Allie
The final buzzer sounded like thunder through the arena, and Chase’s team erupted in celebration. Sticks raised, helmets tossed, players crashing into each other on the ice in a chaotic pile of pure joy. They had beaten Logan’s team decisively—4-1—and the crowd was losing their minds. Chants of “Ryder! Ryder!” echoed everywhere. I stood frozen in my seat, heart still racing from the intensity of the game. Overwhelmed didn’t even begin to cover it.
Every time Logan had looked up at the stands and seen me cheering for Chase, something inside me had shifted. His focus had cracked right in front of thousands. The golden boy who never missed had fallen apart, and I couldn’t pretend it didn’t affect me. Guilt mixed with a strange sense of justice. Mia squeezed my arm, grinning wildly. “G
