All Chapters of Faking Forever With My Hockey Roommate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

ZARIA'S POV“Zaria, what is going on?” my mom demanded, waving her phone in the air with a frantic gesture, as soon as I barely made myself comfortable on the couch.I blinked in confusion, then glanced around the warmly lit living room, my hands folded tensly on my lap as I mentally got ready to defend myself against a lecture I didn't have the energy to fight.“I don't…know,” I replied hesitantly. “What's going on?”“You know my friend, Linda?”I nodded, feeling even more confused and alert. “Yea, what about her?”“She called me half an hour ago because her daughter saw the trending news all over TikTok and X. You're dating a professional hockey player? A celebrity?!”“Oh, well…” I shrugged, “it is true. I am…dating a professional hockey player, yep.”“Zaria! Athletes are the worst genres of men to date, I thought we already went over this on your eighteenth birthday,” my mom whined, her eyes dimming slightly. Eyes that everyone said mine was identical to.I let out a long, heavy gr

ZARIA'S POVThe bell above the diner door jingled as I pushed my way inside, shaking the remnants of the chilly autumn wind from my jacket. I scanned the cozy, retro-style booth seating until I spotted Maya waving frantically from a corner booth near the back.I hurried over, sliding into the vinyl seat across from her just as she tossed her menu down onto the table.“You're late,” Maya announced, though a grin already tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Sorry,” I replied. “I was trying to get ready for my next interview with this law firm. David really went out of his way on that one.”“Aww,” Maya reached over to gently squeeze my hand on the table. “Don't worry, Zaria, you'll do great. I believe in you.”I shrugged, not feeling quite as positive as my best friend was. “I don't know, Maya, it's been almost three years since I practiced. Callum didn't want me working unless it was for him so…well you know the rest.”Maya nodded, “I get it, but still. You're smart and consistent, Zari

ZARIA'S POVThe reception area of Vance & Sterling Law was intimidating in a way that made me briefly consider turning back and heading back to the house. Everything looked perfect, like it was all brushed steel, polished obsidian, and aggressively neutral beige. Sitting on the stiff leather chair in the waiting area, I smoothed down the lapels of my best blazer, a sharp, charcoal-gray piece I had bought during my second year at my old firm, back when I still believed dressing the part was half the battle.My palms were slick against my knees. Maya was right that I had earned my degree through hardwork, and my cousin had practically moved mountains to slide my resume onto the desk of senior partner Ronald Vance, but the lingering ghost of the last three years whispered loudly in the back of my mind. You're out of practice. You're rusty. You're starting over at twenty-six while everyone else your age is already pulling associate hours.I tried not to let the negative self-talks get t

NIKOLAI'S POVTraining had been an absolute disaster from the opening whistle. My head was completely scrambled, my senses felt dull, and every pass I sent out was either off-target or intercepted. Halfway through the second scrimmage, I misjudged a brutal board battle and clipped the back of a teammate's skate, sending him sprawling into the dasher. It wasn't malicious, but it was reckless, bad enough that Coach benched me for the remainder of the session with a scowl that could freeze water.I was so embarrassed and guilty as I sat on the bench and watched other guys play.I spent the rest of the afternoon stewing in my own sweat and bad temper, my muscles tight and aching. By the time I threw my gear into my bag and drove back to the apartment, I just wanted a hot shower, a quiet house, and some food.The front door clicked open to an eerie, heavy quiet. The place was empty.I kicked off my sneakers, tossed my gym bag by the door, and headed straight for the kitchen to grab a bott

ZARIA'S POVGrocery shopping was usually a mindless, therapeutic chore for me. But not today.Instead of feeling the calmness that came with checking things off a list while pushing a rattling wire cart down aisle four of the supermarket, I felt pissed, irritated even.More irritated than I'd been before I left the house.David had texted me two hours ago with a string of apologetic emojis, bailing on our scheduled errand because his girlfriend had apparently conjured up some last-minute emergency that required his immediate presence. And Niko? Niko had vanished on Friday evening without offering a single word of explanation. No note, no text, no casual over-the-shoulder remark about where he was going or when he'd be back.And no phone call or text from him today either.I don't care, I told myself. And I repeated the mantra like a nervous tick as I tossed two cartons of almond milk into the basket. We weren’t real anyways so he could do whatever he wanted. The way he had held me