Chapter 33: The Warning

Practice had ended minutes ago but my lungs were still burning.

Danton had really pushed us hard today, the losses were piling up and he was getting fed up. I could see it in the way he slammed his clipboard after each drill, I could hear it in the way his voice cracked from screaming.

I stayed behind on the ice after everyone had left, skating laps, I let the cold air cut through my chest, ignoring the pain in my knee.

When I was done with my laps, the rink was empty, with the lights overhead humming. The Zamboni doors were closed, and I stood at the boards for a moment, forcing air into my lungs.

Cassian was already gone; he’d left with the others, with his head down, not looking back for once. I watched him go, noticing his curved shoulders, I watched him drag himself through the ice. I wanted to reach out to him and pull him into the tunnel until he was fine.

I didn’t.

Instead, I grabbed my water bottle and looked away.

——-

I walked through the empty hallways, my footsteps echoing, trying to push through the pain in my knee.

I got to the locker room and pushed the door open.

Raffi was there, still dressed in his practice gear, his goalie pads stacked neatly beside him, sweat dripping down his face. He looked up at me when I walked in like he’d been waiting for me. His face was serious; he clearly wasn’t in the mood for jokes.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” He said.

“Why? Did you need something?”

“Sit down.”

I dropped onto the bench across from him, not saying a word.

He stared at me for a long moment before sighing.

“I know you’ve been careful so far, but you need to double your efforts.”

I went still. “I don’t understand your point.”

“I mean Sloane is relentless, she asked me about you too again.” He said in a low tone. “She pulled me aside after practice asking me about the games so far, and if I noticed anything suspicious about you.”

My hands trembled and I curled them into fists.

“She asked about a lot of things, she’s seen you both leave practice together. I don’t know how she sees those things but she has.” He paused. “She’s even got theories.”

I didn’t say anything.

“She’s not going to rat you out.” He said, his eyes holding mine. “That’s not her style, she’s a journalist who just wants a story, not a scandal. But at this rate, she’ll keep digging till she finds the truth. And when she does, it’ll most likely not be a secret anymore.”

I clenched my teeth.

“She said she’s been through all the footage of our game. She said something about seeing the way you look at each other and how you assist him on the ice.”

I stared at him.

“She even showed me the footage.” He continued. “And it was glaring, Torin. Even someone who has never suspected you both would instantly know that there is something between you and Pike, the evidence is undeniable.”

After a moment, I eventually found my voice.

“What do you think I should do?”

“I suggest you talk to Pike.” His voice brooked no argument. “Decide what you both want to do when the truth eventually comes out, because it will; one way or the other.”

I looked at him. This solid man who’d been my teammate for five years, he’d seen me at my worst and never used it against me.

“Do you think you can stop her or talk her out of it?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“She’s not making any move yet, she’s just watching and documenting, because she was paid to find a story, and a story must be told.”

I thought about how we’ve been trying so hard to keep our hands and eyes off each other. It was like our best wasn’t enough at this point.

“She’s going to find out.” I said, half to myself.

“She already has.” Raffi nodded. “She’s just waiting for confirmation.”

I sat still, my heart racing as thoughts swam through my head.

“You have to make a decision fast; take control of this whole thing before she takes it from you.”

My jaw was clenched as I tried to figure things out.

“I’ll do the best I can to distract her, but I doubt I can do much at this point. I can buy you some time to think things through but I can’t stop a freight train.”

I nodded slowly. “Thanks, Raffi.”

He stood, grabbing his pad. “Don’t thank me, just be prepared.”

———

I sat in the locker room for a long time.

The footage was there; the evidence couldn’t be denied according to Raffi.

I’d spent years in this team, I trained hard and played harder to get the C I currently had. If I come out to th world myself, it would be better than having a scandal on my hands.

I began panicking as I thought about what could possibly happen when we were caught, I could almost see Brynn’s face scrunched up in disgust as she yanked us off the team.

I couldn’t do this, I had to end things with Cassian.

With blurry vision, I scrolled through my contacts, stoping at Cassian’s number; I should call him and tell him we shouldn’t do this anymore, it was too risky.

But somewhere, in my mind, I heard my sister’s voice about fighting for Cassian. I sighed as I dropped my phone, I couldn’t do that to him. I made a promise that I wouldn’t run, that I would be here even during the hard times.

I sat straight, my resolve strengthened.

I cared for Cassian, I might even be falling in love with me. I was going to do whatever it takes to keep my relationship with him and keep us on the team too.

Fuck Sloane

Fuck Brynn too.

Cassian is mine and no situation will be able to tear us apart.