Blue Ticks

Five: The Confession Request

The school library after hours was quiet and dim, the perfect place to handle business no one could know about. I sat in the back corner carrel, the laptop screen glowing softly, the Blue Tick dashboard open in front of me. The latest request from IceQueen17 had been waiting like a loaded trap.

New Request – $150

Sender: IceQueen17

Target: Kai Rivera

Message: “I can’t stop thinking about the way you kissed me after the game last Friday. Meet me behind the arena at 8 tonight. No more pretending.”

Special Instructions: Handwrite on blue stationery. Place the note on the driver’s seat of his black Jeep. Make sure it’s impossible to miss.

One hundred and fifty dollars. That was enough to cover the gap in Mom’s next specialist appointment and keep the lights on a little longer. I stared at the screen, fingers hovering. The message felt too personal this time. Too claiming. The thought of Kai kissing someone behind the arena after last Friday’s win sent an unwelcome twist through my chest.

I had no right to feel anything. He was a target. Nothing more.

I pulled out the blue stationery and wrote the note in my careful, anonymous handwriting. Each word felt heavier than the last. When I finished, I folded it neatly, slipped it into a plain envelope, and checked the time. Hockey practice would be wrapping up soon. I needed to move fast.

The ride to the senior parking lot was cold. Wind cut through my hoodie as I pedaled, camera bag bouncing against my back. By the time I arrived, the lot was mostly empty, the sun dipping low and painting everything in orange light. Kai’s black Jeep was right where it always was.

I scanned the area quickly, then tried the driver’s door. Unlocked. I placed the envelope squarely on the leather seat, closed the door gently, and turned to leave.

“Voss.”

Kai’s voice stopped me cold.

I turned slowly. He stood a short distance away, duffel bag over one shoulder, hair still damp from the shower. His Ridgeview Hockey hoodie stretched across his broad chest, and his stormy gray-blue eyes were fixed on me with clear suspicion.

“Again,” he said, stepping closer. “You keep showing up exactly when these notes appear. That’s not a coincidence anymore.”

“It’s a small school,” I replied, trying to sound casual. My heart hammered against my ribs. “I was just cutting through the lot on my way home.”

Kai raised an eyebrow. “You don’t drive. I’ve seen you biking every morning, even in the cold.” He moved past me and opened the Jeep door. The envelope was impossible to miss. He tore it open and read the note silently. His jaw tightened hard, frustration flashing across his face.

He looked back at me. “You didn’t see anyone near my car?”

“No,” I said quickly. “Another admirer note?”

“Something like that.” He folded the paper and shoved it into his pocket, then leaned against the Jeep, crossing his muscular arms. “These messages are getting too specific. Details about last Friday… things hardly anyone knows. It doesn’t feel like a crush anymore. It feels like someone’s playing games.”

I swallowed. “Maybe talk to the coach or the school?”

Kai gave a short, bitter laugh. “And say what? That I’m getting love notes? They’d brush it off as typical team drama.” His gaze softened as he studied me. “You’re always around, Lila. Quiet. Watching everything. You notice things. If you hear anything…”

“I’ll tell you,” I lied.

He nodded, but I could tell he wasn’t fully convinced. “You’re different, you know that? Most girls either chase me because I’m captain or avoid me because of the attention. You just observe. It’s… refreshing.”

The words warmed me more than they should have. I looked down at my shoes. “I’m just trying to get through senior year without drama.”

“Aren’t we all?” For a moment, real vulnerability showed on his face the pressure of scouts, the team, whatever was happening at home. “Those photos you took at practice are really good. The coach showed me some. You’ve got real talent.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, cheeks heating.

Kai opened the Jeep door but paused. “Don’t be a stranger, okay? It’s nice talking to someone who isn’t trying to get something from me.”

He drove away, leaving me standing alone in the cold lot. The wind felt sharper now.

When I got home, the house smelled like Mom’s vegetable soup, cheap, warm, and familiar. Leo was at the kitchen table doing homework, legs swinging. Mom stood at the stove, moving a little slower than usual but smiling when she saw me.

“Hey, sweetie. How was your day?” she asked.

“Same as always,” I said, dropping my bag and helping set the table. “Photography, yearbook stuff. You feeling okay today?”

“A bit better. The new meds are helping some.” She avoided my eyes. We both knew things were still tight. Dad had left years ago, and medical bills had been crushing us ever since. Blue Ticks kept us afloat, but it came with guilt that never quite went away.

After dinner and helping Leo with math, I went to my room and opened the Blue Tick app again. A new request had arrived.

New Request – $80

Sender: ShadowPlayer

Target: Kai Rivera

Message: “Back off the captain spot or the scouts find out about your dad’s gambling debt. This isn’t a warning.”

My stomach dropped. This wasn’t a love note. This was real sabotage. Accepting it meant crossing a line I’d promised myself I wouldn’t cross. But eighty dollars could buy groceries and medicine.

My phone buzzed with a normal text from an unknown number.

Unknown: Hey. It’s Kai. Got your number from the yearbook committee. Any chance I can see the full set of those arena shots?

I stared at the message, pulse racing. He was reaching out directly. And I had a threat against him sitting in my queue.

The two worlds were colliding faster than I could control.

I typed back with shaky fingers: Me: Sure. I’ll send them tomorrow.

Then I opened the Blue Tick app and accepted the ShadowPlayer request.

Some messages were too dangerous to ignore.

And Kai Rivera was becoming impossible to stay away from.