CHAPTER TEN:MY PAIN NOT YOURS
1535 Words
The arena had gone unnaturally quiet.
Even the usual sounds of skates carving across ice and coaches barking orders had disappeared, swallowed by the heavy tension settling over the rink.
Kai stood frozen in the bleachers, his pulse pounding violently in his ears.
Below, Adrian was still on the ice.
Not moving.
Players gathered around him, their expressions tense. The coach was already striding toward the center rink, shouting instructions Kai barely registered.
For one terrible second, all Kai could focus on was the image of Adrian lying there.
Still.
Then Adrian moved.
Slowly, deliberately, he lifted his head.
And his eyes found Kai.
The contact lasted only a second.
But it was enough to send an unexpected jolt through Kai’s chest.
Then Adrian pushed himself upright.
A collective breath swept through the arena.
Kai exhaled sharply, only then realizing he’d been holding his breath.
“He’s okay,” Ethan said beside him, sounding relieved.
Kai didn’t answer.
Below, one of Adrian’s teammates reached to help him, but Adrian brushed the hand away and rose on his own.
His movements were stiff.
Controlled.
He rolled one shoulder as if testing it, then said something curt to the coach.
The coach looked unconvinced.
They exchanged a few tense words.
Then Adrian skated toward the bench.
Kai sat back down slowly, his legs suddenly unsteady.
His notebook lay forgotten at his feet.
Ethan gave him a sideways glance.
“You looked worried.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Right.”
Kai shot him a glare.
Ethan wisely said nothing else.
But Kai’s attention remained fixed on Adrian.
The rest of practice continued, though Adrian didn’t return to the ice.
He remained seated on the bench, one gloved hand pressing against his left shoulder.
Even from a distance, Kai could tell he was in pain.
And for some reason, that unsettled him.
He told himself it was practical concern.
If Adrian got injured, their competition partnership would suffer.
That was all.
Nothing more.
Still, when practice ended and students began filing out of the arena, Kai found himself lingering.
Watching.
Waiting.
As players disappeared into the locker rooms.
As the rink gradually emptied.
Until only a few staff remained.
“Kai?”
Ethan was already halfway up the stairs.
“You coming?”
Kai hesitated.
Then forced himself to move.
“Yeah.”
---
The next afternoon, Adrian was absent from class.
Kai noticed immediately.
The empty seat beside the window should have meant nothing.
And yet his attention kept drifting toward it.
Maya noticed too.
She leaned closer during economics and whispered, “He’s not here.”
Kai kept his eyes on his textbook.
“So?”
“So,” she hissed, “you’re staring at his seat.”
“I’m not.”
“You absolutely are.”
Kai ignored her.
Still, unease settled deeper as the day wore on.
Adrian missed two classes.
Then three.
By lunch, rumors had already begun spreading.
“Shoulder injury.”
“Dislocated something.”
“He might miss regionals.”
“The scouts are coming next week.”
Kai tried not to listen.
Tried even harder not to care.
But every whispered possibility lodged itself under his skin.
Because if Adrian was seriously injured—
No.
It didn’t matter.
It shouldn’t matter.
At exactly four o’clock, Kai walked into the east library.
And stopped.
Adrian was already there.
Seated at their usual table.
As composed as ever.
A dark compression brace wrapped tightly around his shoulder beneath his uniform jacket.
But otherwise, he looked perfectly fine.
Kai hated the immediate wave of relief that hit him.
“You’re late,” Adrian said without looking up.
Kai frowned.
“That’s your opening line?”
Adrian turned a page.
“It usually annoys you.”
“It’s predictable.”
“Consistency is important.”
Kai stared at him.
The deadpan delivery caught him off guard.
And for the briefest moment, he nearly smiled.
He quickly suppressed it.
Instead, he dropped into his seat.
“You missed class.”
“I noticed.”
“Why are you here?”
That made Adrian glance up.
His expression remained unreadable.
“We have work to do.”
Kai frowned.
“You’re injured.”
“It’s my shoulder, not my brain.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Adrian held his gaze for a moment too long.
Then looked back down.
“I’m fine.”
The clipped response shut down further questions.
Kai told himself that was enough.
He didn’t care beyond practical necessity.
