Novels by Lovely Writer

(Athena's POV)If embarrassment could kill, I would've died twice this week. The first time was at the rink and the second was standing in front of a black gate with “ASHFORD HOCKEY” painted across it in peeling silver letters while Tessa stared at me like she was waiting for me to come to my senses.“This,” she said, folding her arms, “is officially the dumbest thing I've ever helped you do.”I adjusted the strap of my bag and glared at the gate like it had personally offended me. “You helped me sneak out of the hospital.”“Exactly.” Tessa pointed at herself. “Best friend of the year. Criminal by association.”I would’ve laughed if my stomach wasn’t tying itself into knots.The place looked nothing like Westbridge’s rink with no shiny glass entrance or banner. Just old stuff. A side door opened before I could change my mind.A girl stepped out with a clipboard tucked under one arm and a headset hanging around her neck. She looked about our age, maybe a little older, with sharp eyes

(Athena's POV)Shame!That was all I felt before I could even open my eyes. It was heavy and ugly, like my body remembered before my mind could register. And when I finally blinked awake, the white ceiling above me swam into focus. I was at the College hospital. Great.I let out the smallest breath and immediately wished I hadn't because the second I moved, everything came rushing back into my head.The rink, the crowd, Luca, sienna, laughter, the lake, a hand grabbing me, water choking my lungs, a deep voice, rough and annoyed, right before everything went black.“You really picked the worst lake on campus to make a dramatic exit.”I shut my eyes again. God! If I stayed still long enough, maybe I'd disappear. “Don’t even think about pretending to be dead again.”Tessa.I cracked one eye open and there she was, sitting in the chair beside my bed with her arms crossed so tight she looked ready to snap in half. Her curls were a mess, her eyeliner smudged, and her expression?A murd

(Athena's POV).For a second, I thought I heard him wrong because there was no way Luca Ryder had just looked straight past me and called who?“Sienna?” My rival?The crowd screamed, while I just stood there, frozen at the edge of the rink with my hand still over my mouth like a complete idiot, tears still burning in my eyes for a moment that had never seemed to belong to me. My heart was slamming so hard against each other while Sienna Hart laughed from the other side of the ice like she'd been waiting for this night. My biggest rival and Wesmore’s golden girl. WeThe one person who hated losing to me more than Luca ever did.She skated toward him with that smug smile I’d wanted to wipe off her face for two years straight, dark ponytail swinging behind her, eyes already on me before she even reached him.And Luca…God, he fucking smiled at her! The arena exploded when he pulled her close with students screaming, phones up and cameras flashing. His teammates were yelling like they'

(Athena's POV)“Ew. Girl! Stop staring at him like that before I throw up.”I laughed under my breath, gripping my hockey stick tighter as I turned to look at Tessa, my best friend.We were near the player's bench, the rink screaming loud around us as both schools packed the arena like tonight meant life or death. Well, maybe it did. The championship game always brought madness, but this? This was worse.Westbridge versus Westmore. Me versus Luca Ryder. Versus the two ‘west’Weird, isn't it?Tessa stood beside me in her jersey, sweat already shining at her temples from warm-ups. She followed my gaze across the ice and groaned. “God, you're down bad.”I smiled before I could stop myself. Across the rink, Luca was skating backward like he had no fear in his body, smooth and stupidly perfect, like the ice was made for him alone. The crowd was already screaming his name, and he wasn't even trying yet.Dark hair, sharp jaw that makes me tickle and that cocky grin that makes him look ev