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Author: Aya Starr
last update Last Updated: 2025-09-07 22:27:35
HAYDEN

The rink was quiet at night. No buzzing crowd, no echo of whistles or shouts from teammates, just the low hum of the refrigeration system and the faint squeak of my blades as I stepped out onto the ice. The fluorescent lights overhead gave everything a pale, almost magical glow.

Coleen’s laugh broke the silence as she shuffled cautiously behind me. “I still don’t know why I agreed to this again.”

“Because you secretly love embarrassing yourself in front of me,” I called over my shoulder, grinning.

She rolled her eyes, wobbling as she clutched the wall. “Please. The only one who’s going to be embarrassed is you, when I fall flat on my face and sue you for damages.”

I skated back toward her, stopping just close enough that our blades nearly touched. “Relax. No lawsuits necessary. I’ve got you.”

Her gaze flicked up to mine, doubtful but amused. “You sound way too confident for someone who hasn’t seen me on skates in years.”

“True,” I admitted, offering my hand. “But I’m also
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  • The Hockey Star Regret    076

    HAYDENThe common room of the athletic dorms smelled like pizza and sweat, a combination that should’ve been disgusting but was somehow just… normal. Jason was sprawled out across one of the couches like he owned the place, controller in hand, thumbs moving furiously as he battled Logan in whatever hockey video game they were obsessed with this week.“Goal!” Jason shouted, throwing his arms in the air as the animated puck slammed into the net.Logan groaned, leaning back against the couch cushions. “That was cheap, man. You didn’t even...”“Excuses, excuses,” Jason said, grinning smugly. “Don’t hate the player, hate your lack of skill.”I sat in the armchair across from them, pretending to pay attention, but my mind was far away. Not on the game, not even on my stats from practice earlier that day. No, my thoughts were tangled up in Coleen. Whenever I was away from her, I couldn't help but imagine things about her. Her laugh, her hand in mine, the way her eyes softened every time sh

  • The Hockey Star Regret    075

    COLEENThe days started blurring together. Classes, assignments, shifts at the athletic complex. It was all one long cycle of exhaustion. But somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, there was Hayden. And the moments with him, no matter how small, always managed to anchor me.It wasn’t glamorous. Between his practices and my part-time job, neither of us had the luxury of hours to waste. Still, the scraps of time we carved out, ten minutes between classes, an hour before bed, fifteen stolen minutes walking across campus, were ours. And lately, those moments had started looking a lot different.Like the way he would slip his hand into mine without hesitation as we walked through the quad. Or the way he leaned down to press a kiss against my cheek when I brought him coffee before practice. Or the way I found myself leaning into his chest without even realizing it, my body seeking him out like it had always known it belonged there.The whispers that had once followed us everywhere had s

  • The Hockey Star Regret    074

    COLEENI woke up warm. Warmer than usual.For a disorienting second, I didn’t recognize the low ceiling above me, or the hockey posters on the wall, or the faint hum of the mini fridge from the kitchen corner. Then it clicked, memory flooding back in a rush. Hayden’s apartment. Hayden’s arms still heavy around my waist, his steady breathing brushing against the back of my neck.My cheeks heated instantly.Carefully, I shifted, trying not to wake him. But the moment I moved even an inch, his arm tightened, pulling me closer.“Don’t even think about it,” his voice came out low and gravelly, still thick with sleep.I twisted just enough to look at him. His hair was a mess, his eyes half-lidded, but the smirk tugging at his lips was fully awake.“You’re supposed to be asleep,” I whispered.“And miss this?” He nuzzled into my shoulder, his scruff scratching lightly against my skin. “Not a chance.”I laughed softly, pushing at his chest. “I have to get home.”He groaned dramatically, finall

  • The Hockey Star Regret    073

    COLEENThe bus ride back to campus dragged, every mile stretching longer than it should have. By the time I stepped off with my duffel bag slung over my shoulder, the sky was already washed in winter gray, and my phone buzzed with a message from Alicia reminding me about Hayden’s game.I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him until that moment, the ache of distance settling into something sharper. I texted back quickly, promising I’d meet her at the rink.The arena was already packed when I arrived, students crowding the stands, banners waving. Alicia waved me over to a spot she’d saved near the front.“You look like you haven’t slept in three days,” she teased as I slid in beside her.“Thanks,” I muttered, though I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.When the team skated onto the ice, my eyes went straight to him. Hayden. Even under all that gear, I knew the way he carried himself, confident, steady, eyes sharp with focus.The game was fast, brutal, the kind of match that made the

  • The Hockey Star Regret    072

    HAYDENThe weekend seemed way longer without Coleen. It wasn’t like we were glued to each other’s sides every second on campus, but I’d gotten used to knowing she was there. Maybe I’d see her crossing the quad, hair whipping in the wind as she hurried to class. Maybe I’d catch her in the athletic complex, teasing me with that little smirk she wore when she thought she had the upper hand. Even if we didn’t talk, just the chance of bumping into her was enough to keep the day from feeling empty.Now she was miles away, at her dad’s house, and the silence felt heavier than it should.Jason was gone, he’d gone home for the weekend. Logan was off somewhere with his cousins. I was left to my own devices, sprawled on the couch with hockey highlights running on the TV. I didn’t even see the plays. The commentators’ voices blurred into background noise. My mind was stuck on her.My phone buzzed on the coffee table, jolting me out of my daze. I grabbed it instantly.Coleen: Made it safely. Dad

  • The Hockey Star Regret    071

    COLEENThe bus ride home was long, quiet, and gave me too much time to think. I’d ignored Hayden’s insistence that he drive me, he’d practically begged, his brow furrowed in that worried way of his, but I needed the space. Just for a little while. Besides, the last thing I wanted was to drag him into another heavy conversation with my dad.Also, I figured it was way too early in our relationship for me to introduce him to my father. Knowing how Dad was, I was so sure he was going to give Hayden a really good grilling and I wasn't ready for it.So I sat by the window, headphones in but no music playing, watching the blur of streetlights until the bus rattled into the small terminal near my old neighborhood. From there, I called an Uber, clutching my bag a little tighter when the driver’s car pulled up. By the time I got to my dad’s house, my nerves were wound tight enough to snap.The porch light was already on, casting a soft glow over the chipped railing. Dad must have been watching

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