Chapter 191 Champions

Chapter 191 Champions
Nathan nodded. "I am.” But he wasn't.

The opposing captain rushed toward him. Nathan moved to block. His skate caught awkwardly beneath him. His ankle twisted. He lost his footing completely. The entire arena gasped as he crashed heavily onto the ice.

The referee's whistle echoed immediately.

Ryan was already beside him. "Nathan!"

Nathan sat up slowly, one hand gripping his ankle.
A sharp pain shot through his leg.

The team doctor hurried onto the rink. "Don't move."

Nathan clenched his jaw. "It's just my ankle."

The doctor carefully examined it. "Can you put weight on it?"

Nathan tried, but pain shot through him instantly.
He winced.

The doctor looked toward the bench. "I need ice."

As they continued checking his ankle, Nathan barely seemed interested. Instead, his eyes found Mira in the front row.

She had stood up the moment he fell. He looked at her, not with panic or because of the pain, but with disappointment.

He mouthed only one question. “Where's Amelia?”

Mira understood immediately. She glanced toward the media section. Amelia wasn't there

"I'll be right back!" she shouted to Ryan before hurrying toward the tunnel.

She pulled out her phone with trembling fingers.
The call connected almost instantly.

"Mira?" Amelia answered.

"Where are you?"

"I'm still with the media team. Why?"

Mira looked back toward the rink. Her voice became urgent. "Nathan is hurt."

Amelia froze. "What?"

"He slipped." Mira took a deep breath. "The doctors are treating him." She paused to allow the message to sink in. "They're talking about taking him to the hospital."

"What?"

The words came out as little more than a whisper.

"I'll explain later." Mira's voice softened. "Just come."

The call ended.

Amelia didn't wait another second. She thrust her notebook into the hands of the nearest reporter.

"I have to go."

Before anyone could stop her, she was already running, past the interview booths, the broadcast equipment, and the security.

Her heart pounded harder with every step. She reached the main entrance to the arena. Students crowded every corridor.

She pushed through them desperately.

"Excuse me."

"Sorry."

"Please..."

She looked from one face to another. "Has anyone seen Nathan?"

Nobody answered.

She kept running.

"Where's the medical team?"

"Which tunnel?"

"Please!"

Someone finally pointed toward the players' entrance.

Amelia sprinted in that direction. Her breathing had become uneven. Her vision blurred with panic. Then, she saw Mira standing near the tunnel entrance.

"Where is he?" Amelia asked breathlessly as she reached her. "What happened?"

Her eyes were already searching desperately beyond Mira's shoulder, terrified of what she was about to see.

Mira turned the moment Amelia reached her. "There." She pointed toward the players' bench.

Amelia followed her finger.

Nathan was sitting on the medical bench while the team doctor wrapped a compression bandage around his right ankle.

Ryan stood beside him with folded arms, watching the doctor work.

Nathan looked up. The moment he saw Amelia, relief flashed across his face. It disappeared almost as quickly and something quieter replaced it, disappointment. Not because she had come.
Because she had not been there when he needed her most.

Amelia did not slow down. She hurried across the remaining distance and dropped to her knees in front of him.

"Nathan."

Without thinking, she wrapped both arms around him. "I'm sorry."

Nathan did not answer immediately. His hands found her waist almost instinctively, holding her close as though reassuring himself she was really there.

Amelia pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. "I tried to get here before the game started."
Her voice trembled. "My editor kept assigning interviews. I couldn't leave."

Nathan held her gaze for several long seconds.
"You chose your work over me."

The words were quiet.

Amelia's eyes widened. "No." She shook her head immediately. "I never would."

Ryan glanced between the two of them and quietly stepped closer. He leaned toward Nathan just enough that only he could hear.

"This isn't the best time."

Nathan closed his eyes briefly. The frustration drained from his expression almost immediately.
When he looked back at Amelia, regret had already taken its place.

"I'm sorry." He gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. "I shouldn't have said that."

Amelia smiled sadly. "I understand how you feel, and I'm really sorry."

"I was disappointed." He laughed softly at himself.
"And apparently a little dramatic."

Ryan folded his arms. "A little?"

Nathan ignored him.

Amelia reached carefully for his hand. "Can you still play?"

The question carried more hope than certainty.

Nathan looked toward the doctor. The doctor finished securing the bandage before standing.
"The ankle isn't broken."

Everyone exhaled.

"But.." The doctor continued. "You've strained the ligaments."

Nathan listened carefully.

