Chapter 3

Ledger’s POV

The morning sun which filtered through the half closed blinds in my room sliced lines of light across the floor. 

Staring at the ceiling, my teeth were holding my lower lips as memories of the previous night came rushing in. 

My head was buzzing, not from the alcohol I had consumed but from her, from Cassie Monroe. 

“Ugh!" I sighed, titling my head backwards, a bright smile spreading across my lips. 

Out of the thousand girls on campus, she was the one I wasn't supposed to touch. Not because she was untouchable but because she was real. 

She was different from the others, genuine in the world filled with filters. This was the main reason I felt drawn to her. 

No matter how much I tried to take my eyes from her, I couldn't. Each time she walked past even if we were several meters away, something in the air shifted. 

Freddie and I knew it from the moment we saw her, we knew that she wasn't the kind of girl we smashed and passed.

The first day we saw her, we were sitting on the quad, brooding about a game we had flopped in but her soft laughter which rented the air made us snap our heads in her direction. 

She was with a group of friends, chatting and laughing heartily with no care in the world. 

One thing led to the other only for Freddie to suggest we bet on her and so like those idiots that we were, we did.

It was a stupid and secret bet between us that whoever manages to hit Cassie first without getting shut down would win.

There was nothing attached, it was just bragging rights but we both knew it wasn't just about bragging. 

It was about her, the ultimate price.

Last night when I saw her seated at the counter alone, I was tempted to make a move but I kept holding myself back. 

My self control weaned out the moment she slightly turned her head in my direction. Without giving it any further thought, I decided to make a move. 

The next minute, I found myself seated behind her on the counter. If it was other girls, they would start flirting but she wasn't even interested in me. 

I already thought I had lost the bet but still, I continued to crack jokes which I could barely remember now. 

I didn’t think she would take it but she did.

“Damn." I groaned, fist pumping the air as excitement surged through my veins.

Smiling like a maniac, I raised my head slowly as the door creaked open. I didn't have to ask who it was as Freddie, my best friend has a unique way of handling my door.

“Bro!” he called out, he was loud and annoying. “Tell me you didn’t stay in bed all morning,” he said, leaning against the door frame with his hands tucked in his pockets. 

“I didn’t,” I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. “Just… thinking.”

“Thinking?” He smirked. “Ledger Rivers doesn’t think. He only drinks, flirts, scores goals, and scores girls.” He counted on his fingers. 

Flashing him a smile that didn't reach my eyes, I muttered, “Not this time.” 

"Huh.” That got his attention as he flopped into my gaming chair, spinning around like an overgrown toddler. 

He caught the hint before I could even say the word. 

“Wait, wait. Don’t tell me you finally made your move on…” He filtered off as his eyes widened. 

“No, you didn’t. Tell me you didn’t sleep with Cassie Monroe.” He sounded like a loser in the bet. 

When I didn't respond, his jaw dropped as he fist pumped the air. “Holy shit, you did?!”

“It wasn’t like that.” I shrugged, my hand stuck in my hair. 

“Wasn’t like that?” He choked out a laugh. “Ledger, you won the freaking bet!”

Running my hand down my face, I threw my feet off the bed, “It wasn’t a win, Freddie. She wasn’t okay last night.” 

"What are you talking about?” 

Taking a deep breath, I spat out, "She saw Otto kissing her best friend in the bathroom…”

Otto went sober that instant, “Wait, Otto is her boyfriend?”

“He was, now he is her ex, I guess.” I shrugged, rubbing my lips which still felt a bit sore. 

“Shit,” he muttered, shaking his head. “That’s unfair, he shouldn't have hurt Cassie that way, she is a good girl.”

“Yeah.” I nodded. 

Leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him, he had his silly smile smashed on his face, “So what, you comforted her? One thing led to another and now what, you’re just going to ghost her?”

I didn’t answer right away because that was the part I couldn’t figure out.

I should have ghosted her like the other girls as that was the unspoken rule of hook ups in our world.

It was just a one night fling with no strings, texts, or feelings attached. 

But Cassie was different, I didn’t want to ghost her, I wanted her to show up again. I wanted to see her in the stands, wearing my number and watching me.

“She left before I woke up,” I said. “She didn’t even say goodbye but I texted her this morning. I told her to come to the game.”

Freddie tilted his head backwards, a loud laughter emitting from his throat, “You what?”

“I invited her to watch me play.” I replied, sounding silly. 

Still smirking, Freddie stood up like I had just admitted I was pregnant. 

“Ledger freaking Rivers invited a girl to his game. Of course I remember clearly, you hate it when girls show up for you.” 

Leaning closer now, he grabbed my shoulder, “Remember last season when Julie wore your jersey and screamed every time you touched the puck? You made her leave during halftime!”

“This is different.” I snapped in defense. 

Laughing, he placed his hands on his waist, “No kidding,” he said, grinning. “You got hit so badly.”

“Shut up.” I snapped, rolling my eyes at him. 

“Admit it.”

“No.”

“Then prove it.” He challenged. Plopping on the spot next to me, he said, "If she shows up tonight, I’ll believe you.”

“Believe what?” I raised my brow at him, a light frown on my face. 

“That this isn't just another hook up. That you really care about her and you’re not Ledger the heartbreaker anymore. You're Ledger... the taken.”

“Get out,” I said, throwing a pillow at his face.

He laughed all the way out of the door only to make a detour but I didn't let him anywhere near me. 

***

The day wrapped up more quickly than usual and by the time we hit the rink, my nerves were a tangled mess.

I never got nervous before games. I was the team captain, the guy everyone looked up to when things went south.

But tonight I couldn’t focus. My hands were twitchy and my skates felt too tight. I kept glancing up into the stands like a man waiting for a miracle.

The warmups started, but I was not in my right frame of mind. I missed a few shots and fumbled a pass.

Freddie noticed, of course he would. He skated over to me near the boards. “Dude chill.” He gave me a knowing smile. 

“She’s not here,” I muttered.

“She’s probably just running late.”

I wanted to believe that but deep down, I couldn’t. I feared that she had changed her mind. Maybe she regretted everything and I was nothing more than a mistake she needed to forget.

The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers, calling out our names one by one, my name came last. 

“Number 27, Captain Ledger Rivers.” Reluctantly, I skated out as the crowd roared.

Shifting my gaze to the bleachers, I was hoping to see her seated but still nothing. Just when I was about to turn away, I heard Freddie’s voice from behind me.

“Well damn, guess I lost the bet.”

I snapped my head around, “What?” I huffed, I wasn't in any mood for jokes. 

He grinned, nodding toward the far side of the rink and there she was. 

Her hair was tucked under a beanie, and her cheeks flushed from the cold. What made my heart beat faster was the way her eyes were on me like I was the only one on the ice.

A breath I hadn’t realized I was holding slipped from my chest and I turned back to Freddie, with a broad grin.

“I told you.” I laughed. 

He gave me a mock salute, “Alright, Captain Ledger, you win.”

I looked back at her again, my heart beating a little too fast.

“So? You gonna shoot your shot for real now?” Freddie nudged me. 

I was about to answer when Otto skated up to us, “The game is starting,” he said, giving both of us a nod before skating away. 

“Yeah,” I said, my eyes still on Cassie. “Time to win something that actually matters.”