Authors P.O.VThe last thing Noah expected was to look over his shoulder and see Dorian Hayes coming at them while yelling for Jaxon to get his hands off his shoulder. The mother fucker kept creating a scene even after Noah told him to fucking leave.So in a rush of anger, Noah's body jolted forward, jaw clenched, ready to fucking deck him—until Jaxon hooked an arm around his middle and yanked him back."Are you insane?" Jaxon hissed through his teeth, dragging him toward the exit. "Let it go. Not here."Noah didn’t say a word. He just kept glaring at Dorian until the metal door slammed behind them.He didn’t even realize he was shaking until he buckled in and stared out the windshield. Just like before, Jaxon got into the driver's seat and began driving the car to a place Noah didn't really give a fuck about. He may have preferred to be in bed right now sleeping this gnawing ache in his chest off but he'd be damned if he continued to let Jaxon worry so much about him.Speaking of the
Dorian's P.O.VNo one was even looking at me, but I felt like the entire fucking room was laughing in my face. Not out loud, not in any obvious way, but I could feel it in my skin. A sick buzz crawling under the surface as Noah leaned in toward Jaxon, the two of them grinning by the lockers like the past month hadn’t happened between us. It was as if the history of what we used to be was totally wiped off, the way he had cried in my arms and how I used to make him moan, whisper, beg.Now Jaxon was the one pulling a laugh out of him with some bullshit story. I could tell it was bullshit by the way his hands moved in an exaggerated and performative way. And the worst part of it all was that Noah was giving him a real, open-mouthed, soft laugh. That damn laugh he used to give me when I kissed the underside of his jaw.When he was moping around all sad, a part of me, probably twisted and sick like it because it meant Noah still gave a fuck about me and as long as my actions were still cap
Dorian The box cutter in my hand was dull as hell, but I worked it like it was a damn scalpel, slicing through layers of tape. I was on my knees in the cramped backroom of the store, sleeves rolled up, whilst being surrounded by towers of cardboard and half-dusty shelves of expired cereal. The air smelled like plastic and detergent and a little bit like the overripe bananas Susie always left near the staff fridge.I was almost done for the afternoon. Just a few more restocks and then I’d hit the bank to transfer some cash to Mom. Her voice had sounded clearer last time we talked, less slurred from medication. She even asked me about school. Rehab was working. Or maybe she was just too tired to yell.Either way, she needed the money. And I would’ve just done the transfer on my phone, but I didn’t have one anymore. A few days ago, I returned the android Noah bought me. I wouldn't lie and pretend that I'd handed it over him to while looking him in the eye. There was no way in the fucki
Noah’s P.O.VThe seventh game of the regionals ended with the Arctic Blades fucking demolishing the Wisconsin's titans. The titans, of all the teams.. I could still feel the sting in my thighs from the sprints and the vibration in my hands from that final slapshot that screamed past their goalie and lit the whole fucking stadium on fire. The crowd was still roaring in my head but the celebratory noise wasn't enough to wipe off the ridiculous grin on my face as I skated off the ice. We did it. We fucking did it. We have already made it into the fucking frozen four and the last(eighth) game of the regionals was just a formality I was halfway down the tunnel to the locker room, already reaching up to unclip my helmet when Coach O’Rourke’s voice barked out. "Carter!" Glancing over my shoulders, I spotted him waving me over.So I fully turned around, skating in a slow arc, only to see he was standing next to a man I didn't recognize. He was tall, built like bulldozer. He probably used t
Noah's P.O.VI kept my eyes on the road, both hands tight on the wheel like I was holding on for dear fucking life. My heart was pounding loud enough to compete with the engine’s low growl. Every building I passed just made the nerves worse, like some countdown to a moment I didn’t know if I was ready for. Why the hell was I even nervous?It’s just Dorian.Except it wasn’t just Dorian.It was the first boy I ever wanted and was bold enough to let into my heart. The boy who got under my skin and twisted every part of me into knots. The boy who broke me, and the boy I still wanted, like a fucking masochist.When I finally pulled into the parking lot, I sat there for a second, dragging in a deep breath, then another. I could just leave. Text Coach and tell him I dropped the message. But no matter how much I tried to reverse out of here, I couldn't.. My fingers were already gripping the door handle, and then I was out, snow pelting lightly on my skin.The warm off-white lights of the stor
Noah's P.O.VI didn’t remember the moment when I left the store and got on the road, driving to Jaxon's family house. Hell, I couldn’t even tell you what was playing on the speakers, even though I knew it was that stupid ass playlist Jaxon had shared with me—grunge and rock and some country-folk hybrid that made me want to pull my hair out when he'd begged me to indulge him. Right now, my brain was loud, louder than any music could ever be.Outside, the snow fell heavier now, little white streaks dancing past the windshield, like the universe was throwing static at my face just to see if I’d blink.I didn’t because I was still thinking about him.His mouth. The kiss wouldn't fucking leave my brain. It was as if his lips was still crushing mine and his breath lived in my lungs. My lips tingled with the need to be back on his and now all I could think about was how fast it ended. I shifted in my seat, groaning through clenched teeth. My dick was pressing up against the seam of my jeans
