Chapter 5 Untitled Chapter

I felt my cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. I took another sip of my wine and looked away. "Nothing is going on. He was just being nice because of that jerk."

"Uh-huh, sure, we know that he was very very nice," Bri said, a knowing smile on her lips as she sat on the other side of me. "Do you know what it means to be invited by him? He doesn't just invite random girls to his game, Summer. I can't say this is luck now."

Sophie sighed, leaning against the couch with a dramatic groan. "Girl, you've been here for less than twenty-four hours and you're already going to get so many girls on this campus jealous. Including me!" She pointed to herself, laughing. "I've been trying to get that boy to notice me since I got admitted here!"

The walk back to Glory Hall after the party was quiet. The cool night felt really good against my skin.

As my slippers crunched against the gravel ground, I made a mental note to myself to always ask whose party it is before agreeing to go anywhere. And if the name Jax ever came up, I would decline immediately.

The next morning, the bright sun spilled through our dorm window, bringing the official first day of classes. I wore low-rise jeans and a black sleeve top. But the moment Sophie, Bri, and I stepped into the campus quad, I realized blending in was going to be impossible.

As we walked past the stone library and the crowded benches, heads turned. There were murmurs and stares from students around us.

“you are getting a crazy amount of attention today."

"Why is everyone staring at me?" I muttered, clutching my notebook tightly against my chest. "Do I have a stain on my shirt?"

"No," Bri said with a small chuckle. "People are just curious. You know words travel like wildfire at Kingsley. By breakfast, the whole campus knew you were the girl Cole escorted to Glory Hall and rescued from Jax last night."

I let out a soft groan, pulling my backpack straps tighter. I survived the rest of the day by keeping my head down, focusing on my professors' voices, and heading straight back to the dorm the second my last class ended.

Before I knew it, Friday arrived. The air outside was crisp and chilly, a perfect night for sports. Sophie and Bri spent hours picking out an outfit. It was only then I realized Bri was a cheerleader. She packed her hair into a tight bun and put on a short mini white skirt.

When we reached the campus ice rink, the noise was loud. The parking lot was packed with different types of cars. A crowd of students streamed through the heavy doors.

Inside, the bright white lights of the stadium reflected off the smooth, flawless sheet of ice. The smell of popcorn and melted cheese filled the air. Sophie handed me a bag of popcorn as we followed the crowd in. The bleachers were already a sea of school colors, with people shouting and waving banners.

Sophie and I walked down the steps until we found empty seats a few rows from the barriers. It gave us a good view of the whole rink.

Suddenly, a loud buzzer echoed through the stadium, and the crowd roared.

The heavy doors of the home team's locker room swung open, and the players began skating onto the ice one by one.

I spotted Cole first. He looked different in his bulky hockey gear. His shoulders were broader, and he skated fast as he glided across the smooth ice. He wore the number 10 on his jersey. The moment he reached the centre, hundreds of girls in the stands started cheering, clapping, moving their bodies, and screaming his name.

Down on the edge of the rink, the cheerleaders started shaking their pom-poms, jumping up and down in a fast rhythm.

I smiled upon seeing Bri among them. There was a broad smile on her face as she cheered Cole's name along with the other cheerleaders.

But then, another sharp buzzer sounded from the opposite side of the stadium. The away team started skating onto the ice in black and red jersey uniforms.

I was just watching them form a line as they skated onto the ice when my eyes fell on the player leading the group. My heart sank. I froze, my fingers gripping the bag of popcorn tightly.

Even from a distance, there was no mistaking that face. It was the bully from the party. Jax.

I quickly turned to Sophie, my voice coming out tremulous. "He plays hockey too?"

Sophie looked at me, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Who? Jax? Yeah, of course he does. He's the captain of the rival team. He and his brother, Cole, are the biggest rivals in the hockey league."

"Brothers?" I asked, staring at her in shock. "But Cole never mentioned they were brothers."

Sophie's jaw dropped slightly, her eyes widening. "Wait... you didn't know?"

I shook my head, feeling completely lost.

"They're blood brothers," Sophie explained, leaning closer so I could hear her over the shouting. "Cole probably didn't tell you because he and Jax have an off-and-on relationship. They both hate each other, especially on the ice. It's like a war every time they're playing."

I spun my head back to the ice rink, my mind spinning with different thoughts. I stared at Cole, who was currently tapping his hockey stick against the ice to warm up, while keeping his gaze locked on Jax. His eyes were hard, and his jaw clenched.

As if sensing my gaze through the crowd, Cole suddenly stopped skating. He angled his head to the side, his hazelnut eyes scanning through the rows of bleachers until they found mine. The hardness in his face immediately faded. A small, warm smile broke out across his face, and he offered me a small nod, like he was letting me know he saw me.

My cheeks burned with heat, but before I could even reciprocate the smile, I noticed another burning stare.

Looking around, I saw Jax, who had now skated up behind his brother. He followed Cole's eyes, his gaze locking onto my face.

When he realized exactly who Cole was smiling at, a slow smirk spread across his lips. It wasn't a friendly smile. It was cold and full of trouble.