Xavier’s POV
Hockey practice is already underway when I arrive at the rink. Regionals are approaching, and nobody on the team can afford to lose focus now. Our conference win secured our place in the next stage, but that doesn't mean the work is finished.
If anything, the pressure has increased. Every mistake we make in practice is one we cannot afford to repeat when the stakes are higher.
Unfortunately, my attention is elsewhere.
What if staying here hurts me? Sloane’s words…
"Captain!" Mason Carter's voice carries across the rink before I have even finished tying my skates.
Our left defenseman comes gliding toward me, wearing the expression of a man who has discovered a new opportunity to irritate someone. Mason is loud, observant, and seemingly incapable of allowing a room to rema
