The Hockey Star’s Scandalous Secret

VALENTINA The problem with having a crush on your best friend’s older brother was that there was absolutely nowhere to hide. Here I was pairing as she ranted about how much of a snub he was… I had spent years pretending I didn’t care about Zephyr Prescott, and I had to admit I was getting terrible at it as time passed “Valentinaaaaa!” Sophie appeared at my bedroom door, practically screaming my name. I nearly dropped the sweater I was folding in fright before I turned to face her. She was already dressed, her phone in one hand and an impatient expression on her face. “You weren’t saying anything, I was done with my rant a while ago… Are you seriously still packing?” She didn’t sound pleased, and I couldn’t blame her. I glanced at the half-filled suitcase on my bed before giving her a look, “Yes and we are leaving tomorrow morning so what’s the rush?” “I don’t know, maybe because the graduation party is tonight.” She exclaimed as walked inside, kicking the door shut behind her before her eyes narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re nervous.” “No, I’m not.” I was but not for the reason she thought. “You are.” She rolled her eyes. “You’ve been in this room for two hours… folding clothes.” Then added, “If you are thinking of backing out, just so you know it isn’t a choice.” She knew me too well but seeing as she was just as oblivious to my crush to her brother… I guess not well enough. I had been staying with her for the weekend because of our graduation, and I was excited about the party tonight for one very specific reason. Zephyr. I wanted to see him, more than that, I wanted him to see me. It was embarrassing to admit, even to myself. For years, I had told myself that my feelings for Zephyr were nothing more than a harmless crush. I still remembered the first time I had seen Zephyr for the first time on ice. Sophie had dragged me to one of his games during my freshman year, insisting that I couldn’t call myself her best friend if I didn’t support her brother. I hadn’t expected her brother to be a f*****g Greek god, and I ended up spending the entire game fawning over him like every other fangirl in the stands. That was until Sophie started describing the girls her brother usually fell for. The kind of women who could walk into a room in six-inch heels and have every man’s head turning before they had even reached the bar. Models. Cheerleaders. Socialites. Influencers. Zephyr liked women who knew exactly how to use their looks to get what they wanted. And I was the exact opposite. I wore oversized sweaters, hid behind my books, barely knew how to apply makeup, and would rather disappear into a wall than flirt with a man I wanted… especially one I had been secretly obsessed with for years. To top that, I wasn’t some model anyone dawned about… I was the awkward bookworm who spent Friday nights reading instead of going to parties. And, until recently, the girl with braces. Sophie suddenly snapped her fingers, “Speaking of tonight…” She paused to look at me, taking in my outfit with her eyes widened, “Wait, please don’t tell me that’s what you picked out to wear.” I glanced down at myself. I was wearing a cropped sweater with baggy jeans, my hair pulled into a messy bun. It wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was comfortable and don’t blame me, Toronto was cold these days. “I am dressed, Sophie.” She groaned. I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like I’m dressing to impress anyone. Besides, no one knows me in college except you and your friends, so who cares?” I argued before she could suggest changing. Sophie stared at me in disbelief for a second. “We’re going to the masquerade, Valentina. I would be damned if I let you walk in there looking like you got lost on your way to the library.” My stomach tightened as exactly what I feared was happening. “I don’t have anything to wear.” My voice came out in a squeak to which she immediately clasped her hands together, looking far too pleased with herself. “You don’t need anything because I’m taking care of everything.” That was how I ended up sitting in front of Sophie’s bedroom mirror three hours later while she transformed me into someone I barely recognized. She curled my hair and did my makeup before pulling out a dress she bought for me the previous year that I had never worn. It was a spaghetti-strap dress that hugged my body before falling down my legs, with a daring slit that ran from my thigh almost all the way down. I stared at it nervously. “Sophie, isn’t this a bit too…” “Perfect.” She interrupted me, “It’s the perfect dress Tina.” “It’s too much.” “It’s a dress, Tina.” She pushed and not really in the mood to go back and