CHAPTER THREE: AVOIDANCE

Sienna's POV

Dylan's team won.

A massive, deafening uproar from the home crowd jolted me out of the frozen trance I'd been stuck in for the last two periods.

The final buzzer sounded.

Everyone in the stands jumped to their feet, clapping and shouting as the players skated toward the center of the rink for the traditional post-game handshake.

I barely noticed.

My eyes instinctively tracked the players coming off the ice, searching desperately for my brother.

I needed Dylan.

I needed something familiar.

Something that could pull my mind away from the fact that Luca Bennett had just looked directly at me.

Through the glass.

After four years.

I still couldn't understand how one look could make four years feel like nothing.

I'd spent so much time convincing myself that New York was just another city. That high school was something I'd left behind. That the person I'd been back then had nothing to do with the woman I'd become.

And then Luca had looked at me.

Just like that, every carefully buried memory had come rushing back.

Dylan caught sight of me.

His jaw dropped.

Then a massive, sweaty grin broke across his face.

As soon as he stepped off the ice and through the gate, he lunged forward, pulling me into a crushing, ice-cold hug.

"Should've known you were up to something," he laughed, breaking the hug but keeping his hands on my shoulders.

"Surprise!" I replied, trying to smile normally. "And for the record, I am always up to something." I gave his damp shoulder padding a playful pat.

Dylan laughed and pulled me into another quick, affectionate hold.

"Missed you, kid." He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead.

"I missed you too. And congrats on the game, big bro. You're going to the finals!" His smile widened.

"Damn right we are." I laughed.

For a moment, everything felt normal.

Just me and my brother.

The reason I'd come all the way back to New York.

I wanted this.

I wanted to surprise Dylan, watch him play, celebrate his victory, and spend time with him before i had to leave again.

That was supposed to be what today was about.

Not Luca.

Definitely not Luca.

Then my eyes accidentally drifted over his shoulder.

My smile disappeared.

The rival team was exiting the ice behind him.

And there he was.

Luca Bennett.

He walked slowly with his helmet tucked beneath one arm, his dark hair damp from the game. His expression was unreadable as he scanned the crowd.

My stomach dropped.

For one horrible second, our eyes almost met again.

I looked away immediately.

No.

Absolutely not.

I wasn't doing this.

Not today.

Not after four years of being perfectly fine without seeing him.

"Sia?"

I forced my attention back to Dylan.

"Yeah?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm totally fine." The lie came out far too quickly.

Dylan narrowed his eyes.

"You sure?"

"Of course."

I smiled.

It probably looked terrible.

I needed to get away before he started asking questions I wasn't prepared to answer.

"I just... really need to use the restroom."

Before he could ask another question, I slipped away.

★★★

The moment I locked myself inside the stadium bathroom, I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

I walked straight to the sink and turned the tap on high.

Cold water rushed over my hands. I splashed some onto my face, then gripped the edges of the porcelain sink and stared at my reflection.

My cheeks were flushed.

My eyes looked wider than usual.

I looked like I'd just seen a ghost.

Which, honestly, wasn't far from the truth.

I closed my eyes.

I was not here for him.

I was here for Dylan.

For my brother.

For the game.

For the surprise I'd spent weeks planning.

I was not seventeen anymore.

I wasn't that girl anymore.

Whatever had happened back then was over.

It had to be.

I opened my eyes and stared at myself again.

"Sienna, get a grip."

I took another breath and straightened.

"Get it together, Sienna."

Feeling a little more in control, I dried my face and reached for the restroom door.

I opened it.

And immediately froze.

Luca and his entire team were walking down the corridor toward the locker rooms opposite the restroom.

My heart jumped.

For a moment, I considered stepping back inside and locking myself in the bathroom again.

That would have been ridiculous.

I wasn't going to hide in a restroom because of one person.

Especially not him.

I instinctively stepped back.

He hadn't seen me yet.

Good.

I wasn't going to give him the chance.

I lowered my gaze, adjusted the strap of my bag, and walked straight ahead.

I kept my pace steady until I passed the team.

I didn't look up.

Didn't slow down.

Didn't give myself the chance to wonder whether Luca

had noticed me.

Only when I reached the exit did I finally breathe properly again.

I pushed through the doors and stepped outside.

The cold air hit my face.

I welcomed it.

Anything was better than being trapped in that hallway with Luca Bennett.