Kissing the Hockey Captain

Ava’s POV​I didn’t know my boyfriend was cheating on me until someone handed me the video.​"Ava… don’t freak out, okay?" Lily whispered as she handed me the phone.​"Why would I—"​"Just… watch."​It was a livestream. The comments were pouring in and the views kept rising. When I saw the username, my stomach did a slow flip. It was Nina, my roommate. She was a content creator, always chasing views, but this stream didn't just break my heart, it shattered my entire world.​I could hear the moans in the background, a sound I knew I’d never be able to forget. It was in our room. My bed. She was on top of someone, her back arched, her legs spread wide.​Then the camera shifted, and I saw him. Daniel. My boyfriend.​His hands were on her waist, guiding her, pulling her closer. They were laughing, drunk, careless, and completely oblivious to the phone recording them. Or maybe they just didn't care.​"No…" I tried to breathe. ​"Turn it off," I said, my voice sounding like it belonged to a

Ava’s POV​The weekend went by in a blur of avoided phone calls. I knew I should have stayed home.​I woke up to the sound of a dozen notifications on my nightstand. I reached for the phone, squinting at the harsh light of the lock screen. The school confessions post from the party was still at the top of my feed, the image of me and Ryan blurred but unmistakable.​The caption read: The Queen of Hearts just took the King. Sorry, Daniel. Looks like you’ve been replaced.​"Oh, no," I whispered, pulling the covers over my head as if it could shield me from the entire internet. I scrolled through the comments, my stomach twisting with every word.​“Is this a prank?” I read aloud. Further down, another user asked, “Wait, isn't she dating that guy Daniel?”“Ryan Carter doesn’t date. He barely speaks. How did she pull this off?!”​Then, a text from Lily slid into view: MEET ME IN SCHOOL ASAP!!!!​I groaned and rolled over in bed, staring at the ceiling. An hour later, I was stepping into th

​Ava’s POV​"You look beautiful, honey," my mother said, her voice tight with a nervous kind of excitement I hadn't seen in years. "Victor is so excited to finally have us all together. His son is joining us, too. I’ve heard he’s... well, he’s a bit intense, but I’m sure you’ll get along."​"I'm sure," I murmured, smoothing out my silk dress. My mind was miles away, wondering if Ryan was currently telling the hockey team that I was his property for the week.​I looked at my mum. She was glowing, grinning like a teenager. She had been absent for most of my life, especially since the divorce, and now she was moving on like nothing had ever happened. She chatted happily, her tone the same breathless pitch as when she’d called me at school.​"Ava, darling! I know it's been a while, but I have the most incredible news," she’d said over the phone. "I'm getting married. To Victor. We’ve decided not to wait. We're moving into his estate this weekend."​My stomach had dropped. "Married? Mum,

Ava's pov The drive home felt longer than usual. Or maybe it was just my mother. She talked the entire time.“I really like Victor,” she said, her voice bright, almost breathless. “He’s thoughtful, he listens, oh, and did you see the way he ordered for us? So confident. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this… sure about someone.”I stared out the window, watching the streetlights blur past.“Mm.”“And Ryan,” she continued, like she couldn’t help herself, “he’s not what I expected.”My grip tightened slightly around my phone.Me neither.“He seems… intense, yes, but there’s something about him. He’s polite. Quiet. You should get along.”I let out a small breath through my nose. If she only knew.“I mean it, Ava,” she pressed, glancing at me briefly before turning back to the road. “This is a big change for all of us, but it could be really good. A fresh start.”Just like the other, because nothing said a fresh start like moving in with the guy who might have been playing me from t

Ava’s POV“I’m gonna send the chat to the school blog. Let’s see how he wins it now.”For a second, I thought Tyler was bluffing.People say things like that all the time. Big talk. Empty threats, but then he pulled out his phone and smiled.Something cold slid down my spine.“Tyler,” I said, stepping forward before I could stop myself. “What are you talking about?”He glanced up at me, amused. “Relax. It’s already out there.” His finger tapped the screen.“Ava…” Lily grabbed my arm. “Let’s go.”But it was too late.The first phone buzzed. Then another. And another.The sound spread like a ripple through the cafeteria, notifications going off in waves, heads dropping to screens, conversations cutting mid-sentence.“…wait, what is this?”“No way…”“Is that real?”My heart started pounding. My thumb hovered over the screen of my phone for half a second. Then I opened the post.Just there, at the top…“Hockey Captain’s Bet Exposed. Was It All a Game?”A screenshot dropped next.Tyler: B