Blue Ticks

Four: Kai Rivera

The hockey arena was a world unto itself cold, echoing, alive with the sharp scrape of blades on ice and the thud of bodies against boards. I crouched low near the penalty box, my camera lens fogging slightly from the temperature difference between the chilly rink and my warm breath. The photography club had assigned me the sports spread for the yearbook, but if I was honest with myself, I would have volunteered anyway. There was something magnetic about watching the team practice, especially when Kai Rivera was on the ice.

He commanded attention without even trying. At 6'2" with broad shoulders built from years of training, Kai moved like the ice was an extension of his body. Every stride was powerful, controlled. When he took a shot, the puck flew like a bullet, hitting the back of the net with a satisfying clang. His teammates cheered, but Kai only offered a brief nod, already circling back into position, eyes focused on the next play.

I adjusted my zoom and clicked the shutter repeatedly. Through the lens, I captured the sweat glistening on his forehead, the way his dark hair stuck to his temples, the sharp line of his jaw clenched in concentration. The stormy gray-blue of his eyes that seemed to see everything on the ice. He was beautiful in motion raw, intense, untouchable.

Stop romanticizing the target, Lila, I scolded myself. Blue Ticks had rules for a reason. Observing from afar was safe, getting closer was suicide.

“Looking sharp today, Captain!” Coach Ramirez yelled from the bench, clipboard in hand.

Kai tapped his stick twice on the ice in acknowledgment. As the drill continued, he skated near the boards where I was positioned. Our eyes met through the glass. He slowed, then glided over, helmet tucked under one arm. Up close, he was even more imposing with his muscles visible under his practice jersey, a faint scar above his left eyebrow, and that quiet intensity that made half the school swoon.

“You again,” he said, a hint of amusement coloring his deep voice. His breath clouded in the cold air. “Stalking me for the yearbook now, Voss?”

I lowered the camera, trying to keep my expression neutral. “Official business. Try not to look so photogenic, it makes editing a nightmare.”

A genuine smile broke across his face, it was quick, devastating, revealing a dimple I hadn’t noticed before. “I’ll try to be uglier. Just for you.”

I felt heat creep up my neck despite the freezing arena. “Shouldn’t you be focusing on practice? Scouts are watching the championship run, right?”

His smile faded slightly, replaced by that guarded look I was starting to recognize. “Yeah. Pressure’s on.” He rested his arms on the top of the boards, leaning in. The faint scent of his soap mixed with the cold hit me. “You pay attention to more than just angles, huh?”

“Hard not to when the entire school revolves around the team,” I replied, fiddling with my camera settings to avoid his gaze. “You’re basically celebrities here.”

Kai chuckled softly. “Some days it feels like that. Other days, it’s just a game I love that comes with too many expectations.” He paused, studying me. “What about you? What do you love that no one knows about?”

The question caught me off guard. For a second, I almost told him about Blue Ticks; the control, the secrets, the money that kept my family afloat. Instead, I shrugged. “Photography, just capturing moments people don’t see.”

He nodded slowly, like he understood more than I was saying. “Makes sense. You’re always watching.”

Before I could respond, Tyler Brooks, Kai’s best friend and the team’s loud enforcer, shouted from center ice. “Rivera! Stop flirting with the photographer and get back in drills!”

Kai rolled his eyes but pushed off the boards with a smirk. “Duty calls. Don’t disappear on me, Voss. I want to see those shots later.”

He skated away, but not before glancing back once over his shoulder. I raised the camera again, but my hands trembled slightly. The interaction left me rattled. Kai Rivera wasn’t supposed to notice me. I was supposed to be invisible.

After practice, I lingered in the stands reviewing shots on my camera screen. The arena was emptying, the lights dimming in sections. My phone buzzed in my pocket the Blue Tick app.

New Request – $120

Sender: IceQueen17

Target: Kai Rivera

Message: “The way you looked at me in the hallway yesterday. I know you felt it too. Stop ignoring what’s between us.”

Instructions: Deliver to his car windshield after practice. Use blue paper.

I stared at the screen. Another note for Kai. The requests were coming faster now, more personal. Accepting meant more money for Mom’s bills, but it also meant feeding whatever game this IceQueen17 was playing.

I accepted it.

In the senior parking lot, the sun was setting, casting orange hues over the cars. Kai’s black Jeep was easy to find. I approached casually, hoodie up, heart hammering. One quick look around and there was no one in sight. I pulled out the folded blue note from my bag, tucked it under the windshield wiper where it would be impossible to miss, and turned to leave.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel behind me.

“Voss.”

I froze, then turned slowly. Kai stood a few feet away, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, hair still damp. His eyes flicked from me to the note on his windshield.

“Third time’s a charm?” he said, voice low and edged with suspicion. “You have a habit of being exactly where these notes appear.”

“It’s a small school,” I said, forcing nonchalance. “I was just heading home.”

He stepped closer, close enough that I could see the flecks of gray in his eyes. “You don’t drive. I’ve seen you biking in the mornings, even when it’s freezing.”

He’d noticed that? The realization sent a strange flutter through my chest.

Kai reached past me and grabbed the note. He read it silently, jaw tightening. “This is getting old,” he muttered. Then louder: “Any idea who’s behind this?”

“Lots of admirers, Rivera. Take your pick.”

He folded the note, pocketing it. “Most aren’t this bold. Or this accurate.” His gaze locked on mine. “You’re observant, Lila. You see things. If you know something”

“I don’t,” I lied smoothly. “But if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

Kai studied me for a long moment, like he was weighing my words. Then his expression softened. “You know, most girls either throw themselves at me or avoid me completely. You’re different. You observe. It’s refreshing.”

The compliment landed warmly, but I pushed it away. “I’m just trying to survive senior year.”

He nodded. “Aren’t we all?” For a second, vulnerability flickered across his face, family pressure, scouts, the weight of being captain. “See you around, Voss. And seriously, send me those photos.”

He climbed into his Jeep and drove off. I stood there in the emptying lot, wind biting at my cheeks, wondering how much longer I could keep my two worlds from colliding.

Back home, the house smelled like Mom’s vegetable soup. Leo was at the table doing homework, and Mom looked tired but smiling. We ate together, talked about school and his day. Later, in my room, I opened the Blue Tick app again, another request already waiting.The walls were closing in