Noah's P.O.VThe second I stepped out of my car, they jumped apart like kids caught making out behind the bleachers. Jaxon’s eyes flicked toward me, looking sheepish and… weirdly guilty? His hair was a mess from where the guy had clearly been gripping it. They looked like they’d been going at it for more than just a friendly peck.Oh my God.Oh my actual fucking God.“You might be surprised tomorrow,” Jaxon had said.This was the fucking surprise?Jaxon fucking Reid. Mr. “I’ve had a threesome with the Henderson twins.” Mr. “Choke me with your thighs, mommy,” himself… was gay too?And it was with his tutor? The same one I’d seen once or twice in the background when Jaxon was FaceTiming him at odd hours while claiming to be "studying" with him? That really pretty guy with the flawless skin and the glasses he probably didn’t even need?I blinked hard. “Am I hallucinating right now?”Jaxon raised both hands like I was holding him at gunpoint, pouring out words as he tried to dig himself o
Noah’s P.O.V“Hey Faggots!”I stiffened, forcing my hands to keep untying my skates as if I hadn’t heard it. The noises of the room—laughter, shouting, clang of lockers as they slammed it shut—kept going. Nobody even flinched. It was just a normal joke from Matt, one of my defensemen who thought anything that came out of his mouth was comedy gold. The dude was built like a fucking tank and sometimes, I wondered if that was all he was. Brute force with an empty skull.A few of the other guys joined in, tossing back their own crude jokes as they stripped off sweat-soaked jerseys and peeled away pads.My fingers kept trembling, but I worked the laces faster, hoping no one noticed. The worst thing you could do in this locker room was stop, freeze up, and let them see how the words hit you. That was blood in the water, and these guys were sharks who didn’t know how to leave a wounded animal alone. Usually, I didn’t care about the jokes, hell I joined in most times, but it just felt fucking
Noah's P.O.VThe second I stepped out of my car, they jumped apart like kids caught making out behind the bleachers. Jaxon’s eyes flicked toward me, looking sheepish and… weirdly guilty? His hair was a mess from where the guy had clearly been gripping it. They looked like they’d been going at it for more than just a friendly peck.Oh my God.Oh my actual fucking God.“You might be surprised tomorrow,” Jaxon had said.This was the fucking surprise?Jaxon fucking Reid. Mr. “I’ve had a threesome with the Henderson twins.” Mr. “Choke me with your thighs, mommy,” himself… was gay too?And it was with his tutor? The same one I’d seen once or twice in the background when Jaxon was FaceTiming him at odd hours while claiming to be "studying" with him? That really pretty guy with the flawless skin and the glasses he probably didn’t even need?I blinked hard. “Am I hallucinating right now?”Jaxon raised both hands like I was holding him at gunpoint, pouring out words as he tried to dig himself o
Noah's P.O.VI didn’t remember the moment when I left the store and got on the road, driving to Jaxon's family house. Hell, I couldn’t even tell you what was playing on the speakers, even though I knew it was that stupid ass playlist Jaxon had shared with me—grunge and rock and some country-folk hybrid that made me want to pull my hair out when he'd begged me to indulge him. Right now, my brain was loud, louder than any music could ever be.Outside, the snow fell heavier now, little white streaks dancing past the windshield, like the universe was throwing static at my face just to see if I’d blink.I didn’t because I was still thinking about him.His mouth. The kiss wouldn't fucking leave my brain. It was as if his lips was still crushing mine and his breath lived in my lungs. My lips tingled with the need to be back on his and now all I could think about was how fast it ended. I shifted in my seat, groaning through clenched teeth. My dick was pressing up against the seam of my jeans
Noah's P.O.VI kept my eyes on the road, both hands tight on the wheel like I was holding on for dear fucking life. My heart was pounding loud enough to compete with the engine’s low growl. Every building I passed just made the nerves worse, like some countdown to a moment I didn’t know if I was ready for. Why the hell was I even nervous?It’s just Dorian.Except it wasn’t just Dorian.It was the first boy I ever wanted and was bold enough to let into my heart. The boy who got under my skin and twisted every part of me into knots. The boy who broke me, and the boy I still wanted, like a fucking masochist.When I finally pulled into the parking lot, I sat there for a second, dragging in a deep breath, then another. I could just leave. Text Coach and tell him I dropped the message. But no matter how much I tried to reverse out of here, I couldn't.. My fingers were already gripping the door handle, and then I was out, snow pelting lightly on my skin.The warm off-white lights of the stor
