All Chapters of Black Ice: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

~ALAN~ The metal door closed behind Miller and the others, making the locker room so quiet it felt like it was buzzing. The bass from the speakers in the corner was still booming, but the fun was gone. I didn't move for a long second. I just stood there, the water still dripping from my hair and tracing the lines of the ink on my shoulders. The boy hadn't moved either. He was still a statue against the lockers, his knuckles white as he gripped the handle of his mop like it was a lifeline. He looked small. Too small for a place this loud and this violent. I turned away, heading toward my locker. I could feel his eyes on me. It wasn't the way the girls on campus looked at me—hungry and bold. This was different. It was the wide-eyed, scared, curious look of a deer watching a predator from the bushes. I reached into my locker, pulling out a pair of black boxer briefs. I took my time dragging them on, purposefully slow. I was 6'4" of elite-trained muscle, and I knew exactly

~ALAN POV~ I didn't think about the weight on the bar because thinking only led me to feel empty and obsessed. Clang. The noise of the plates clashing was like a loud bang in the wet air of the Briarwood gym. I was on my fiftieth bench press, my muscles hurting, and my vision narrowing until all I could see was the blurry gray of the ceiling. "Voss! Ease up! You’re going to tear a pec before Friday’s game," John’s voice barked from somewhere above me. I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. Because every time I closed my eyes, I didn't see the puck or the net. I saw a pair of forest-green eyes drowned in fear. I felt the ghost of smooth soft skin under my thumb. The mood around me felt weighty, filled with the smell of metal and my own sweat. "Alan! Drop the bar!" I ignored him. I pushed. One more. One more. My heart wasn't just beating; It was pounding against my ribs like a scared animal. It was an endless, hard thump that matched my heartbeat in my throat. Finally, John st

~TOBY~I pushed the heavy mop bucket down the long hallway, my arms already aching. The athletic building was quiet this late, just the way I liked it. No loud voices, no eyes watching me. The only sounds were the wet slap of the mop on the floor and my own breathing. I kept my head down, hood up, trying to disappear like always. But tonight, something felt off. My skin prickled like someone was staring at me from the shadows. I stopped and looked around, heart beating fast. Nothing. Just empty lockers and dim lights. I told myself it was just the nightmare from last night still messing with my head. Calvin wasn’t here. He couldn’t be.Still, my hands shook a little as I squeezed the mop. I hated how scared I always felt. Like the whole world was waiting to hurt me. I moved to the equipment room next, where the floor was extra dirty from all the hockey gear. The bucket felt heavier than usual, and my back hurt from bending over. I thought about Alan again, the way he touched my

~ALAN~After practice my body felt tired but good. My muscles ached from all the hard skating, and my mind was full of thoughts about Toby. He had watched from the stands again, and that quiet look in his eyes stayed with me the whole time. I changed into my practice shorts and headed out to find him. The building was mostly empty now, lights low in the halls. I knew he would still be working late, cleaning up after everyone.I found him in the locker room area, mopping the floors near the showers. His back was to me, shoulders hunched like he was trying to disappear. The air smelled like soap and sweat, and the sound of water dripping from somewhere made everything feel quiet and close.My heart beat a little faster just seeing him.“Toby,” I called softly so I wouldn’t scare him too much.He jumped anyway, the mop handle almost slipping from his hands. When he turned, his green eyes got wide. “Alan. You’re done already? I thought you left.”“Not yet,” I said, stepping closer. “

~ALAN~I waited outside the athletic building after my evening workout, leaning against my motorcycle with my helmet under one arm.The sun was going down, painting the sky orange and pink. My heart felt jumpy, like before a big game. I had made up my mind. I wanted to take Toby for a ride. Not far, just enough to get him out of this place for a little while. He worked too hard and looked too sad all the time. I hoped the fresh air might help him smile.When he came out pushing his cleaning cart, he looked tired. His blond hair was messy, and his jumpsuit hung loose on his thin body. He saw me and stopped walking. His green eyes got big and scared.“Alan?” he said softly. “What are you doing here?”I gave him my best easy smile. “Waiting for you. Shift over?”He nodded but didn’t move closer. “Yeah. Why?”I patted the seat of my bike. “Thought we could go for a short ride. Nothing crazy. Just around the back roads near campus. The air feels nice tonight.”Toby took a step back, s