Lahat ng Kabanata ng Rivals on ice: the bet is on: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Theodore"CALLAHAN! CALLAHAN! CALLAHAN!"Three years of hearing my name chanted in this arena and it still hit different every time.Almost there. Two minutes on the clock, tied game, and I could feel the win in my chest building up. This was mine. It had always been mine and all I had to do was take it.“Move!” He zoomed past me.Prick. I was hot on his heels.That was the thing about Elijah Voss though. He never looked like he was trying.That was what drove me insane. Three years of playing against this man and every single time, he moved across the ice it was a fucking ballroom while I was out here bleeding through my jersey for every single point.I hated him. But like a pest, he got under my skin and refused to leave."Callahan, left side!" Carson's voice cut through the crowd noise.I adjusted quickly, muscle memory kicking in before I had fully processed what he said. My eyes trained on the puck The arena was deafening.“CALLAHAN!”“VOSS!”The tension was at its peak. Our te

Theodore"Mom, I can hear you smiling through the phone.""I'm not smiling.""You're absolutely smiling."She laughed and the sound of it loosened something in my chest that had been tight since the game and the locker room when a certain person's mouth had been within three inches of mine but I was not thinking about that."I'm just happy you're coming," she said. "It's been too long, Theo.""I know. I'm sorry." And I meant it. Between the season and training and the general chaos of existing, I hadn't been home in ten months. Ten months while my mother had apparently been building an entire life with a man I'd never met. "Tell me about him again.""I've told you about him.""Tell me again. I'm driving."She made a little sound in hesitation as she decided whether to indulge me. "His name is Douglas. He's kind. He makes me laugh." A pause. "He makes me feel safe, Theo."I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.Safe. She said it so simply, like it was a small thing. Like it hadn

THEOThe sound of running water woke me up at 5:30 AM.I lay there staring at the ceiling of my childhood bedroom, listening to the shower on the other side of the wall. Elijah's shower, he was one room over. I could hear everything from the pipes to the water pressure changing, the faint sound of movement. I hated that I was listening. I hated how I had grown to be hyperaware of everything he does.I sat up and grabbed my running shoes before I could think about it anymore.The house was dark and quiet when I slipped downstairs. Good. I needed to clear my head before I had to deal with any of them. The morning air hit my face as I took off down the street, pushing myself harder than necessary, trying to outrun the fact that I was going to spend the next month sharing a wall with Elijah Voss.By the time I got back, sweating and exhausted, the sun was up and I could smell coffee. I should've showered first or maybe stayed outside longer. Instead I walked into the kitchen and there he

THEOI sat in my car two blocks from the house and stared at Dana's name on my phone for a full minute before I called.She picked up on the second ring. "Hey! I was just thinking about you."Her voice hit me with relief. She was a reminder of how normal I was. Proof that I wasn't what Elijah Voss was trying to turn me into and I had a life outside him and his stupid bet."Hey," I said. "How are you?""Good! Busy with classes, but good. How's the family visit? How's your mom?""She's great and really happy.""And the wedding planning? Is it overwhelming?""A little," I said. That wasn't a lie. "But she's excited, so that's what matters.""That's sweet. I bet it's nice being home though, right? Even with all the wedding stuff."I looked out the windshield at the street. All the houses looked the same here, this was the life I'd left behind when I moved to the city. "Yeah. It's nice.""You sound weird. Are you okay?""I'm fine. Just tired.""You're always tired," she said, but she was s

THEOI stood outside Elijah's door at midnight and tried to convince myself I could still walk away.I had fucked up big time. At this point I considered just calling the coach to find out if there was any way he could help me get out of this bet.I'd spent the last hour pacing my room, arguing with myself. I didn't have to do this. The bet was stupid. Elijah couldn't actually make me do anything I didn't want to do. I could just go to bed and deal with whatever consequences came tomorrow.But my hand was already knocking before I could chicken out again.The door opened. Elijah stood there in the same t-shirt and sleep pants from last night, looking at me like he'd known I'd come and there was never any question.He stepped aside, I walked in and then the lock clicked shut. I gulped, involuntarily."You came earlier tonight," he said.I didn't answer. I just stood in the center of the room with my hands shoved in my pockets, already regretting this.Elijah moved in front of me, close