Lahat ng Kabanata ng Claimed By The Hockey Captain: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

Lucas“Let’s hear it,” I told Jessica, casually shoving both of my hands into the pockets of my dark cargo pants. I leaned back against the porch railing, trying as much as possible to brace myself to pay attention to whatever rubbish she was about to blab.“Right here? You want us to talk out here in the open?” she asked, her voice high and full of shock.I shrugged back at her, completely confused by her little dramatic outburst. Was she seriously expecting me to take her back to my dorm room or book a private booth at some special restaurant just to hear her rant about my girlfriend?“What’s wrong with talking here?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Weren’t you the one who specifically asked to step outside?”“That’s because I didn’t want that backstabbing bitch inside to hear a single word of what I have to tell you,” she hissed, taking a step closer.“Don’t call her that!” I snapped instantly. I was so cl

LoriI remained rooted to the exact same spot on the kitchen floor, the entire world spinning around me at a terrifying speed. It took several minutes for my brain to process the cruel reality of her words before my heavy legs finally forced my body to move back toward the safety of my bedroom.The moment I stepped inside, I slammed the door shut, turned the lock, and slid straight down against the wood until I hit the floor. The floodgates broke completely, tears spilling rapidly from my swollen eyes and dropping onto my laps.This couldn't truly be happening to me. It felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. Jessica had somehow succeeded in convincing Lucas that I was a horrible, untrustworthy friend. Her manipulation must have been so seamless, her persuasion so deep, that he had actually gone ahead and invited her out on a lunch date for tomorrow.My eyes stared blankly into the empty space of my room as m

LucasNo matter how many times I was forced to sit on the sidelines, I knew in my gut that I would never, ever get used to being benched. My real home was out there on the ice, gliding through the freezing air with my stick in hand, tracking the black puck as it skidded across the surface.Still, despite the restless agitation clawing at my chest, I was here on the bench to cheer for my boys. Their success was my success. We needed this crucial win to seal our official spot in the state finals, and I was going to support them with everything I had.So, while the rest of my teammates aggressively fought for control, chasing and passing the puck back and forth across the rink, I cheered loudly from the sidelines. I whistled through my teeth when someone made a clean hit and shouted harsh words of encouragement to keep their energy high.I watched intently as Alex expertly tackled the puck away from the opposing team's winger using a swift stick check. A proud smile spread across my face

LoriThe rest of the day passed painfully slowly. I spent nearly an hour on my hands and knees refolding and reorganizing every single delicate fabric that Angel had scattered across the floor. All while my mind wildly wrestled with the agonizing decision of whether to quit both the internship and the fashion competition altogether.I really didn't think I could continue living like this. Not with Jessica turning into my bitter enemy and vowing to frustrate every single area of my life. If only I hadn’t suffered that terrible leg injury months ago during cheerleading, maybe my spot on the squad would still be fine and Jessica wouldn’t be able to act as if she held my entire future career in her hands.The very second dismissal time finally arrived, I let out a heavy breath I didn’t even realize I had been holding. Wanting to avoid any more public humiliation, I quickly snuck out of the building through the quiet back exit.

Lucas“One last time,” I gritted out through clenched teeth, forcing the words through my chest as I summoned every remaining shred of energy I had left to lift the heavy iron bar.My arms trembled under the strain, and my core locked tight to protect my lower back as I pushed the weight upward through the final rep. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my physical therapist watching me like a hawk. She was scrutinizing every single angle of my posture, her sharp eyes tracking the micro movements of my spine as I worked. Standing right behind her, arms crossed over his chest, was my head coach. He was paying attention to my form, watching to see if I would flinch or show any lingering signs of the spine injury that had kept me benched for weeks.“How was that?” I gasped out, dropping the heavy weights onto the rubberized floor with a dull, echoing thud.I wiped a thick layer of sweat from my forehead with the back of my arm, staring at her expectantly. She gave a slight, dismiss