The Hockey Captain’s Girlfriend

Evelyn's POV I had planned this day down to the last minute. The notebook in my tote bag contained three color coded schedules, two contingency plans, and a list of every student likely to be selected for the Hawthorne Student Partnership Program. Some people called that excessive. I called it being prepared. “Please tell me you didn’t bring the notebook.” I glanced at Chloe as we stepped into the Student Leadership Center. “You already know the answer.” She groaned. “I don’t understand how we’re friends.” “Because without me, you’d forget half your deadlines.” “I hate that you’re right.” The lobby was packed with students waiting for the fellowship announcement. Some looked excited. Others looked like they were seconds away from passing out. I should’ve been nervous too. Instead, I was mentally reviewing every possible outcome. Winning. Not winning. Who might get selected. Who definitely wouldn’t. The fellowship mattered. And if everything went according to plan, I’d be walking out of here with my future one step closer than it had been this morning. Unfortunately, life had other plans. Chloe hooked her arm into mine. “Come on. If we stand by the door any longer, people are going to think we’re lost.” “I know where I’m going.” “You brought a color coded notebook. Trust me nobody’s questioning that.” I rolled my eyes and followed her into the auditorium. The room was already half full. Students occupied nearly every row, some chatting nervously while others stared at their phones with the kind of focus usually reserved for final exams. A few faculty members lingered near the stage, clipboards in hand. I automatically started categorizing people. Old habit. The girl in the second row twisting the sleeve of her blazer? Nervous. The guy near the aisle checking his reflection in his phone every thirty seconds? Overconfident. The student sitting three seats from the front with a stack of certificates sticking out of his folder? Desperate for validation. Mystery novels had ruined me. Or improved me. “You’re profiling strangers again.” I glanced at Chloe. “I’m observing.” “Same thing.” “It is absolutely not the same thing.” “You concern me." “Yeah, I get that a lot." I scanned the room again. That was when I noticed him. Heads turned. Conversations paused. Several people suddenly became very interested in pretending they weren’t staring at someone. I followed their line of sight. A tall guy stood near the center section talking to a group of students. He had dark hair, broad shoulders, and an easy smile. That kind of confidence came from being the person everyone already liked before even saying a single word, which personally made me suspicious. “Who is that?” I asked. Chloe looked up. “Oh.” The single word told me everything. “What?” “That’s Luca Hayes.” The name sounded familiar. Then it clicked. “Hockey.” “The hockey captain,” Chloe corrected. Of course. That explained the collective loss of common sense happening around the room. I watched as another student stopped him to say something. Luca listened. Then laughed at whatever they had said. The student practically glowed. I rolled my eyes. “What’s with the look?” “I’m trying to figure out why everyone acts like he’s a celebrity.” “Because he basically is.” “He plays a sport, Chloe." She gasped dramatically. “I can’t believe you just said that.” “He hits a puck around.” “Please never say that near a hockey player.” “I wasn’t planning to.” he I noticed a problem. A very specific problem. There was exactly one empty seat left. And it was directly beside Luca Hayes. I stared at the seat. The seat stared back. At least, that was what it felt like. “There it is,” Chloe said cheerfully. “What?” “Your karma.” I looked at her. “I don’t have karma.” “You absolutely have karma.” “The empty seat is beside a hockey player.” “The empty seat is beside Luca Hayes.” “That isn’t helping.” Chloe grinned. “Oh, it’s helping me.” Before I gould come up with a better alternative, someone slipped into the lasy empty seat on Chloe’s side I made my way down the aisle, mentally preparing myself for what would hopefully be twenty minutes of silence. “if i disappear, tell my family i fought bravely." “You need help." “I’ve been saying that for four years." Luca glanced up as i approached. “You made that look painful.” I carefully placed my tote bag on my lap. “The walk?” “Sitting next to me.” I hated how quickly he caught that. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” His smile widened. “Then i must have imagined the look of disappointment.” “It wasn’t disappointment.” “What was it?” I opened my mystery novel. “I was hoping for a different seat." “Wow." “I know." His smile widened. “You ask everyone for feedback or am I special?” “Only the people who look like they’d rather be anywhere else.” “I can respect that.” “Can you?” “No.” “At least you’re honest.” For a moment, I almost smiled. Almost. Then I remembered he was a hockey player. The smile died immediately. “You’re very suspicious of me.” “I’m suspicious of everyone.” “That can’t be true.” “It is.” “What about your friend?” I glanced at Chloe. She was already talking to somebody two rows back. “Especially my friend.” His eyebrows lifted. “Wow." “Is that your answer for everything?” Before he coukd say anything else, someone called his name from the front of the auditorium. “Hayes!” A guy wearing a Hawthorne Hockey jacket waved at him. Then he stood. “Well, there goes our friendship." I blinked. “We weren’t friends.” “Keep telling yourself that." And he walked away. “Well?” I looked up as Chloe slid into the seat beside me. “Well what?” Her eyes moved towards the spot where Luca had disappeared. “You know, he’s surprisingly nice.” I stared mostly because she part of me couldn’t deny that she was right. Luca Hayes had been surprisingly normal. “Have you suffered a head injury?” “I’m serious.” “You spoke to him for approximately six seconds.” “Okay?” Chloe folded her arms. “You didn’t even give him a chance.” “I sat beside him voluntarily.” “Honestly, I don’t understand the obsession.” “It’s not an obsession.” “Half the room nearly passed out when he walked in.” “He’s popular.” “He’s a hockey player.” “Still a human being." I looked toward the stage. “If they pair me with a hockey player,” I muttered, flipping the next page of my book, “I’m withdrawing my application.” “Frankly, I would rather eat this book." “That’s expensive stationery." “That’s how serious I am." “Seems a little extreme." The male voice came from somewhere behind me. I crossed my arms. “Not if you’ve met enough hockey players.” “Maybe you met the wrong ones.” “Or maybe they’re all the same.” Something about that voice felt familiar. Slowly, I turned around. And there he was. Luca Hayes. Holding a navy jacket he’d apparently come back for. “Good afternoon, everyone.” Saved by the committee. Beside me, Chloe was still trying and failing not to laugh. “If you say a word." “I wasn’t going to say anything.” “You literally look delighted.” “I am delighted.” Faculty members took their places onstage while students settled into their seats. The committee chair welcomed everyone before launching into a speech about leadership, service, and academic excellence .Then announcement began. Names were called one by one. Each selection was followed by scattered applause. My pulse quickened. A girl from Student Government. A debate team captain. Someone from the engineering department. Then, “Evelyn Hart.” Chloe grabbed my arm. “Oh my God.” I had done it. The committee still wasn’t finished speaking. “Congratulations, as part of the program, participants will be assigned a partner for the duration of the program.” I had forgotten about that part. “Evelyn Hart…” The pause lasted less than a second. “and Luca Hayes.” No. Absolutely not. I came here expecting a fellowship and somehow i ended up with LUCA HAYES?!