ICE BETWEEN RIVALS

Aria's pov

The cold air hits my face as soon as I step out of the car. I pull my jacket tighter around me and look up at the big building in front of me. The name "Western Helms Academy" is written in large silver letters above the gate. So, this is my new school.

I let out a quiet sigh.

I have changed schools three times already, but this one feels different. It’s bigger and seems so elegant. The parking lot is full of expensive cars, and students are wearing thick winter jackets. Everyone seems to know where they are going, except for me.

Behind me, the trunk of the car closes with a loud thud. “Aria, hurry up,” my dad says. “You’ll be late on your first day.” I turn around and glare at him. “This is your fault,” I mutter.

He raises an eyebrow. “My fault?”

“Yes,” I replied. “You accepted the job.”

My dad just laughs and shakes his head. He walks toward me with the calm confidence he always has. Coach Daniel Bennett. That’s what everyone here will call him. The hockey team at this school is famous. They win championships almost every year. When they offered him the head coach position, he didn’t hesitate to accept. Which meant moving. Again.

“Give the place a chance,” he says gently.

I cross my arms. “You know I hate hockey.”

His expression softens a little. “I know.”

Of course, he knows. Hockey is the reason my older brother Tyler had to quit his dreams. One bad injury two years ago ended everything. After that, hockey became something I didn’t want to see, hear, or talk about. Unfortunately, this school seems to be all about hockey.

Students wearing jerseys walk past us. A big poster near the entrance shows players celebrating on the ice. And the worst part? My dad is now their coach. Lucky me.

“Come on,” Dad says. “Orientation starts soon.”

I grab my bag and follow him toward the entrance. The moment we step inside, warm air surrounds us. The hallway is crowded with students talking and laughing. Lockers slam shut. Someone runs past us. I feel eyes turning toward my dad. Some students whisper. “That’s the new coach.” “Coach Bennett.” “Do you think he’ll make the team better?”

Great. So, I’m not just the new girl. I’m the coach’s daughter. That should go well.

Dad stops near the office. “I need to meet the principal,” he says. “You’ll be fine finding your classroom?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

He gives me a quick smile before walking away. For a moment, I stand there alone in the busy hallway. New school. New people. Same uncomfortable feeling in my chest. I take a deep breath, and then I start walking.

The first class goes better than I expected. The teacher introduces me, and a few students smile politely. No one asks too many questions. That’s good. By lunchtime, I’m starting to relax a little. I sit alone near the window in the cafeteria, eating a sandwich while looking at my schedule for the next class.

Suddenly, the room gets louder. Students start whispering and turning their heads. I frown slightly. What’s going on? Then I hear someone say: “The hockey team is here.”

Great.

I look up just as a group of tall boys walks into the cafeteria. They’re easy to notice. Most of them wear jackets with the school’s hockey logo. They move confidently, laughing and pushing each other around but one of them stands out more than the rest.

He walks in the middle of the group. He’s tall, with broad shoulders and dark, messy hair. It looks like he knows everyone is watching him. He seems… annoying.

The boy beside me whispers excitedly to his friend. “That’s Ryder Hayes.” Another voice replies, “The team captain.” Ah, of course. The hockey captain, Ryder Hayes.

He walks past my table without noticing me. His teammates follow him to a table in the middle of the cafeteria. Within seconds, several girls nearby start whispering and staring. Typical. I roll my eyes and go back to my schedule. Just another arrogant athlete. I’ve met plenty before.

I finish my lunch quickly and stand up, ready to leave. Unfortunately, the universe decides to make my day worse. As I turn around, I walk straight into someone. Hard. My books fall from my hands and hit the floor.

“Seriously?” I mutter. I crouch down to pick them up and another hand reaches down at the same time. Our fingers almost touched each other, I looked up and froze when I saw Ryder Hayes.

Up close, he looks even taller. His gray eyes are looking at me with curiosity. “You should watch where you’re going,” he says calmly. I just stare at him. Excuse me? “You walked into me,” I reply.

His eyebrow lifts slightly. “I was standing still.” I glance behind him. He wasn’t. He clearly walked into my path. But judging by the way people nearby are watching us, arguing with the hockey captain probably isn’t the smartest move. Still, I’m not in the mood to pretend he’s right. I grab my book from his hand. “Maybe you should pay more attention then,” I say.

For a second, he looks surprised, then a small smirk appears on his face. “You’re new.” Not a question, just a statement. “Yes,” I replied. “Thought so.” He crosses his arms. “Most people here don’t talk to me like that.”

I shrug. “Maybe they should.” A few students nearby gasp softly. Apparently, I just committed a social crime. Ryder studies me for a moment longer, then chuckles quietly. “Interesting.”

Before I can respond, someone calls his name. “Ryder! Practice in ten minutes!” One of his teammates waves from across the cafeteria. Ryder glances back at me. “See you around, new girl.”

Then he walks away with confidence, annoying and completely sure the world revolves around him.

I exhale slowly. Oh Great, first day at school and I already argued with the hockey captain.

This place is going to be fun.

The final bell rings in the afternoon. Students begin leaving the classrooms, filling the hallways with noise again. I grab my bag and head toward the exit. But before I reach the doors, a loud voice stops me.

“Aria Bennett? I’m Sofia, from your history class.”

“Oh, Hi.” I awkwardly said

“I just wanted to say welcome to Western Helms.” I smiled at her and I said “That’s nice of you.” She glances around the hallway before leaning closer.

“So… is it true?” I blinked.

“Is what true?”

“You’re the new coach’s daughter.” And of course that rumor traveled fast.

“Yeah,” I admit. Her eyes widened with excitement.

“Wow.” I already regret answering.

She grins.

“That means you’ll be around the hockey team a lot.” I groan quietly.

“I hope not.” then Sofia laughs.

“Oh trust me. At this school, everything somehow leads back to hockey.” How wonderful, It’s just what I wanted, more hockey.

We started walking toward the exit together. Outside, the cold air has grown even stronger. Students were heading toward the parking lot or the buses.

Sofia suddenly stops walking.

“Oh!”

“What?” She points toward the large building beside the school.

“That’s the ice rink.”

I followed her gaze. Bright lights shine through the windows.

Inside, I can see the faint outline of an ice rink and figures skating across it.

It’s the hockey team.

Sofia smiles.

“They’re probably practicing right now.”

I stared at the rink. For a moment, memories flash through my mind: Tyler was practicing late at night, the sound of skates cutting through ice, the day everything ended.

My chest tightens. I quickly looked away.

“I should go,” I said and Sofia nodded..

“See you tomorrow.”

I walk toward the parking lot where my dad’s car is waiting. But before I reached it, a loud sound came from behind the rink doors.

The doors burst open. Several hockey players run out, laughing and pushing each other.

And right in front of them— is Ryder Hayes.

He stops suddenly when he sees me standing there. For a moment, our eyes meet. His expression changes slightly, like he just realized something. Then he says the one sentence that makes my stomach drop.

“So you’re the coach’s daughter.”

My heart sinks. Oh

no, this just got a lot more complicated. And something tells me Ryder Hayes is about to become a very big problem in my life.