Noah’s P.O.VThe seventh game of the regionals ended with the Arctic Blades fucking demolishing the Wisconsin's titans. The titans, of all the teams.. I could still feel the sting in my thighs from the sprints and the vibration in my hands from that final slapshot that screamed past their goalie and lit the whole fucking stadium on fire. The crowd was still roaring in my head but the celebratory noise wasn't enough to wipe off the ridiculous grin on my face as I skated off the ice. We did it. We fucking did it. We have already made it into the fucking frozen four and the last(eighth) game of the regionals was just a formality I was halfway down the tunnel to the locker room, already reaching up to unclip my helmet when Coach O’Rourke’s voice barked out. "Carter!" Glancing over my shoulders, I spotted him waving me over.So I fully turned around, skating in a slow arc, only to see he was standing next to a man I didn't recognize. He was tall, built like bulldozer. He probably used t
Dorian The box cutter in my hand was dull as hell, but I worked it like it was a damn scalpel, slicing through layers of tape. I was on my knees in the cramped backroom of the store, sleeves rolled up, whilst being surrounded by towers of cardboard and half-dusty shelves of expired cereal. The air smelled like plastic and detergent and a little bit like the overripe bananas Susie always left near the staff fridge.I was almost done for the afternoon. Just a few more restocks and then I’d hit the bank to transfer some cash to Mom. Her voice had sounded clearer last time we talked, less slurred from medication. She even asked me about school. Rehab was working. Or maybe she was just too tired to yell.Either way, she needed the money. And I would’ve just done the transfer on my phone, but I didn’t have one anymore. A few days ago, I returned the android Noah bought me. I wouldn't lie and pretend that I'd handed it over him to while looking him in the eye. There was no way in the fucki
Dorian's P.O.VNo one was even looking at me, but I felt like the entire fucking room was laughing in my face. Not out loud, not in any obvious way, but I could feel it in my skin. A sick buzz crawling under the surface as Noah leaned in toward Jaxon, the two of them grinning by the lockers like the past month hadn’t happened between us. It was as if the history of what we used to be was totally wiped off, the way he had cried in my arms and how I used to make him moan, whisper, beg.Now Jaxon was the one pulling a laugh out of him with some bullshit story. I could tell it was bullshit by the way his hands moved in an exaggerated and performative way. And the worst part of it all was that Noah was giving him a real, open-mouthed, soft laugh. That damn laugh he used to give me when I kissed the underside of his jaw.When he was moping around all sad, a part of me, probably twisted and sick like it because it meant Noah still gave a fuck about me and as long as my actions were still cap
Authors P.O.VThe last thing Noah expected was to look over his shoulder and see Dorian Hayes coming at them while yelling for Jaxon to get his hands off his shoulder. The mother fucker kept creating a scene even after Noah told him to fucking leave.So in a rush of anger, Noah's body jolted forward, jaw clenched, ready to fucking deck him—until Jaxon hooked an arm around his middle and yanked him back."Are you insane?" Jaxon hissed through his teeth, dragging him toward the exit. "Let it go. Not here."Noah didn’t say a word. He just kept glaring at Dorian until the metal door slammed behind them.He didn’t even realize he was shaking until he buckled in and stared out the windshield. Just like before, Jaxon got into the driver's seat and began driving the car to a place Noah didn't really give a fuck about. He may have preferred to be in bed right now sleeping this gnawing ache in his chest off but he'd be damned if he continued to let Jaxon worry so much about him.Speaking of the
Jaxon felt like shit. There was no other word for it. He was filled with guilt that sat heavily in his gut and fermented, souring every win, every smile, every second of silence. Even now, after their sixth game, a win, technically, he couldn’t shake the feeling awayBecause Noah Carter had played like a ghost.Sure, the scoreboard said they won, but anyone with eyes could see it. Noah was dragging himself across the ice like his skates were made of lead. He flinched anytime Dorian got within five feet of him, avoided his passes, and barely looked up during the post-game huddle. Whatever fire he used to have, whatever rage-fueled grace he normally carried himself with, it was fucking gone.Jaxon really hated it. He wanted his bestfriend backWhen they made it into the locker room, the rest of the guys didn’t even try to hide their curiosity. They were muttering to each other in low tones, passing glances between Noah and Dorian like the two were a car wreck they couldn’t look away fro
Noah’s P.O.V.The bed felt cold.That was the first thing I noticed. Not the faint hum of someone playing FIFA in the next room or the buzzing streetlamp outside the window. Just the empty space beside me—where warmth used to be. Where Dorian was supposed to be.I reached out sleepily, eyes still closed as I brushed my fingers against nothing but cool sheets and crumpled fabric.My lashes fluttered open slowly, heavy with sleep. The red numbers on the clock blinked 1:14AM, like they were mocking me.The room was really empty, hell not even his jacket was tossed somewhere on the floor like it always was. He was just...gone.I sat up, rubbing my eyes and stifling a yawn. My throat felt dry as hell, and the water jug I usually kept on my nightstand was bone dry too because I hadn't really spent a lot of time in my room. Groaning, I got to my feet and grabbed a hoodie, stepping out of my room and moving down the hallway, then padding down the stairs. The whole house had that muted, ghost