forth, I reluctantly let her help me into it. When she finally finished, she placed a mask in my hands. I stared at my reflection. For a moment, I couldn’t recognize myself. My hair that had always been wrapped up in buns fell in waves around my shoulders. My makeup brought out the hazel in my eyes, and the dress hugged my figure in a way that made me suddenly aware of every curve I had spent years hiding beneath oversized clothes. I touched my face. “You’re beautiful, Tina.” Causing my gaze to look at Sophie through the mirror to which she smiled before adding, “I still don’t understand why you spent all of college hiding.” The compliment caught me off guard. And for a second, I could hear my father’s voice screaming in my head. Why are you dressed like a slut? Just like your mother. Just like daughter. Have you no shame dressed like you are hungry for attention like some cheap girl. Girls like you don’t get respect. My stomach twisted. The confidence I’d felt only moments ago vanished so quickly it was almost embarrassing. I instinctively crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly wanting to cover every inch of myself. I looked at myself again… Beautiful. After growing up constantly down by dad and his family, I had never thought of myself that way. Sophie placed both hands on my shoulders, pulling me out of my thoughts, “Whatever your reasons may be, tonight, you’re not allowed to hide.” I swallowed. Tonight, I was going to be just like the girls Zephyr was attracted to, the girls that shamelessly fawned over the attraction… just for tonight. The party was already crowded when we arrived with tge bass of the music bouncing off the walls. Laughter and overlapping conversations rose and fell under the bass with phone lights flickering in corners as people took pictures. But as we walked past, I heard someone gasp before turning her camera to me. “Told you, you look so good.” A guy smiled as he took in my look and even when I had walked past, I could feel his gaze lingering. Another leaned in and asked if I wanted a drink, his voice almost lost under the noise. Sophie thinking I wanted to hang out with him, whispered that I should lose my vCard before coming home before disappearing into The crowd. It wasn’t them that I wanted him to see me. I declined about three times, my heart pounding so hard against my chest that I was sure everyone around me could hear it. In my search for Sophie, I must have gotten lost in the crowd. I turned, scanning the sea of masked faces, only for my eyes to meet a familiar pair that held mine. Zephyr. I knew that posture anyway. My heart thumped violently against my ribs as I took a step back, suddenly forgetting how to breathe. Even in formal clothes he looked like he belonged on a hockey poster instead of at a graduation party. Hi dark hair slightly tousled, has me wishing that it was me that had run a hand through it without thinking. I let myself look longer than I should have before diving my gaze away even though this was what I had wanted all evening, I concluded that there was no way he was looking at me. Don’t embarrass yourself Valentina, he probably has no… “Can I have this dance?” My entire body went still for a second. Zephyr was standing in front of me, looking directly at me with a familiar smirk dancing on his lips. My cheeks heated. “I…” I couldn’t believe this, Zephyr Prescott had just asked me to dance and before I let my nerves ruin this for me, I slipped my hand into his waiting hands, “Okay.” The moment his fingers closed around mine, my heart nearly stopped. He led me onto the dance floor. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.” I almost laughed… of course he hadn’t, thsi wasn’t the real me. “Maybe you weren’t looking well.” His eyes lingered on mine and he whispered, “Maybe I wasn’t.” Something about the way he said it made the butterflies in my belly flutter. I let myself get lost in the dance forgetting for a second that j wasn’t Sophie’s awkward best friend but rather this mysterious woman behind a mask. The song slowed and I felt his hand settled more firmly against my waist liking me close to feel him… When the song ended, neither of us immediately moved away. Zephyr looked at me for a long moment before leaning to whispering, “Do you want to get out of here?” My heart slammed against my ribs. I knew exactly what he meant and knew better than this facade ewoiod be hard to mention so I should have said no. Instead, I looked into the eyes of the man I’d loved for years and realized I might never get another chance. So I nodded. His smile had a glaring promise beneath it. And for the first time that night, I wondered if I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life.