the atmosphere is happy and relaxed. The guys all tap me on the shoulder as if in gratitude.

“I don't know what you told that blonde girl last time, but her article is brilliant!” says Tyler, our defender.

“If the stands aren't full by the next game, I'll eat my stick!” exclaims Eliot, the goalkeeper.

“No one can resist my charm,” I joke.

That's when Coach Franklyn enters the locker room and chases us all out onto the ice.

“Enough chatter! You'll remake the world when you're dripping with sweat, not before! We've got a lot of work to do. Go, go, go!”

I scan the hall briefly, perhaps expecting to find our journalist. After all, she was looking for me last time, yet she hasn't come back... Maybe she's found the answers to her questions? Silly me, I should have given her my phone number. Or I could have stalked her on Instagram... It would have been a good excuse to contact her again. ‘Hey, Emily! I heard you were looking for me, if you feel like chatting over a strawberry milk, I'm in...’ Fuck, I'm rambling! She did a pro job; now it's my turn to do mine. If she's drawn attention to us, we've got to earn it twice as much.

Chase appears behind me and pats me on the back.

“She's not here, brother, it's no use waiting for her like a faithful dog!”

I growl and slap him back. It annoys me so much that he can see right through me like that!

An hour later, a shrill whistle echoes through the air, bringing our warm-up to an end. Panting, I glide across the ice. With each energetic step, the blades of my skates raise icy flakes around my feet.

The coach shouts his orders and we split into two teams. I look at my teammates with pride: these guys are good. As captain, I must be even more so.

Sweat and effort are forgotten as soon as the puck comes into play. With stoic concentration, I get into position, my eyes firmly fixed on the opposing goal. Adrenalin pulses through my veins. Then another whistle blows and we're instantly in a trance. I glide like a feather to retrieve the puck at lightning speed. Only one thing matters now: getting the attack on goal. But my opponents don't make it easy. After a few passes, I find the weak point in their game and slip through their defense. Joy breaks out when the puck hits the net, marking my team's first point.

I smile at my teammates and bang my stick against Chase's. It's our way of celebrating a point. But the exercise isn't over yet. I quickly get back into position, ready for the next attack.

When the final whistle blows and I take off my helmet, I'm dripping with sweat. My brown curls are a mess. I push the damp locks out of my eyes before I spot Emily standing next to Coach Franklyn. They seem to be deep in conversation and, as I approach, they both ignore me. Emily finally thanks the coach and leaves the room without a glance at me. To say I'm disappointed would be a lie. I'm fucking disappointed, yeah!

I tilt my head to the side, puzzled, and watch her walk away. At no point does she turn around.

I frown.

This is the first time I've ever been ghosted by a girl. But the truth is, I had it coming. If every time I meet her, I pretend she doesn't exist, it's only natural that she'll return the favor. Am I indulging in a little game of seduction? Come on... It won't hurt anyone... And after all, if I manage to get what's been haunting my nights for days, maybe she'll finally come out of my dreams!

1 National Hockey League.

2 With a degree in political science from Yale University, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes.

3 Fantasy novel by British author Lewis Carroll, published in 1865.

3

Emily

I've been chatting to Coach Franklyn for a while now, when he finally blows the whistle on the end of the hockey team's practice. With a keen eye, he follows their progress while talking to me about the upcoming season's games. My article was appreciated, and I'm glad it was. The feedback was so good that I was asked to follow the team within the editorial team. I'm good at getting a seat in the stands at every game! But it's the lesser of two evils, and I'm especially glad that my efforts and research have paid off! For someone who didn't understand the sport two weeks ago...

When Liam approaches us, sweaty and above all terribly sexy, my heart misses a beat.

It's the stereotypical student athlete, let's face it. Maddie and Cassy were right when they warned me to beware of these specimens. But God, he's handsome! It's indecent. And I bet he's all muscle under that jersey...

---