Ava’s POV: The Rink Side
The final whistle echoed across the rink.
"Alright, hit the showers! Bus leaves at six sharp tomorrow morning!" Coach Miller yelled, clapping his hands together as the players began file off the ice, their blades crunching on the rubber mats leading to the locker rooms.
I tapped the final sync button on my tablet, saving the fatigue profiles for the coaching staff. As I wiped down the digital screen, I felt a calm, steady gaze on me from the stands.
I looked up.
Sitting alone in the bleachers was a girl with dark hair, wrapped in an oversized coat. She wasn't holding a phone or cheering; she was just watching with a calm, observant stillness.
I recognized her instantly from the photo Ryker kept as his phone lock screen—the one Parker always teased him about d
