Chapter 110 Something’s About To Break
The waiting was the worst part now.
Not the rumors.
Not the stares.
The waiting.
Like the entire school had decided something was coming next and nobody wanted to miss it.
Lenora felt it the second she stepped into the hallway.
Too quiet in some places.
Too loud in others.
People pretending not to watch her, while clearly watching her.
Lilibeth caught up quickly.
“I swear if one more person looks at you like that I’m throwing hands,” she muttered.
Kylen walked on her other side.
“They’re not even hiding it anymore,” he said.
Lenora didn’t respond.
She already knew.
And then she saw him.
The hockey boy.
Down the hall.
Talking to one of his teammates.
Laughing slightly.
Like everything was normal.
Like nothing had shifted.
Except it had.
Because the moment he looked up and saw her—
Everything around him faded a little.
Not dramatic.
Just noticeable.
Lilibeth noticed first.
“Oh no,” she said quietly.
Kylen exhaled through his nose.
“This is going to be a long day.”
The hockey boy said something to his teammate and walked away immediately.
Straight toward them.
No hesitation.
Lenora stayed still.
She told herself she would.
He stopped in front of her.
Close.
Again.
Always close.
“You avoided me after yesterday,” he said.
“I didn’t,” she replied.
Lilibeth made a sound like she didn’t believe either of them.
Kylen stepped slightly forward.
“Can we not do this in the middle of the hallway?”
The hockey boy didn’t even look at him.
Eyes on Lenora.
“I came to tell you something,” he said.
That made her pause.
“…What?”
His expression changed slightly.
Less casual now.
More serious.
“There’s a match tomorrow.”
Lenora blinked.
“…Okay?”
Lilibeth frowned.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
He ignored her.
“It’s not just any match,” he said.
Kylen’s expression shifted immediately.
“You’re playing the rival team?”
The hockey boy nodded once.
“And?”
Silence.
He looked directly at Lenora.
“They’ve been talking about you.”
That landed differently.
Lenora frowned.
“Why would they—”
“They’ve been watching the school situation,” he cut in.
Kylen exhaled sharply.
“Of course they have.”
Lilibeth crossed her arms.
“This is getting ridiculous.”
The hockey boy continued.
“They’re planning to push it during the game.”
Lenora’s stomach tightened slightly.
“…Push what?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Then—
“You.”
Silence.
Kylen stepped forward instantly.
“Excuse me?”
The hockey boy finally looked at him.
“Not physically,” he said flatly. “Socially.”
Lilibeth frowned.
“That makes it worse somehow.”
Lenora’s voice dropped slightly.
“Explain properly.”
He shifted slightly closer again.
Not enough to crowd her.
Just enough to make her focus.
“They want to make it public,” he said. “Everything. The rumors. The photos. The kiss.”
Lenora felt her chest tighten.
Kylen shook his head.
“No way.”
“Yes way,” the hockey boy replied.
Lilibeth looked between them.
“So what? They’re just going to humiliate her in front of a crowd?”
The hockey boy didn’t answer immediately.
Then—
“Pretty much.”
Silence dropped hard.
Lenora stared at him.
“…Why are you telling me this now?”
He didn’t look away.
“Because I won’t be able to stop it alone.”
That honesty again.
Too simple.
Too real.
Kylen rubbed his face.
“This is insane.”
Lilibeth looked stressed now.
“So what do we do?”
The hockey boy finally glanced away briefly.
Then back at Lenora.
“You don’t come,” he said.
Immediate silence.
Lenora blinked.
“…What?”
“You stay out of it tomorrow.”
Kylen frowned immediately.
“That’s not happening.”
Lilibeth shook her head.
“She’s not sitting out while people try to ruin her.”
The hockey boy didn’t argue with them.
Just watched Lenora.
And waited.
That was the problem.
He was always watching.
Always waiting for her reaction.
Lenora stepped slightly closer.
“You don’t get to decide where I show up,” she said quietly.
His jaw tightened slightly.
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
Silence.
It stretched between them.
Different from before.
Less tension.
More frustration.
Then he said quietly,
“You don’t understand what they’re building.”
Lenora didn’t flinch.
“Then show me.”
That stopped him.
Just for a second.
Kylen looked between them.
“This is a terrible idea,” he muttered.
Lilibeth nodded.
“Agreed.”
But neither of them moved.
Because this wasn’t just about the game anymore.
It was about control.
The hockey boy stepped closer again.
Not touching.
But close enough that his voice dropped lower.
“If you go tomorrow,” he said quietly, “they will use you.”
Lenora held his gaze.
“And if I don’t?”
A pause.
“They still will,” he admitted.
Silence.
That was the truth part.
Finally.
Lilibeth exhaled sharply.
“So either way she’s the target.”
Kylen shook his head.
“This is exactly what we’ve been avoiding.”
Lenora didn’t move.
Didn’t look away.
Because something in her had already decided.
“You’re playing,” she said to him.
He frowned slightly.
“What?”
“You’re on the ice tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
She stepped closer just a little.
“Then I’m coming.”
Immediate silence.
Kylen groaned.
“No. Absolutely not.”
Lilibeth pointed at her.
“Girl—”
The hockey boy didn’t respond right away.
Just studied her.
Carefully.
Then—
“You’ll make it worse.”
Lenora nodded slightly.
“Probably.”
That honesty surprised even her.
But she didn’t care anymore.
Because now it wasn’t about avoiding damage.
It was about standing in it.
Together.
The bell rang sharply down the hallway.
Nobody moved immediately.
Then the hockey boy stepped back slowly.
“Tomorrow,” he said quietly.
Lenora nodded once.
“Tomorrow.”
And for the first time since everything started—
It didn’t feel like she was running from something.
It felt like she was walking straight into it.