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CHAPTER 7: The World Kept Turning
Last Updated:
2025-04-05 22:37:40
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Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 8: That Scared The Hell Out Of Me
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I woke up with my sheets twisted around my legs, one arm draped over my eyes like it could somehow block out the reality of the day ahead. But it was no use. I could feel it crawling under my skin the moment I blinked awake.Game day.Freshman team.Andrew.Fuck.I sat up slowly, groaning as my back cracked in three different places. My throat was dry as hell and my head throbbed with that low, dull ache that only came from too much alcohol. The air was chilly, but my skin was already prickling with leftover tension, like my body remembered something my brain hadn’t even caught up to yet.I rubbed at my face and stumbled out of bed. The sun was slicing through the blinds in sharp little stripes, hitting the floor like prison bars. Not a great metaphor, considering I felt like a goddamn hostage in my own brain lately.I took a quick shower, half-assed my grooming, and yanked on my gear. The jersey felt heavy today, like it was carrying more than just the weight of my number.I didn’t e
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 21: Shitstorm Life
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Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 19: I Hit Record
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Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 18: what Changed?
ANDREW PARKER ~“Gush—!” I stumbled back, clutching the wall behind me like it could explain what the hell just happened. “That scared me…”The words barely made it out of my mouth. My heart was racing like it wanted out of my chest, lungs dragging air in like I’d been running for miles. My shoulder throbbed where he’d slammed me—his hand like a damn vice, fingers bunching up the fabric of my hoodie before shoving me hard into the concrete hallway wall like he owned the whole damn building.Captain.That psycho.I rubbed my shoulder, grimacing. His grip had left a phantom imprint, like his touch still clung there. I could almost feel the exact shape of his fingers through the layers of hoodie and t-shirt underneath.“What the fuck is wrong with that psycho?” I hissed under my breath, voice shaking with a mix of fear and fury. My hoodie was all stretched and twisted from where he grabbed it, so I yanked it back into place and patted it down like that would erase what just happened. My
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 17: Let Go Of Me, Captain
There’s something about the sound of skates carving into fresh ice that always centers me. Cold, sharp air in my lungs, the hiss of movement, the dull roar of blades digging in. It’s therapy. I tugged on my helmet and rolled my shoulders, staring out at the rink as my team warmed up. The morning chill still clung to everything, misting from our mouths with every exhale, but inside my chest, it was a furnace. Burning slow. Uncomfortable.I kept my expression blank. Didn’t want to show it. Didn’t want to admit that I’d been looking forward to this practice for the worst reason—because I knew he’d be there.Yeah. Andrew.Pretty boy. Fuckboy. Muse. Mistake. Whatever the hell you wanna label it.I spotted him immediately when I stepped on the ice. Like my brain had a built-in radar that beeped hot whenever he was within fifty feet. He was on the far side, helmet off, smiling at something one of the rookies said. That lazy smile. And then I noticed something else.He wasn’t looking at me.
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 16: Out Of My Head
The gym bathroom smelled like cheap soap. I stepped into the tiled space, peeling off my sweat-drenched hoodie with a grunt. My shirt clung to me like a second skin—sticky and soaked—and honestly, stripping out of it felt like shedding another layer of frustration. I caught my reflection in the mirror for half a second. Hair damp with sweat, chest heaving, jaw tight. Damn, I thought, smirking faintly. Still got it though. I kicked off my sneakers, yanked down my shorts and boxers, and made my way to the open showers. The spray was lukewarm at best, but I didn’t care. Water thundered against my skin, rinsing off the salt and the anger and the ache in my thighs. I just stood there for a minute, eyes closed, letting it all pour over me. Steam fogged up the mirrors and the edges of my brain. My thoughts were quiet for once. Or… mostly quiet. Because even when I wasn’t thinking about him on purpose, my brain had a way of dragging Andrew back in. The way his hand had fit against my sid
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 15: Just Plain Irritated
I woke up annoyed.Not tired. Not groggy. Just plain irritated.I hadn’t even opened both eyes and I already wanted to punch something. The memory of James’ message sat in my chest like a rock—Coach’s thinking of benching you. Just a heads-up. Yeah, dude. thanks for the fucking heads-up. I lay there for a few seconds, eyes staring at the ceiling, muscles coiled tight under the blanket like a spring. The morning light was spilling through the half-closed blinds, striping my wall in pale gold. It looked peaceful. Calm.Too bad I wasn’t either of those things.I dragged a hand down my face and exhaled sharply. Screw it. I wasn’t gonna just lie here and stew. I needed to to burn it out of my system before it started eating holes in my head.Gym.That was the only plan.I tossed the blanket off and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My body was still warm from sleep, muscles loose, skin slightly tacky with sweat. I stood up and rolled my neck, stretching both arms high until I hea
Breaking The Ice Between Us CHAPTER 14: Officially Ruined
There’s just something about a hot bath at the end of a long-ass day that hits different. The kind of hot where your muscles stop screaming and start sighing instead. The kind of hot that makes it feel like all the bullshit—every sharp word, every look you shouldn’t have cared about, every ghost of a touch—is finally melting off your skin.I filled the tub damn near to the top, dumped in a ridiculous amount of eucalyptus salts I found shoved in the back of the cabinet, and didn’t even care that the smell made me feel like I was about to be sacrificed in some new-age forest ceremony.Whatever. It was nice.I slid in slowly, hissing as the heat kissed up my legs, then my hips, then finally sank into my bones. I let my head fall back against the cool edge of the tub and shut my eyes.“Holy shit,” I muttered, already feeling half human again.Steam curled around my face, humid and heavy. The room blurred. My limbs floated. The tension I’d been clinging to all day—the weight in my shoulder
