Chapter 11 When Everything Starts To Break
The hallway outside the rink felt colder than the ice.
I stood there for a long moment after Kylen disappeared with his coach, staring at the closed door like it might open again if I waited long enough. It did not. The silence stretched until it became unbearable.
So I left.
The rain had stopped, but the air still carried that damp, heavy chill. My shoes splashed through shallow puddles as I walked without direction, my mind replaying everything that had just happened.
I am choosing you.
The words echoed in my chest, warm and terrifying at the same time.
By the time I reached my aunt’s house, night had already settled in. The lights inside glowed softly, welcoming in a way that made my chest ache. I stepped in quietly, hoping to avoid questions.
My aunt looked up from the couch. “You are soaked. Come here.”
I shook my head gently. “I am fine.”
“You are not,” she said, standing. “Sit.”
I obeyed this time. I did not have the strength to pretend anymore.
She handed me a towel and sat beside me. “Do you want to talk about it.”
I stared at my hands. “Everything is falling apart.”
She did not rush to fill the silence. “Sometimes things have to fall apart before they can be rebuilt.”
“I do not know if there is anything left to rebuild,” I whispered.
She placed a comforting hand over mine. “Then you start with yourself.”
Her words settled somewhere deep, but the ache remained.
My phone buzzed.
Kylen.
I hesitated before answering.
“Hello.”
His voice came through rough and low. “Are you okay.”
“No,” I said honestly. “You.”
A pause. Then a quiet exhale. “Not even close.”
My stomach tightened. “What happened.”
“I am suspended,” he said.
The words hit like a punch.
“What.”
“Temporary,” he added quickly. “Coach says until things calm down. The team cannot afford distractions right now.”
Guilt flooded me instantly. “This is my fault.”
“No,” he said firmly. “Do not do that. This is on me. I made choices.”
“You chose me,” I whispered.
“And I would do it again,” he replied.
My chest tightened painfully.
“They are also talking about sponsors,” he continued. “Image issues. Reputation.”
I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes. “Kylen…”
“I do not care about any of that,” he said. “Not compared to you.”
“You should,” I said. “This is your future.”
“And you are part of it,” he replied.
The certainty in his voice scared me.
“I do not want to be the reason you lose everything,” I said.
“You are not the reason,” he insisted. “You are the reason I stopped lying to myself.”
Silence fell between us again, heavy but different this time. Softer. More fragile.
“I meant what I said,” he added quietly. “About choosing you.”
“I know,” I whispered.
“But you are still pushing me away.”
“I am trying to protect myself,” I said. “And maybe you too.”
“I do not need protection from you,” he said. “I need you.”
My heart twisted.
“I cannot be everything for you right now,” I admitted. “I am barely holding myself together.”
“Then let me hold you together,” he said.
Tears filled my eyes before I could stop them. I pressed my hand over my mouth to keep from breaking completely.
“I do not know how to do this,” I whispered.
“Neither do I,” he said. “But I am not walking away.”
I wiped my tears quickly. “We need time.”
A long pause followed.
“I will give you time,” he said finally. “But do not ask me to stop loving you.”
The words lingered long after the call ended.
That night, sleep did not come easy.
The next morning was worse.
I stepped onto campus and immediately felt the shift.
People were not just whispering anymore. They were watching. Openly. Boldly. Phones in hand.
A group of students stood near the entrance, scrolling through something and laughing.
As I passed, one of them turned her phone toward me.
A headline stared back at me.
Campus Hockey Star Scandal. Love Triangle Tears Team Apart.
My stomach dropped.
This was bigger now. No longer just rumors. No longer contained within campus walls.
Tessa rushed toward me moments later, breathless. “Have you seen it.”
“I just did.”
“This is bad,” she said. “Like really bad.”
“I can tell,” I replied.
“They are blaming you,” she added softly.
Of course they were.
Before I could respond, a voice called my name.
I turned.
Lilibeth stood at the top of the steps.
But she was not alone.
Two girls stood behind her, both holding their phones like weapons. Lilibeth’s expression was calm. Too calm.
“Lenora,” she said. “We need to talk.”
Tessa stepped forward immediately. “No. You do not.”
Lilibeth ignored her. Her eyes stayed locked on mine.
“You wanted attention,” she said. “Now you have it.”
“What do you want,” I asked quietly.
She took a slow step down. “I want you to understand something.”
The crowd around us grew.
“You did not just take my boyfriend,” she continued. “You ruined his career.”
My chest tightened. “That is not true.”
“It is already happening,” she said. “People are talking. Sponsors are pulling back. His coach is furious. And it all started with you.”
Guilt twisted deep inside me.
“You think he will thank you for that,” she pressed. “You think love is enough to fix this.”
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.
“I never asked for any of this,” I said.
“But you stayed,” she replied. “You kept going. Even when you knew it would destroy everything.”
Her words hit harder than I expected.
She stepped closer. Close enough that only I could hear her next words.
“If you really care about him,” she whispered, “you will walk away.”
My breath caught.
She straightened and smiled faintly. “Think about it.”
Then she turned and walked away, her friends following.
The crowd slowly dispersed, whispers trailing behind them.
Tessa grabbed my arm. “Do not listen to her.”
But I was already spiraling.
Because for the first time, doubt crept in.
What if she was right.
What if loving me was the thing that broke Kylen’s future.
What if the only way to save him was to let him go.