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2025-05-05 18:17:59Coleen
I slammed the door to the apartment as soon as I arrived. Heavy breaths left me. It felt like I had just run a marathon. But nothing, absolutely nothing could get rid of the image in my head. How on earth did Hayden Michaels in the same college. That wasn't hard to find an answer to. This was a private prestigious college his family could afford after all. In some twisted coincidence, he had also chosen the same college. This was my Dream college, my hope out of those memories and he was here with them. “I can see you had some fun,” I flinched as a voice came out of nowhere. Looking up, I tensed as I found Mark staring at me from his doorway, a knowing smirk on his face. “How was the party?” I asked “It wasn't anything.” I said, trying to keep my expression from giving anything away. “Sure, I believe you. Coleen, all grown up,” he teased, To my relief, he didn't push the matter further, moving towards our living room as he rambled about his day in college. As he told me how he met up with a girl in his classes he was interested in I couldn't help but smile, genuinely happy for him. I was going to forget about that night. Whatever Hayden was doing in the same damn college wasn't my business. I was never going to cross paths with him ever again. Not if I could help it. … After recovering from the leftover hangover, I went to college for my current classes, set on moving forward with the day. In the midst of the classes and the familiar feeling of work, everything else faded from my mind. I was fine. Great, even. By the end of my final class for the day I stepped out only to be called by the Lecturer to see him. Anxiety filled me as soon as I was alone with him. Why was he calling me? Had something happened? “I'm sorry for the inconvenience Miss Miane. This should have been addressed earlier, but because you received a scholarship in this college due to your high grades, you have the offer if joining in an after school study group alongside other full scholarship students. Not everyone is present but they are actually having a meeting now if you'd like to join in.” Mr Morrison said. In an instant, the anxiety was replaced with pure excitement. “Thank you for this opportunity sir ,” I smiled, heart racing as he nodded. It took everything in me to not jump as he led me towards the ‘Scholarship study group’. Less than a minute after learning of it I was already excited to meet them and make new friends. I stepped inside and my smile froze in place, a chill filling me. A group of people were sitting in a group and among them… Hayden sat on one of the tables, eyes trailing towards me. “Ah, I suppose you've met Hayden Michaels, he was in the same highschool as you, I believe?” Mr Morrison smiled, seemingly noticing my stare. “He's also here on a full sports scholarship if I'm correct. He's also in several of your classes. Since you two are familiar I'm sure you'll get along,” he patted my shoulder before leaving me. How wrong he was. My heart sank into pure dread as I met the faces of the other people waiting for me. Their stares bored into me, expecting me to move but I couldn't, frozen in place. This had to be some sort of mistake. The Michaels family owned one of the biggest companies in the whole damn city. Everyone knew his name. How could he of all people need a scholarship? There were others, more deserving people who needed it. Not him. Bitterness filled my insides. No matter how unfair it felt , I couldn't find the words. It didn't change the fact that I was face to face with him once again. The one who I hated most, who for some twisted reasons I had slept with last night. Did he recognize it was me? Had he done it on purpose? Was he mocking me? Panic filled me, and I felt my belly roil when I met his gaze. His sea green eyes seemed to taunt me from here. And slowly, s smirk grew on his lips m I recognized that smirk. The same look he had given me after that day of our graduation. It brought me back to the humiliating prank after graduation. Bile filled my throat. I couldn't stay here anymore. I spun around, rushing out the door and ignoring Mr Morrisson’s calls. Blinking back tears, I ran out of the hallway and entered the nearest bathroom. Thankfully I realized it was empty just as the first sob crawled up my throat. “You can't cry now Coleen. You're stronger than this” I told myself, forcing the choked tears down. The entire day had been a rollercoaster of emotions by itself. First the one night stand and now this? What kind of sick joke was this? He was the last person “You're overthinking it,” I shook my head frantically. This was just a mistake. One that could easily be resolved. Thinking back to that signature smile of his anger welled up inside me. How could I let him singlehandedly intimidate me with only a single gesture? I was stronger than before, but I knew how to pick my battles, and he wasn't worth it. The place was big enough for both of us, and I would make sure that I never saw him. Ever.
