บททั้งหมดของ Hockey Boyfriend For Pay: บทที่ 121 - บทที่ 130

{ Anastasia }The second morning of the shoot starts earlier than it needs to, which I justify with a long list of practical reasons involving lighting grids, set lists, and the product display table that I check more times than necessary, because it is much easier to focus on details than it is to admit that I simply do not want to walk in at the same time as him, and I am doing an excellent job of maintaining that illusion right up until I hear his voice somewhere behind the curtain of equipment, followed by an easy laugh that sounds completely normal, which feels wildly inconsiderate given the situation, and my pulse reacts so abruptly that I have to grip the table just to steady myself."I don't care," I murmur under my breath.This is, objectively, a lie, but it is a useful one, so I repeat it once more for good measure before stepping out onto the set with a calm expression and professional posture, moving like nothing is wrong because if I keep moving, there is a chance the fee

"Look, I'll be honest... I would never go for my boy's girl, but she was very clear about you two not being a thing, dude," Alex says and that takes me aback completely. Even Shawn and Gray look at him like he's stupid, "Like, I'm sorry... but it was obvious at the party that she was into me too."Something in my jaw tightens and my fists clench on their own, as if they want to be smashed against Alex's face, but I can't let myself go there. I can't get in trouble right now"That so," I manage to say. Gray takes a deep breath, probably feeling how close I am to flipping the fuck out. "Yeah, like—" he laughs lightly, shaking his head. "I didn't even expect it, but she kept coming onto me, you know? And even now, she's been flirting with me every day. You can look at our texts."I blink, then nod and stretch my hand. Alex rolls his eyes as if he had been expecting me to say no, but he unlocks his phone and gives it to me anyway. But since I can't read normally and specially not now th

{ Anastasia }Dr Andrea's office feels exactly the same as it always has. Calm and boring. The nothingness of it leaves no room for distraction, no excuse to pretend this is anything other than what it is, a space designed for honesty that I have been actively avoiding for weeks.I sit on her couch, hands clasped in my lap, eyes fixed on a point somewhere just past the bookshelf, because looking directly at Dr Andrea right now feels like volunteering for something I am not entirely ready to give.She doesn't rush me, though. She never does. She just watches, calm and observant in that way that makes silence feel intentional rather than awkward, which means I am the one who has to break it."I almost didn't come," I admit finally, my voice low and unsure. "I know," Andrea replies, "You've canceled on me four times.""I wasn't avoiding you," I say automatically, then pause, exhaling softly. "Okay, that's not true. I was avoiding you... because I was avoiding everything."She nods once,

{ Abraham }I write letter number three and tear it up before I even reach the end, not because the words are wrong but because writing is harder than other days. The words keep jumbling together and I don't even know what the hell I'm writing anymore. But then I remember her message after I sent the last letter. 'Thank you for the necklace, it's beautiful and I'm already wearing it. I'm glad you're taking care of yourself.'So, this writing shit it's worth it. I have to keep it up, because I refuse to let us die. I refuse to give her enough time to forget what she feels about me. I miss her so bad. Every morning, every night. So, I force myself to write another letter, even if it makes my head hurt to make sure I didn't fuck up the words.For a month, I've been regretting my anger explosion of that day and walking out on her, but I have also realized that we needed some space. But now I'm starting to think one month has been enough. My heart has grown fonder for sure and all I c

{ Anastasia }I smile and squeeze his hand, but then I realize there's something else I have to say before we try to move forward. "There's... something else I never told you," I say, and that alone is enough to change his expression, the lightness fading into something more attentive, more careful."Okay," he says, leaning in just a little. "What is it?"I hesitate, because saying it out loud still feels strange, like giving it shape makes it heavier, but I push through anyway."My ex," I start, keeping my voice steady even though I can feel the tension creeping into my shoulders. "Isaac. He wasn't just... a bad boyfriend or emotionally unavailable or whatever people like to call it when they don't want to say the truth."Bram doesn't interrupt. "He was abusive. Emotionally, then psychologically and then... physically," I continue, more directly now, because there is no point softening it. Bram freezes in front of me, "He wasn't like that since the beginning and it wasn't all the t