CHAPTER 1

ALLISON

The buzzer went off, sending a wave of excited screams through the bleachers. The Ice Hawks had secured yet another win, thanks to Carter Hayes’ quick maneuver in the final seconds of the game.

Was I surprised? Probably not, because I’d heard enough about him to know he was practically unstoppable on the ice. Sienna wouldn’t shut up about his games. I’ve had to endure countless hours of her yapping about how ridiculously talented he was, and today— a Friday afternoon I could have spent locked inside the biology department studying or preparing for my debate club, I had been dragged to the final game against Lincoln Heights High.

I sighed, looking around at the sea of girls cheering for the Hawthorne Hawks.

Didn’t they ever get tired?

I tugged on the hem of Sienna’s skirt as she jumped around beside me, practically losing her mind with excitement.

“Settle down, cheerleader,” I teased, getting up and wrapping my satchel around my arm.

“Where are you going?”

“What do you mean? I’m going back to where you dragged me from… the biology laboratory.” Sienna rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Ally. Live a little. It’s fucking Friday. You’re not going back to that depressing lab.” I jerked my head back, making a face. Depressing lab? My tuition was practically tied to that depressing lab.

“Okay, that didn’t come out right. But Ally, let’s just grab a drink. The Ice Hawks will all be at Cocktail’s Inn.” She pouted stubbornly. “I promise, it’ll be fun.”

“I don’t know, Sienna.” I scrunched up my face.

“Please, please, please.” She clasped her hands together, holding them up near her face.

“Just one drink. Non-alcoholic.” I rolled my eyes playfully, sweeping a few wisps of my bangs behind my ear.

“I know you Blake, you say one drink and suddenly you’re sprawled on the floor, drunk and blubbering Rhett’s name.”

She grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the exit of the arena. “Oh, I’m totally over Sullivan. He’s a dick.”

“For real this time?” I narrowed my eyes on her, practically counting the number of times I’d heard that exact phrase before a snickering laugh escaped my lips.

She was never truly over Rhett, at least not yet.

*****

The Hawthorne Hawks had completely taken over Cocktail’s Inn, filling the entire place to the fullest. Fans, students, girls and more girls framing around the hockey players, but no one attracted more attention than Carter Hayes.

I found Sienna making a beeline towards the crowd surrounding Carter immediately we stepped into the Inn, ripping a page from her notebook and digging up a pen.

What was her insane self planning to do?

“Sienna, seriously?” I called after her as she hurried away from me.

She turned around, smiling.

“I won’t be long, I promise. Drinks on me!” She screamed, manoeuvring her way through the crowd to get to Carter while I perched my despondent ass into an empty chair. I set an alarm on my phone, waiting for a full ten minutes before Sienna returned, huffing and puffing, clutching the piece of paper with something scribbled across the sheet.

“Those girls are animals!” she wheezed, trying to catch her breath. “I could barely breathe in that crowd, but it was worth every jostle. I got his autograph, and he said he loves me.” Sienna hugged the paper against her chest, humming dreamily.

I rolled my eyes.

What was so extraordinary about Carter Hayes anyway besides his talent on the rink and his painfully average looks?

“Oh, please. He isn’t all that. Y’all make him feel like a god. He’s just the captain of the team.”

Sienna let out a dramatic gasp, her eyes widening. “He’s the hot captain duh, and he’s so fucking beautiful. You should actually get a close look at him.”

“I’ll pass. Drinks?”

She sat opposite me, waving down her hand for a waiter. Our drinks finally arrived, we spent the next hour drinking, talking and mostly listening to Sienna rave some more about the ‘hot hockey captain.’ I was practically suffocating and physically exhausted from her endless exaggeration.

I stood up suddenly.

“I need to use the bathroom.” I said, taking one last sip of my drink before taking the short trip.

“Well hurry. You don’t want to miss when they give Carter the special ‘Ice Hawk’ cheer.” I stared at her, good and proper for a moment, shook my head before disappearing into the bathroom.

“Why the hell is every girl obsessed with Carter.” I muttered to myself, stretching my hand under the tap and washing my hands. “He’s a self-centered, arrogant piece of shit. Couldn’t anyone see it?” I sighed, pulling several tissues from the dispenser and wiping my hands dry before running my fingers through my bangs.

I smiled at my reflection in the mirror. Good. My hair was behaving.

I opened the bathroom door and instantly collided with a solid rock. My legs stumbled, my hands instinctively grabbing onto broad shoulders of something… or someone to steady myself. I lifted my gaze, falling straight into the mesmerizing green pools of the most talked-about person at Hawthorne Academy.

Carter Hayes.