COLEEN
The bus ride back to campus dragged, every mile stretching longer than it should have. By the time I stepped off with my duffel bag slung over my shoulder, the sky was already washed in winter gray, and my phone buzzed with a message from Alicia reminding me about Hayden’s game.
I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him until that moment, the ache of distance settling into something sharper. I texted back quickly, promising I’d meet her at the rink.
The arena was already packed when I arrived, students crowding the stands, banners waving. Alicia waved me over to a spot she’d saved near the front.
“You look like you haven’t slept in three days,” she teased as I slid in beside her.
“Thanks,” I muttered, though I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
When the team skated onto the
