Bryson's POV
A few days pass after the kiss, and neither of us brings it up. The silence around it feels deliberate, like we both agreed without words to pretend it never happened.
But the air between Julian and me has changed. It's heavier now,
We exist in the same space but maintain careful distance. Polite conversations about practice schedules and grocery lists. Nothing beyond that, surface-level stuff.
I throw myself into practice, spending extra hours on the ice even when my legs burn and my lungs scream for rest. Coach notices and comments approvingly, thinking I'm dedicated. The truth is I just need somewhere to channel all this restless frustration.
I laugh with teammates, joke around in the locker room, and try to look completely unaffected.
But it's pointless