"If you play." The doctor pointed toward the wrapped ankle. "You must avoid putting unnecessary pressure on it." He looked directly at Nathan. "The pain will be there."

Nathan nodded once. "I understand."

The doctor sighed. "I wouldn't recommend it."

Silence settled around them.

Amelia squeezed Nathan's hand. "You don't have to prove anything."

Nathan smiled faintly. "I know."

She searched his face. "Can you do it?"

Nathan looked at her. The nervousness in her eyes.
The way she still hadn't completely caught her breath from running across the arena. The worry she wasn't even trying to hide.

A smile slowly spread across his face. "I can."
He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles gently.
"Because you're here."

Amelia felt tears sting the corners of her eyes.
Without caring who was watching, she leaned forward and kissed him softly. The kiss lasted only a moment, but long enough to remind him what he was fighting for.

When she pulled away, she rested her forehead against his. "Come back to me."

Nathan smiled. "I always will."

Ryan clapped his hands loudly. "Captain."

Nathan looked up.

"It's time."

Nathan nodded. He pushed himself carefully to his feet. The ankle protested immediately. He ignored it. His teammates gathered around him as they walked back toward the tunnel.

Just before disappearing onto the ice, Nathan looked back. Amelia stood exactly where he had left her. She smiled and he smiled back. Then he skated onto the rink.

Something had changed. The hesitation was gone, the uncertainty had disappeared. Every pass became sharper. Every movement became more deliberate.

Ryan laughed as Nathan intercepted another attack. "There he is!"

Nathan accelerated down the rink. The crowd rose to its feet. The opposing defenders could barely keep up.

Despite the pain in his ankle, he played as though he had forgotten it existed.

Ryan stole possession once more. He looked toward Nathan. Without saying a word, he knew exactly where the captain would be.

The pass arrived perfectly.

Nathan didn't hesitate. He struck the puck cleanly.
It flew past the goalkeeper.

GOAL!

The arena exploded.

Amelia jumped to her feet. "Yes!"

A few minutes later, Ryan added another goal. Nathan added another one, before the final whistle, he added another one.

The final whistle echoed across the arena.

Their university had won the championship.

Players threw gloves into the air. Some dropped to their knees. Others hugged whoever stood closest.

Nathan stood at center ice, breathing heavily. His teammates surrounded him almost instantly.

Ryan wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "You stubborn man."

Nathan laughed. "We did it."

"No." Ryan grinned. "You dragged us there."

The awards ceremony followed shortly afterward.

The announcer stepped onto the stage. "And now."
His voice echoed throughout the arena. "The recipient of this year's University Athlete of the Year award..." A dramatic pause. "Nathan Miller!"

The crowd erupted louder than ever before.

Nathan walked toward the stage. His teammates applauded. His coach stood waiting with the trophy.

After presenting the award, the coach rested a hand on Nathan's shoulder. "I've been coaching for twenty-three years." He smiled proudly. "And you're one of the finest captains I've ever worked with."

Nathan lowered his head respectfully. "Thank you, Coach."

The older man leaned closer. "I'll give you one warning."

Nathan looked up.

"After today's performance..." The coach chuckled.
"You've created a problem."

Nathan looked confused. "What problem?"

The coach gestured toward a section of the arena where several professionally dressed visitors had gathered. "Every scouting organization here submitted requests."

Nathan followed his gaze.

"There are scouts from nearly every major league."
The coach laughed. "They're all asking for the same player."

Nathan blinked. "Who?"

The coach smiled. "You." He folded his arms. "The others received offers." He nodded toward several teammates. "But every single head scout asked to meet you first."

Nathan stood speechless.

"You've got a difficult decision ahead."

Before Nathan could answer, someone collided gently into him. He looked down.

Amelia.

She had somehow made her way through the crowd. Without saying a word, she wrapped both arms tightly around him.

Nathan hugged her just as tightly.

She laughed amidst sobs. "You did it."

Nathan rested his forehead against hers. "We did it."

She looked up at him, pride shining unmistakably in her eyes. "I have never been more proud of anyone."

Nathan smiled. "And seeing you in those stands..."
He shook his head softly. "That became my greatest victory."

Amelia hugged him again, holding him a little tighter this time, while cameras flashed around them and teammates celebrated nearby.

Mira stood smiling at the scene. Then, her attention drifted elsewhere.

Across the arena, someone had been watching everything unfold. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, her smile fading just a little as curiosity replaced it.

But for now, she said nothing. Today belonged to Nathan and Amelia. And no one was going to take that away from them.