All Chapters of The Hockey Star Regret : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

COLEENI woke up the next morning with the faint smell of ice still clinging to my hair.I could still smell the metallic smell of the ice rink and the faint hint of Hayden’s cologne and for some reason, I didn’t hate it.Although I would never admit this to him, but he was right. I did have fun. In fact, it was the most fun I’ve had in a while. I knew it sounded strange that I’ve never skated before but I was too busy studying to think about that.In my defense, I wasn’t thinking about him when I got ready for class. At least, that’s what I told myself while pulling on a sweater I hadn’t worn in months. But then I caught myself wondering if he’d notice it.And that was… embarrassing. What the hell had Hayden done to me that he had me feeling like a freshman in high school again. It was a giddy feeling that made you want to burst into song and shit yourself at the same time. Scary but exciting.By the time I got to campus, I had already tried to rewire my brain back to normal mode. I

HAYDENAt this point, it’s like every practice got progressively worse because what the hell was this torture?Everything ached so much that I couldn’t even tell if any of my muscles were spared.Coach was determined to make the playoffs and possibly have a chance at winning the Stanley Cup this year.I had to be honest, though, he wasn’t the only one who had that dream. Everyone on the team was just as hungry for that win. That was why none of us complained when he extended practice times. It was a sacrifice we were willing to make to secure that victory.Coach’s whistle cut through the air, sharp enough to make my shoulders tense.“Michaels! Keep your head in the game!”“Yeah, sorry, Coach!” I called back, even though I wasn’t really sorry.Because the truth was… my head wasn’t in the game. It was somewhere else entirely. More specifically, on someone who was in her apartment, curled up on the couch, texting me during some movie night with Mark.Coleen.At this point, I don’t even b

COLEENBy the time I reached the apartment, my cheeks hurt from grinning. I fumbled with my keys, dropped them twice, then burst inside to the smell of cinnamon, the smell of Mark’s candle, and the faint echo of a guitar riff from his room.“Mark?” I called, toeing off my boots.“Bedroom!” he answered, then the riff cut off, and he padded into the living room in socks and a hoodie with the band’s name splashed across the front. He took one look at my face and set the guitar aside. “You’re either about to cry or you’ve just discovered puppies on campus.”“Neither.” I shrugged off my coat, suddenly bashful in a way I hadn’t been since middle school. “Hayden asked me out. Like, on a real date, and I said yes.”Mark didn’t squeal, he wasn’t Alicia, but his smile was all bright teeth and proud eyes. “Finally.”I threw a pillow at him. “What do you mean, finally?”“Please. The trajectory has been obvious since the party-that-shall-not-be-named.” He flopped onto the couch and patted the cus

HAYDENI didn’t turn the radio on during the drive back.The car was quiet except for the whisper of the heater and the little clicks from the engine as it settled between stoplights. My hands were light on the wheel, the kind of loose you only get after a game-winning goal or, apparently, after kissing a girl you’ve been thinking about for months.Every time my brain replayed that soft goodnight at the car door, I felt the same ridiculous floaty rush in my chest. When I pulled into my lot, I sat there for a full minute, both hands on the wheel, my forehead resting against the back of my knuckles like a moron with a grin he couldn’t control. Then I laughed out loud, which startled me enough that I finally grabbed my bag and climbed out.Inside the apartment, Jason was exactly where I expected him, on my couch with one ankle propped on a knee, game controller in hand, a half-empty bag of chips abandoned next to him like a crime scene. He glanced up as the door shut and immediately pa

HAYDENI finished my coffee and didn’t rush to stand. The café buzzed around me, steam and chatter and someone behind me rustling a newspaper like it was 1999. I pulled a napkin toward me and started scribbling stupid little plan ideas. I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to make sure that we both explore every activity I could think of when we are both free.Coleen was a bit skittish in nature. I wasn’t expecting her to just change overnight. So it was up to me to be proactive, even though she already knew how I felt about her.I wanted her to feel special. I wanted to treat her like a queen so she’ll realize that she deserves to be doted on. Most importantly, I want to erase every memory of her shitty ex-boyfriend from her mind.He doesn’t deserve her. He never has. And now that I have her, I wasn’t going to mess it up.The bell above the door jangled, and an unmistakable voice floated past.“Well, if it isn’t Michaels.”I smiled despite myself because I already knew who it was, and