Latest chapter
The Hockey Star Regret 154
COLEENONE YEAR LATER…The music swelled softly through the open garden, the warm spring breeze brushing against my face as I stood under a canopy of white roses. The world felt suspended, every sound muted, every color brighter, every breath deeper.Hayden stood at the end of the aisle, his tux perfectly tailored, his expression somewhere between awe and disbelief. I felt my heart flutter in my chest, the same way it had the very first time he looked at me like I was the only person in the room.My father’s arm tightened around mine. “You ready, kiddo?” he asked, his voice gruff, but I could hear the crack beneath it.I swallowed hard, fighting the sudden lump in my throat. “Yeah,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I’m ready.”He smiled at me, that small, crooked smile that always made me feel safe, and began walking me down the aisle.Each step felt surreal.Mark and Alicia sat near the front, their hands clasped together, both of them grinning like idiots. Jason and Logan stood besi
The Hockey Star Regret 153
HAYDENThe restaurant was dimly lit, the golden glow from the chandeliers glinting off the champagne glasses and soft white linen. A string quartet played somewhere near the corner, the quiet hum of conversation filling the air, laughter, clinking cutlery, the occasional burst of applause from another table.But all I could think about was her.Coleen.She was laughing at something Alicia had said, her hand covering her mouth the way it always did when she was trying to hold it in. Her eyes sparkled, that same mix of mischief and warmth that made me fall for her in the first place.I still couldn’t believe I’d pulled this off.It had taken weeks of planning, countless phone calls with Mark, Alicia, and Jason even Coleen’s dad was in on it. Everyone had agreed she deserved a proper celebration, not just a diploma and a handshake.She thought it was just dinner with a few friends. She had no idea that every detail, from the soft pink flowers on the tables to the playlist I made of her f
The Hockey Star Regret 152
COLEENTWO YEARS LATER…The sun was warm on my skin, the kind of golden that made everything feel like a dream. The university quad was overflowing with people, families clutching cameras, graduates tossing caps into the air, and the constant hum of laughter echoing through the campus I’d once walked through with trembling nerves and too many insecurities.And there I was. Standing in the middle of it all, in my navy graduation gown, summa cum laude stitched in gold across the sash resting proudly on my shoulders.When my name was called, the crowd erupted, but it was my father’s voice I heard first.“That’s my daughter!” he shouted, his voice cracking with pride. I spotted him in the stands, eyes shining as he waved both arms like he was signaling a rescue plane. My heart squeezed. I laughed and waved back before walking across the stage to accept my diploma.When I stepped down, Mark and Alicia were waiting for me with ridiculous grins and caps slightly askew. Mark whooped loudly, w
The Hockey Star Regret 151
COLEENThe office smelled faintly of coffee, printer ink, and the kind of old paper that made my heart feel full. My summer internship at Rutherford & Pine Publishing had only just begun, and already, I’d fallen in love with the chaos.I sat at my cubicle, sorting through a stack of manuscripts so tall it looked like it might collapse at any moment. The office buzzed with low chatter phones ringing, keyboards clicking, someone laughing near the water cooler.I wasn’t an editor. Not yet. I wasn’t even allowed to read most submissions past the first ten pages unless assigned. My job was simple: log the manuscripts, make notes if something stood out, fetch coffee, file documents, and occasionally run errands for the senior assistants. It was grunt work. Exhausting. Repetitive. But I didn’t mind.Every day I was surrounded by books by writers whose words had made it through this same process. The thought made even the paper cuts worth it.Around noon, I took a break in the small kitchen.
The Hockey Star Regret 150
COLEENThe email came early that morning.I was still in bed, tangled in my sheets, sunlight leaking through the blinds when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Half-asleep, I groaned, reaching for it expecting some promotional spam or a campus newsletter. But then I saw the subject line.“Congratulations! You’ve made the Dean’s List for the Spring Semester.”I shot upright, my heart skipping. For a moment, I just stared at the words, blinking in disbelief. Then it hit and I let out a sharp gasp, clapping a hand over my mouth.“Oh my God,” I whispered. “I did it.”Before I could stop myself, I was laughing, falling back against the pillows, phone pressed to my chest. The months of late-night studying, balancing work at the athletic complex, the café, and classes, all of it had led to this moment.When I finally got up and walked to the bathroom mirror, I looked at my reflection and smiled. Not the small, polite smile I used to wear. A full one. Proud, content, earned.My phone buzzed w
The Hockey Star Regret 149
HAYDENThe air inside the rink was electric. The crowd was deafening, a sea of our school’s colors blurring into a single living wave. Every cheer, every chant, every banging drum rattled straight through my bones.We were seconds away from the end. It was the Frozen Four Finals and our university hosting, and somehow, after all the chaos of the year, we’d made it here.The scoreboard blazed: 3–2 in our favor.Ten seconds left.I gripped my stick tighter, lungs burning, vision tunneling in on the puck sliding across the ice. My heart thudded so hard I could feel it echo in my ears.“Defense! Defense!” Coach bellowed from the bench.Jason slammed into an opposing player, stealing the puck and clearing it down the ice. The opposing goalie shot out of the net, their last desperate attempt to even the score. Logan darted ahead, caught the puck mid-pass, and shot it toward the empty goal.The puck hit the post.“Come on!” I shouted, skating hard, snatching the rebound, and flipping it in j
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