The It Couple Deal With The Hockey Captain

WREN The rink is quiet in at six a.m., ice so fresh it still holds the shape of the Zamboni's last pass, and for twelve minutes it's mine. Just mine. No pucks skittering into my lane, no whistles bouncing off the rafters, nothing but the hiss of my blades and the sound of my own breathing. "Don't rush it," I mutter to myself, dropping into position for the first time today, arms lifted, spine long, the way Coach Naomi taught me before either of us knew how much I'd need this ritual just to get through a Tuesday. I hold the position one beat too long, listening. Waiting for the sound I already know is coming the bang of the far door, the scrape of skate guards kicked off too fast, that low and easy laugh that means my twelve minutes are about to become somebody else's joke. If there's one person who can ruin a perfect figure skating practice without even trying, it's Cassius Blackwood. The Meridian Wolves hockey captain. The dean's favorite. The name every scout and sponsor dreams of putting on a contract. He's the most infuriating person I've ever met. Every afternoon, Cassius and his teammates arrive early, claim and bully me on the ice, tear down my routines, and treat the rink like their personal kingdom. And us figure skaters? We're just decorations in their way. The worst part is Cassius never stops it. He just stands there with that smug grin, watching his teammates ruin our routines calling it "stupid harmless fun" while we lose the ice we're supposed to be training on. I thought today was supposed to be different. We still had fifteen minutes left. Surely, even Cassius Blackwood could read a schedule. "Nice spin, Barbie." I froze. Speak of the devil. I heard a familiar laugh outside the rink. I squeezed my eyes shut when I saw the hockey players walk in with those mocking grins. "They're early again." Someone from the figure skaters said. "Jesus, they really love torturing us." Talia said as she skated beside me. "This is proof that hockey players really can't read." I said, my jaw tightened. On the other side I heard Rocco laugh as he landed his spin perfectly. "Ignore the distractions, Wren! From the top!" Coach Naomi clapped and nodded at me. I shook my head and took a deep breath. I pushed off, forcing myself to focus. One crossover. One spin. One twirl- "On the ice, boys!" I froze when I heard that voice. My jaw ticked. I stopped so fast that ice dust sprayed up from under my blades. Cassius Blackwood was standing a few yards away, a hockey stick resting over his shoulders, and his other hand was holding his helmet. Dark hair falling over his forehead, sharp blue eyes full of that infuriating confidence, and a tall, athletic frame you couldn't ignore. That smirk was plastered on his face, like ruining my day was his favorite hobby. 'Problem, love?" he asked, and it made me even angrier. "Yes, Blackwood. I still have fifteen minutes left and you're here too early." I said firmly. "Let's go!" Talia said, inviting me off the rink. "Wren, come on ... " Rocco tried to pull me away but I didn't budge. "We've got a big game. We need an extra warm-up." He tilted his head. "You're just doing ... what is that? Twirly s**t. It can wait." My eyes widened at what he said. "It's called figure skating, Blackwood. It's also an Olympic sport, and I'm not just playing here." I shot back. But him watching my reaction only seemed to make him enjoy this more. "Is it? Because it doesn't look like it. Maybe do better." "What do you even know about this?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. He grinned wider and I watched as he looked me up and down before his eyes landed back on my face. "What I know is that you're just a girl trying to play on a rink where you don't belong." I clenched my fists in anger. "Will you stop pestering me? Get off the ice rink now." "Come on, love.We haven't practiced in a week. I've missed arguing with you." He stated. My eyes widened and I could hear his teammates cheering and whistling. I felt my face burn with frustration. "Stop calling me that!" I snapped. The bullying wasn't even the worst part. The nickname was. He started it the last few months. And not because he thinks I'm "lovely". He knows my full name is Wren Ellison, and the whole Shakespearean tragedy romance thing is the funniest joke for him. "Ellison!" Coach Naomi yelled. "Are you going to practice or are you