Chapter 54

Celeste

The crowd was roaring, a cacophony of cheers and jeers that made the entire arena vibrate with energy.

I watched with bated breath as Matt’s team battled fiercely against their opponents. Every time the puck danced dangerously close to their net, I felt a pang of anxiety tighten in my chest.

The scoreboard glared with 2-2, and there were only a couple minutes left. The pressure was palpable, every person in the stands waiting for that tiebreaker. I heard Fiona muttering a string of curses every time the other team threatened to take the lead.

“I think they might lose,” I murmured, watching as the other team managed to wrestle the puck from one of Matt’s teammates.

“Don’t jinx it,” Fiona whispered back, gripping my arm tightly.

Suddenly, there was a turnover in the rink. The opposing team’s main player was breaking away with the puck, sprinting towards Matt’s team’s goal with blazing speed. But just when it seemed he was in the clear, Matt appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

With a devious grin, he used a sneaky trick move, managing to snake the puck from beneath the opponent's stick.

The crowd gasped, eyes wide, as Matt darted towards the goal. He was fast, faster than any human I had ever seen; like a lightning bolt shooting across the rink.

How was that even possible?

It was as though time had slowed, every moment stretched out, until—with a final flourish—Matt took a shot, and the puck sailed past the goalie, slamming into the net.

The roar that erupted was deafening. I was on my feet, cheering with wild abandon, the exhilaration of the last-minute goal flooding me and making me forget my previous apprehension over Matt’s inhuman speed.

But amid the jubilation, a snide comment from behind cut through the noise.

“That weird girl’s at it again,” a mocking voice said. “Honestly, it’s pathetic how obsessed she is with the hockey players. As if they’d ever give her the time of day.”

The words stung, and I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. My excitement was suddenly replaced with a crushing weight of self-consciousness. I sank back into my seat, wishing I could melt away.

Fiona, however, had other ideas. Always one to stand up for her friends, she was on her feet in an instant, eyes blazing with fury as she confronted the girl who had spoken.

“Hey! What did you just say?” she demanded, her voice dripping with venom.

The girl, clearly taken aback by Fiona’s aggressive stance, faltered for a moment. But then she smirked, tossing her long hair back. “I said what everyone’s thinking. She’s obsessed with—”

The retort was cut short as, in a move that left everyone around in shock, Fiona lunged forward and grabbed the end of the girl’s hair.

The perfectly coiffed locks came off in Fiona’s hand, revealing a very surprised and very bald girl. It was a wig.

“Ugh! You bitch!” The girl shrieked, lunging for her wig and failing to catch hold of it.

The nearby spectators burst into laughter, while others gasped, phones out, capturing the spectacle. I pulled my hood up, partially to hide my face from the photos being snapped but also partially to hide my laughter.

Fiona, brandishing the wig like a war trophy, gleefully tossed it into the crowd. Then, shooting the embarrassed girl one last victorious look, she grabbed my hand.

“Come on,” she hissed, pulling me along with her. We made our way through the throngs of people, ducking under the bleachers where we finally paused to catch our breath.

For a moment, neither of us said anything, and then the gravity of what just happened hit us. We both started to giggle, the laughter growing louder and wilder, until we were both doubled over, tears streaming down our faces.

“Celeste,” Fiona began, wiping away her tears, “never let anyone make you feel lesser. You’re amazing. And those jerks? They’re not worth your time.”

I looked at her, my heart swelling with gratitude. “Fiona,” I said, taking her hand, “thank you. You’ve always been my guardian. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She squeezed my hand, her eyes glistening with emotion. “That’s what friends are for. Always got your back.”

And as we sat under the bleachers, hidden from the world, I realized that while the hockey game was memorable, it was this moment, this deep bond of friendship, that I would cherish the most.

The deafening sound of the final buzzer reverberated throughout the hockey arena, signaling the end of the game. The crowd erupted in cheers, and the players skated around, celebrating their victory.

Fiona nudged my shoulder playfully.

“Now’s your chance,” she whispered, casting a subtle glance in Matt’s direction. He was chatting with some of his teammates, laughter evident in his eyes.

I took a deep breath, the anticipation swirling within me. “I’m not sure, Fi,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “What if he doesn’t want to hang out with me?”

Fiona rolled her eyes, giving me a gentle push forward. “Go ask him. You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

Gathering my courage, I started to make my way towards Matt. My heart raced with every step, a symphony of nerves and excitement.

But just as I was about to reach him, I noticed him dialing a number on his phone.

My phone started ringing loudly in my purse, its sharp trill slicing through the ambient noise of the crowd. Panic surged through me. Could it be? The coincidence was too uncanny.

Without thinking, I sprinted towards the bathroom, pushing through the throngs of people. Once inside, I frantically checked my phone. Matt.

This couldn’t be happening. I took a few moments, trying to breathe steadily, and then slipped back into the all-too-familiar ‘Rose’ persona, adjusting my voice accordingly. I answered the call.

“Hello?” I said, doing my best to mask the tremor in my voice.

“Rose?” Matt’s voice held an undeniable tinge of excitement. “Hey, I was thinking… Do you want to go out tonight? I know we talked about setting up a real second date, but I want to see you now.”

I hesitated. “I… I can’t, Matt,” I replied, searching for a plausible excuse. “I have a ton of homework to do.”

There was a pause, and I could almost picture the disappointment on his face. “Come on, just for a little while? It doesn’t have to be long.”

The earnestness in his voice made my heart ache. “Look,” I began, my voice softening, “I can maybe do an hour, tops. But then I have to get home.”

There was a relieved sigh on the other end. “That’s perfect. Where can I meet you?”

“We can meet at the quad," I suggested.

“See you there,” Matt replied, hanging up.

I leaned against the cold tiles of the bathroom wall, taking a moment to process everything. When I exited the bathroom, Fiona was waiting, an eyebrow raised in question.

“He asked ‘Rose’ out,” I said with a sigh.

Fiona blinked in surprise, her face etched with concern. “What are you going to do now? Jack’s probably already wondering where you are, and you’re not in your ‘disguise’.”

A wry smile tugged at my lips as I reached into my purse, producing my mask and my pair of colored contacts. “I’m always prepared,” I replied, shrugging.

Fiona’s face darkened, her tone taking on an edge of frustration. “Is your alter ego so important to you now that you don’t even leave the house without it?”