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Face To Face
publish date:
2026-09-19 17:19:37
Latest chapter
The Collision Taping Over It
Jace's POVI wrapped my shoulder tighter than usual before practice, careful to keep the extra layers hidden beneath my jersey where Coach's watchful eyes wouldn't catch anything unusual after last week's video scare.Mike hadn't fully come back around yet, though he'd started speaking to me again in short, careful exchanges, enough that the isolation of losing his full support had eased slightly without fully resolving. I laced my skates slowly, testing the range of motion in my arm, wincing internally at the persistent ache that no amount of rest seemed to actually be fixing."You're moving stiffer than usual," Mike said, dropping down onto the bench beside me, his voice carrying cautious concern rather than the outright frustration from our last real conversation."I'm managing it," I said, the deflection coming automatic despite knowing exactly how thin that excuse had worn by now."Jace." Mike's voice held a warning edge. "The video
The Collision Face To Face
Ariana's POVI spotted him the second I stepped out of the journalism building, and my whole body went rigid before I'd even fully processed who I was looking at.Davian stood near the steps, hands in his pockets, that same easy, confident posture he'd always carried like the world owed him space to occupy however he pleased. He looked exactly the same as he had over a year ago, well-groomed, casually expensive, the kind of charm that had once completely disarmed me now reading as something closer to a warning sign."Ariana." He said my name like we were old friends catching up, like he hadn't submitted a fabricated statement to my scholarship committee weeks ago that nearly cost me everything."What are you doing here." My voice came out sharper than I meant it to, though the shock of seeing him hadn't fully faded from my system yet."Can we talk?" He gestured toward a nearby bench, entirely too casual given everything sitting between us. "Just for a minute.""I don't have anything t
The Collision What He'll Never Regret
Ethan's POVI watched the video three times before calling my son, my jaw tightening with each replay, irritation building steadily into something colder and more calculated.The footage itself wasn't the problem. Speculation about an injury could be managed, redirected, spun into a narrative about dedication rather than concern if handled properly. The problem was the timing, the visibility, the way this kept happening despite every intervention I'd already made to control the narrative surrounding my son's career.I dialed his number, my grip tight around the phone."Dad." Jace's voice came through cautious, exhausted in a way that irritated me further."We need to discuss this video," I said, skipping any pleasantries. "And the broader pattern I'm seeing develop around you lately.""Coach already called," Jace said. "I explained it. It's being handled.""Is it?" I let the question sit there, cold and pointed. "Because
The Collision Out Of Context
Jace's POVMike's text came through before I'd even made it back to my dorm, short and pointed enough that dread pooled in my stomach before I'd fully read it.Mike: Check Twitter. Now.I pulled up the app with unsteady hands, scrolling until I found what he meant, a grainy, ten-second video already circulating with several hundred retweets, the caption beneath it sharp enough to make my chest tighten immediately.*Is Jace Carter hiding an injury? Caught wincing hard on campus tonight, favoring his arm noticeably. Team's been struggling lately, wonder if this is why. #WestbrookHockey*I watched the clip twice, my stomach sinking further each time. It showed exactly the moment from tonight, me shifting my weight near Ariana, wincing sharp enough that even out of context, anyone watching could see something was clearly wrong. The video cut off before anything else, no audio, no context about what we'd actually been discussing, just the visu
The Collision What Almost Slipped Through
Ariana's POVWe stood there, a few feet apart, the cold air doing nothing to ease the sudden tightness in my chest at finding myself face to face with him again after weeks of careful, deliberate distance."You look exhausted," I said again, unable to stop myself from noticing exactly how hollow his eyes looked, how much thinner he seemed than the last time we'd collided like this months ago."Yeah." He shifted his weight, favoring his right side slightly, an old habit I recognized immediately despite everything unresolved between us. "It's been a rough few weeks.""Is it the shoulder," I asked, my voice softer than I intended, old concern bleeding through despite every reason I had to keep my guard up right now. "You're still favoring it.""It's manageable," he said, though the automatic deflection sounded weaker than usual, like even he was too tired to fully commit to the lie tonight."Jace." I studied his face carefully. "You
The Collision What Mike Won't Carry Anymore
Jace's POVMike found me in the gym after hours, working through a light shoulder rehab routine the trainer had approved, though even the careful, controlled movements sent dull aches radiating through the joint with every repetition."You're supposed to be resting that," Mike said, dropping his bag by the door, his voice carrying an edge I wasn't used to hearing from him."Trainer cleared these specific exercises." I kept my focus on the resistance band, avoiding his eyes. "Light stuff. Building back mobility.""That's not what I meant, and you know it." Mike crossed the gym, stopping a few feet away, arms crossed tight over his chest. "I meant you're supposed to be resting mentally too. Actually dealing with everything instead of just white-knuckling through workouts alone at ten at night."I set the resistance band down, exhaustion pressing heavier now that he'd called out exactly what I'd been avoiding. "I don't really know how to jus
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