just going to waste the last few minutes ?! " I glared at Blackwood before turning to my coach. "Get off the ice, Blackwood." I warned. "Suit yourself." He shrugged. I sighed so hard and looked away. "Good luck, Wren." Talia smiled at me from the corner of the rink beside Rocco. Now I was alone in the center of the rink. The only skater left. Perfect. That just made it easier for the hockey players to tear into me again. I stood in the center and got ready to practice again when I saw Blackwood give the smallest nod. That's all it took. His teammates, like a pack of overexcited huskies, flooded onto the ice. They weren't aiming for me directly. They carved wide, aggressive circles, coming dangerously close. I looked away and tried to run through my routine, but I couldn't focus with seventeen players skating circles around me. The rink was all sharp stops and loud, stupid talking. Milo, one of Blackwood's guys, zoomed past and knocked my hip with his shoulder. "Hey!" I yelled. "Watch out, bastards!" Rocco screamed. I was startled when I lost my balance and fell on the rink, my palm hitting the ice first. "Watch it!" I snarled and tried to stand back up. "Oops, my bad, Barbie!" Milo called back, not sounding sorry at all. My eyes narrowed as I glared at Cassius, who was now standing at the far end, holding his stick and still watching me with a grin. I tried to ignore them, gliding toward the far end to practice my footwork. My heart is a drum against my ribs. I tried to make my movements wider, hoping the players would get out of my way on their own. "Focus, Wren." Coach Naomi said as I skated past her. I nodded and took a deep breath. Maybe I could ignore them. Maybe- My eyes darted when a hockey puck slid across the ice and stopped only inches from my skate. I jerked to a halt. "You've got to be kidding me ... " "Sorry!" Someone shouted, sounding anything but sorry. Laughter erupted behind me like I was just some kind of a joke. I clenched my jaw and nudged the puck aside with the tip of my blade. Ignore them, Wren. They're looking for a reaction. Don't give them one ... I pushed off again. Crossover after crossover. Shoulder down, into the step sequence. One. Two. Three. I counted it all in my head so I wouldn't hear their laughter. One. Two. Three- Another player flew past me so closely that the rush of cold air whipped my ponytail across my shoulder. "Excuse you!" I snapped. He only laughed and kept going. 'Blackwood!" I shouted across the rink. "If your team can't control their speed, maybe they shouldn't be on the ice!" Blackwood tilted his head and stared at me. That dog-like grin was still on his lips. "They're fine, love." "They nearly clipped me!" "They didn't." He crossed his arms and watched me. I threw my hands into the air. "You are impossible." I whispered. Coach Naomi blew her whistle. "Wren! Eyes on your routine, and stop playing around, Blackwood!" She warned. I let out a deep breath. I took another deep breath and prepared myself for one of my hardest routines. I gathered speed and skated fast. The players on the side were whispering but I ignored them. I was about to jump into a routine when my eyes widened as one of the players stuck his hockey stick out. I gasped hard when the stick caught my right skate. "Wren, look out!" I heard Talia scream but it was too late. My blade caught it and I realized the world tilted, then dissolved into a violent, spinning blur. The ice rushed up, but I wasn't falling down. I was launched forward, completely out of control. A scream tore from my throat, swallowed by the gasps of the others. I heard shouts. "Oh no!" I slid straight across the ice and I almost stopped breathing when I saw Blackwood in front of me. He looked just as shocked as I felt. "Move, Blackwood!" I said. But he didn't move. I squeezed my eyes shut when my body slammed hard into his. His strong arms instinctively wrapped around my waist as he caught me. I braced myself for the impact as we both crashed into the ice rink, and I could hear his head hit the floor. My hands pressed against his chest and my knee was on his thighs. "Wren, are you okay ?! " It all happened in a blur and suddenly I found myself on top of him. I squeezed them shut while the whispers and gasps echoed around us. But when I opened them, Blackwood's face was already inches from mine. And it took me a second to realize. Oh my god. I just kissed Cassius Blackwood.