TATTOOED PUCK BOY: Hate On Ice

ALEXA POV

I stood in front of the dean’s desk while he waved some papers angrily in my face. My mind was still spinning because none of this made sense to me.

“Can you explain this?” he asked sharply. “These papers were found in your locker. They are your exam copies. How did you get them?”

My throat tightened. “I don’t know how they got there.”

“Do you expect me to believe that?” he snapped. “Someone sneaked into the exam room last night and stole the questions. You know very well this goes against school rules. I trusted you, Alexa. You are one of the best students in this college. How could you do this?”

“I didn’t do it,” I said quickly. “Please sir, I swear I didn’t.”

“Well, the CCTV says otherwise.”

He turned the monitor toward me, and my heart nearly stopped.

The girl in the footage looked exactly like me. She wore a hoodie that covered most of her face, but anyone looking at it would believe it was me. I watched helplessly as the person entered the exam room and later slipped something into my locker.

“That’s not me,” I whispered.

But the look on the dean’s face told me he had already made up his mind.

“You read the school rules when you entered this college, didn’t you?” he asked coldly. “Cheating and stealing exam questions are not tolerated here. Alexa Rivera, you are expelled from this college.”

Everything inside me went numb as he handed me the letter.

“Please sir…” My voice cracked. “You can’t do this to me. I’m innocent.”

“The decision has already been made,” he replied. “Pack your things and leave the school immediately.”

I stared down at the paper in my trembling hands while trying hard not to cry. Just like that, my two years in college were gone.

The moment I stepped outside the office, whispers followed me down the hallway.

“Can’t believe I used to admire her.”

“She’s so fake.”

“I knew something was off about her.”

“I hate her.”

I kept walking like I couldn’t hear anything, even though every word felt like someone stabbing me slowly.

When I got to my locker, I opened it quietly and started packing my books. That was when Bianca appeared with her usual group of friends behind her.

A smile spread across her face the moment she saw me.

“I heard what happened, Sis,” she said sweetly, though the amusement in her eyes said something completely different.

I ignored her and tried to walk away, but she suddenly stretched her leg in front of me.

I stumbled and crashed hard onto the floor.

Laughter exploded around me.

“You look so pathetic,” Bianca said with a smirk.

She bent closer until her lips were near my ear.

“Hope you like my present?”

My chest burned with anger as realization hit me.

It was her. Of course it was her. Bianca had hated me for as long as I could remember. No matter how hard she studied, she always came second while I stayed at the top of the class. She could never stand it.

“It was you?” I asked angrily.

I grabbed her shirt and shoved her backward. She lost balance and nearly fell before glaring at me furiously.

“How dare you!” She raised her hand to slap me, but I caught her wrist before it could touch me and twisted it hard enough to make her gasp.

“You’ll regret this,” I said through clenched teeth.

A security guard started walking toward us, so I released her immediately, grabbed my bag, and left.

The students lining the hallway laughed as I walked past them. Some threw paper balls at me while others recorded videos with their phones.

“Cheater!”

“Get out!”

“Disgrace!”

I kept my head up until I finally stepped outside the school gates. The second I reached the road, tears blurred my vision. By the time I got home, exhaustion had completely taken over my body.

The moment I entered the house, a sharp slap landed across my face. My head snapped sideways.bFor a few seconds, my ears rang so badly I could barely hear anything.

My adoptive mother stood in front of me with fury burning in her eyes while my adoptive father stood beside her silently.

“How could you do this?” she shouted. “How could you embarrass this family?”

Not even one question. Not even one chance to explain myself. They already believed I was guilty.

“We took you in,” my father said coldly. “We gave you food, clothes, education, and a better life. Is this how you repay us?”

I stayed quiet because defending myself was pointless. They had never listened before, and they were not about to start now.

My mother let out a bitter laugh. “Look at her standing there without shame. We spoiled you too much. From now on, your life is your problem. Do whatever you want.”

She stormed upstairs while my father stared at me with disappointment.

“You will suffer until you learn your lesson,” he said before walking away too.

The house became silent. Slowly, I walked into my room and dropped onto the bed.

The tears I had been holding back all day finally escaped.

For years, I forced myself to believe this family would eventually accept me. I smiled through insults, stayed quiet when Bianca blamed me for things, and worked hard hoping they would finally look at me like I belonged there.

But deep down, I knew the truth. Bianca was their real daughter. I was just the poor girl they rescued. My eyes burned as I stared at the ceiling, wishing I had somewhere else to go.

Then suddenly, my alarm rang. I quickly wiped my tears when I saw the reminder on my phone.

Blackwood Bears Match. A small smile appeared on my face for the first time that day.

I immediately opened the livestream, and the moment Blake Sanders appeared on the screen, my heart reacted the same way it always did.

Two years had passed since high school, yet one smile from him still made my chest tighten.

Back then, we used to play hockey together after classes ended and that was how I become so good at hockey. He was already talented even then, and now he was one of the biggest stars on the Blackwood Bears hockey team.

Everyone loved Blake Sanders. Girls were obsessed with him. Sports channels talked about him constantly.

And somehow, even after all these years, I still couldn’t forget him. I watched the match quietly, losing myself in it for a while and forgetting everything that had happened today.

Then suddenly, a news pop-up appeared on the screen.

BLACKWOOD UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES FIVE HOCKEY SCHOLARSHIPS

My eyes widened as I quickly read through it. The school was searching for five talented hockey players. The first round required participants to submit a hockey video. Those selected would be invited to Blackwood University for the final selection.

The chosen five would receive full scholarships.

My heartbeat quickened as an idea

slowly formed in my mind.

A crazy idea. I stared at the screen for a long moment before whispering softly,

“What if I become a boy?”