The Nerd and the Hockey King

Lila Bennett had spent the summer preparing herself for university.

She had prepared herself for the hard classes.

She had prepared herself for being away from home for the first time.

She had prepared herself for the rich, brainy and beautiful students.

What she hadn't prepared herself for was invisibility.

Westbridge University was something straight out of a movie.

Massive buildings made of stone loomed over landscaped gardens and lawns.

Students strolled up and down the street, their designer labels and expensive electronics sparkling in the sunlight.

Lila gripped the strap of her bag as she walked, her stomach knotting with unease.

Her scholarship paid for tuition and housing and books.

Nothing else.

Every step she took screamed it.

"Orientation is this way!" said a chirpy volunteer, gesturing towards the largest building in the complex.

"Thank you," said Lila, forcing a smile as she followed the volunteers into the auditorium .

It was bustling with nervous chatter as Lila found a spot along one of the back walls, drawing out her notebook.

She always felt better when she could write something down, and she had plenty to write about.

Halfway through scribbling down the orientation schedule, she heard her teammate's name being thrown around in conversation.

"Ethan Carter scored twenty three goals last season!"

"No way! Twenty seven!"

"I heard professional scouts are already talking about him!“My cousin says he’s definitely going pro.”

Lila's pencil paused on the page, her lips twitching upward despite herself.

Ethan Carter, the Hockey King.

A name she knew intimately, having watched every game, every interview, every highlight reel and championship celebration she could get her hands on.

It was ridiculous, really.

She knew exactly how many goals he had scored.

Twenty seven.

Not twenty three.

She knew because she had been there for every moment, if only in spirit.

It was absurd, but Lila found herself smiling wider at the thought.

If Ethan Carter knew she was here, he'd be the first to tell her.

It was one of the reasons she watched him play so often, after all.

He was confident on the ice, fearless, untouchable in a way she could only dream of being.

The auditorium grew impossibly loud as he arrived, chatting easily with a group of his peers.

Lila's breath caught as she took him in, noting the sharp features in the flash of light.

Tall, broad, dark hair sweeping over his shoulders in loose waves, handsome in a way that made his fans swoon.

He wore the Westbridge hockey jacket with ease, and the path magically cleared as he strode forward.

Lila's heart pounded in her chest.

Ethan Carter was real.

More real than the carefully crafted image she adored every day.

He was terrifyingly charming in person.

A pretty blonde slipped her arm through his as he neared the front.

Vanessa Brooks.

Lila recognized the name instantly, and she was sure everyone else did as well.

Rich, popular, gorgeous, Vanessa had it all.

She was the kind of privileged, effortlessly beautiful girl who had no need to work at anything because her looks and money did it for her.

Vanessa laughed at something Ethan said, her voice musical as she drew his attention downwards.

His smile was bright as he feigned shock at her, making her giggle even harder.

Ethan had a girlfriend.

A stunning girlfriend who looked perfect in every way.

Lila's throat constricted as she stared at the couple, jealousy bubbling up inside of her like bile.

Of course he had a girlfriend.

Vanessa Brooks, the picture-perfect one.

She looked like she had stepped out of a magazine, her blonde hair cascading down her back like golden silk.

Everything about her screamed money and privilege, and she wore it all like a crown.

Standing next to her, Ethan looked even more charming, and it made Lila's heart pound painfully in her chest.

She swallowed hard, looking down at herself with sudden revulsion.

Her oversized sweater and worn-out sneakers suddenly made her feel disgusting.

Even though it was the least amount she could do for a scholarship, seeing Vanessa Brooks had made her realize just how much smaller she was in every way.

Beautiful, confident Vanessa Brooks, with her perfect smile and perfect everything, was the kind of person who made other girls like Lila feel inadequate.

Ethan looked genuinely happy with her, and what was wrong with that?

They were perfect together, a couple straight out of a celebrity magazine.

It was the kind of relationship that made other girls want to change themselves, to be better.

It was the kind of relationship that made normal, everyday girls like Lila feel like failures for even thinking about wanting to be with someone like Ethan.

The reality of the situation was painfully obvious, but it didn't stop the ache deep in Lila's chest.

No matter how hard Lila tried, boys like Ethan would never look at girls like her.

As the presentation got underway, Lila barely registered most of it.

In between scribbling hurried notes on her agenda, she stole furtive glances at the superstar hockey player.

It was harmless, really.

Lila promised herself.

Just one last crush before moving on with her life.

One last crush before the painful reality of Ethan Carter's existence finally hit her.

It didn't take long, in the end.

An hour later, orientation was over.

Lila exhaled sharply as she stepped out of the building, her nerves settling.

So far, so good.

She adjusted the strap of her bag as she headed towards the campus café, sipping the large coffee she had gotten on the way.

It was exactly what she needed, really.

She was staring at the map on her phone when she rounded the corner.

Lila collided with something solid.

She gasped as the liquid in her hands spilled over, sending hot liquid over her clothes and splashing onto another person's shirt.

Time seemed to slow as she took in the scene before her.

She was covered in steaming coffee, her oversized sweater soaked through and her heart pounding in her ears.

A male voice chuckled above her head.

"That's a mess," he said, his tone amused.

Lila looked up slowly, meeting the gaze of the man responsible for her predicament.

Her stomach dropped as she looked him up and down, taking in his appearance.

Ethan's dark eyes were wide with something akin to disbelief.

His hockey jacket was tossed over one shoulder, revealing the white dress shirt beneath.

Coffee dribbled down the fabric, staining it in several places.

He was staring right at her, a single brow raised as he waited for an explanation.

Lila's mouth went dry.

She swallowed hard, suddenly wishing she had a better excuse.

"Um, sorry?" she offered weakly.

Ethan's eyebrow lifted in confusion as murmurs started to erupt amongst the gathered onlookers.