Chapter 73 Locker Room Pressure
By the time classes ended, the entire school had heard something about Lenora. Not the truth, just enough to keep people talking.
She didn’t slow down when she walked toward the rink. If anything, she moved like nothing had changed. That alone made people watch more.
The locker room was louder than usual. Not because of practice, but because everyone was talking at once. The moment Lenora stepped in, a few conversations dropped. Not all. Just enough to notice.
Kylen was already there, pulling off his jersey. He glanced at her once, then continued like nothing needed to be said in front of everyone.
One of the players leaned back against a bench. “So it’s true?” he asked, not even trying to hide it.
Kylen didn’t look up. “If you have something to say, say it properly.”
The player shrugged. “Just asking. Paper’s all over the school.”
Lenora stepped further in and placed her bag down. “And you believe everything you see on a wall?”
He held her gaze for a second, then looked away. “Didn’t say that.”
Another voice joined from the other side. “Looks official though.”
Kylen stood up then. “So does a lot of fake stuff.”
That ended the easy part of the conversation, but not the tension.
Lilibeth walked in a few seconds later. She didn’t look at anyone first. She walked straight to her spot, set her bag down, then finally glanced toward Lenora.
“You’re trending,” she said.
Lenora didn’t react. “Temporary.”
Lilibeth closed her locker. “Depends on how you play it.”
Kylen stepped in before that could go further. “We’re not doing this here.”
Lilibeth looked at him. “You’re already in it.”
Her boyfriend walked in behind her, quieter than usual. He took in the room quickly, then leaned against a locker.
“You guys turned this into a team issue,” he said.
Kylen looked at him. “It became one when people started bringing it in here.”
The coach entered at that moment, cutting everything short.
“On the ice. Now.”
No one argued.
The rink felt different that evening. Practice started hard and fast. No warm-up chatter, no jokes. Just drills.
Kylen pushed the pace harder than usual. Clean passes, fast turns, no hesitation. The team followed, but not everyone kept up.
The new player fit into the drills easily. Too easily. He didn’t ask for instructions, just moved like he already understood everything.
Midway through practice, a collision happened near the boards. One of the players went down, sliding hard into the barrier.
Whistles blew.
Kylen skated over immediately. “You good?”
The player nodded, getting up slowly. “Yeah.”
Coach watched for a second, then waved them back into position.
“Again,” he said.
Practice continued.
Lenora stayed near the stands, watching. Not just the game, but the way people interacted now. Who avoided her. Who kept looking. Who pretended nothing had changed.
Halfway through, Lilibeth left the ice early. No explanation. Just skated off, pulled off her gloves, and walked out.
Kylen noticed.
So did Lenora.
Practice ended harder than it started. Players were tired, but no one complained.
Back in the locker room, the noise returned, but it wasn’t casual.
Kylen sat down, pulling off his skates. “This spreads more tomorrow if we don’t cut it off,” he said.
Lenora leaned against a locker. “Let it spread.”
He looked at her. “That’s not a strategy.”
“It is if I don’t run from it,” she replied.
He didn’t argue immediately, but he wasn’t convinced.
Lilibeth came back in then. Not rushed. Not bothered. Just present.
“I found where it started,” she said.
That pulled attention.
Kylen looked up. “Where?”
She leaned against the locker. “Printing room. Second floor.”
The boy from earlier, who had followed them into this mess, stepped forward. “That narrows it down, not solves it.”
“It’s enough,” Lilibeth replied. “Only a few people have access there after hours.”
Lenora looked at her. “Names?”
Lilibeth hesitated for a second. “One of them is in this building right now.”
Silence followed.
Kylen stood up. “Who?”
Lilibeth looked at Lenora, then at Kylen.
“Assistant admin,” she said. “But she’s not acting alone.”
That matched what the boy had said earlier.
Lenora pushed off the locker. “Then we don’t wait.”
Kylen frowned. “For what?”
“For them to do it again,” she said.
Her movement was enough to get everyone’s attention. She wasn’t staying in the locker room.
Kylen grabbed his jacket. “I’m coming.”
She didn’t argue this time.
Lilibeth’s boyfriend stepped in as well. “If you’re going to confront someone, don’t do it messy.”
Lenora looked at him. “Then don’t slow me down.”
He gave a slight nod. “Fair.”
Lilibeth watched all of them, then grabbed her bag.
“I’m not missing this,” she said.
They left the locker room together. Not as a group, but moving in the same direction.
Up the stairs. Past the empty corridors. Toward the second floor.
The printing room sat at the end of the hallway. Lights still on.
Door slightly open.
Lenora stopped just before reaching it.
Kylen stood beside her. Lilibeth a step behind. The others close enough.
Voices came from inside.
Two people.
Low conversation.
Lenora didn’t wait.
She pushed the door open.
Inside, an assistant staff member stood near the printer.
Another student beside her.
Both turned immediately.
Silence hit the room.
Lenora stepped in fully.
“You printed it,” she said.
No hesitation. No buildup.
The staff member tried to respond, but stopped when she saw who was standing behind Lenora.
Kylen. Lilibeth. The others.
The student beside her stepped back slightly.
“That’s not what this is,” he said.
Lenora didn’t look at him.
“Then explain what it is,” she replied.
No one answered immediately.
Because now it wasn’t rumor anymore.
It was direct.
And this time, Lenora wasn’t standing in the background.