Still, as they studied, he couldn’t help noticing small things.
The slight stiffness in Adrian’s movements.
The occasional tightening around his eyes when he shifted too quickly.
The way he subtly avoided using his left arm.
And despite his usual precision, his notes were messier than normal.
Adrian was hurting.
And pretending otherwise.
Two hours into the session, Adrian reached for a textbook.
His hand faltered.
The book slipped.
Instinctively, Kai caught it before it hit the floor.
Their hands brushed.
Both froze.
The contact was brief.
But electric.
Kai jerked his hand back immediately.
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Thanks.”
The word sounded almost foreign coming from him.
Kai stared.
Then muttered, “Don’t make it a habit.”
Adrian’s mouth twitched.
Not quite a smile.
But close enough to unsettle Kai.
The silence that followed felt different.
Less hostile.
And that made Kai deeply uncomfortable.
He needed the distance back.
The tension.
The rivalry.
Anything but this strange uncertain quiet.
So he said the first sharp thing that came to mind.
“You should’ve sat out the competition entirely.”
Adrian’s expression hardened instantly.
“There it is.”
Kai frowned.
“What?”
“The part where you pretend concern before reminding me you think I’m weak.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“It’s what you meant.”
Kai felt irritation flare.
“You always assume the worst.”
“Because you usually mean it.”
“That’s rich coming from you.”
Adrian leaned back carefully, his eyes narrowing.
“At least I’m honest.”
Kai let out a humorless laugh.
“Honest? Is that what we’re calling impulsively kissing people now?”
The words landed like shattered glass.
Silence crashed between them.
Adrian’s face went still.
Kai instantly regretted saying it.
But pride refused to let him back down.
For several long seconds, neither spoke.
Then Adrian said quietly, “Still stuck on that?”
Kai’s pulse spiked.
“You don’t get to act like it meant nothing.”
“Why not?”
The question hit harder than it should have.
Kai’s mouth went dry.
Because he didn’t know the answer.
Because some part of him hated how easily Adrian could dismiss it.
And another part hated that he cared at all.
Adrian’s gaze sharpened.
Then he said, “You slapped me.”
“You kissed me.”
“And?”
Kai stared at him in disbelief.
“And?”
Adrian’s expression remained cold.
“It was a mistake.”
The words should have satisfied him.
That was exactly what Kai had been telling himself.
Exactly what he wanted to hear.
So why did they land like a blow?
He forced a laugh.
“Glad we agree.”
Something flickered across Adrian’s face.
Gone too quickly to read.
Kai shoved his chair back.
“I’m done for today.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Because of this?”
“Because I’m tired.”
It was only half a lie.
Adrian watched him gather his things.
Then, just as Kai turned to leave, he said—
“You’re lying.”
Kai stopped.
Slowly, he looked back.
Adrian’s expression was unreadable again.
Cold.
Controlled.
But his voice had sharpened.
“You’re not leaving because you’re tired.”
Kai said nothing.
Adrian rose to his feet.
Ignoring the visible strain in his shoulder.
And took one deliberate step closer.
“You’re leaving because you’re angry.”
Kai held his ground.
“So what if I am?”
Adrian stopped directly in front of him.
Close enough that Kai could feel the heat radiating from him.
“Then say it.”
The library suddenly felt too small.
Too quiet.
Kai’s pulse thundered.
“Move.”
“Not until you answer.”
His voice was low now.
Dangerously calm.
Kai clenched his jaw.
“You want honesty?”
Adrian said nothing.
Kai’s anger surged.
Hot and reckless.
“Fine.”
He stepped closer.
Until barely an inch separated them.
And said through gritted teeth—
“I’m angry because I can’t figure out whether you’re playing some twisted game or if you’re actually stupid enough to think you can do something like that and pretend it never happened.”
The words hung heavily between them.
For a moment, Adrian didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
Then something shifted in his expression.
A c***k in the cold composure.
His gaze dropped briefly to Kai’s mouth.
And when it lifted again, it had changed.
Darkened.
Kai’s breath caught.
Neither of them moved.
Neither looked away.
Then—
The library lights suddenly went out.
The room plunged into darkness.
And somewhere in the distance, the fire alarm began to scream.
- Writer
