Pucking contract

Chapter 5: under the surface

Snow continued falling long after midnight. By morning, the university had disappeared beneath a blanket of white. Maya stood beside the dormitory window with a cup of untouched tea between her hands.

She had barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the video again. The collision. Marcus falling. Eli reacting. Jordan Vale standing at the edge of the frame. And then the anonymous message. The truth about what happened that night is coming out.

Maya didn't know what frightened her more. The possibility that Eli had been telling the truth. Or the possibility that he had known more than he admitted. Outside, students hurried across the courtyard in winter coats.

The campus looked peaceful. Almost too peaceful. Maya had learned that appearances could be deceiving. Her phone buzzed.

A message from Eli. Can we talk? She stared at it. Her first instinct was to ignore him. Her second was to demand answers. Her third was the one she chose. Where? His reply came quickly. Arena. Back entrance. Ten minutes.

Maya pulled on her coat. She told Priya where she was going. “Do you trust him?” Priya asked. Maya paused. “I don't know.” “That's not an answer.” “I know.” She left.

The snow crunched beneath her boots as she crossed campus. The arena appeared through the falling snow. For some reason, it seemed different now. Less like a building. More like a place where secrets lived. She entered through the back door. The hallway was empty.

“Eli?” No answer. She walked farther. The sound of skate blades echoed from the rink. She opened the door. Eli was alone on the ice. He was skating slowly. Not practicing.

Thinking. He noticed her. “Hey.” Maya crossed her arms. “You wanted to talk.” “I did.” “Talk.” He stopped. “I owe you an explanation.” “You do.” Eli rested his arms on the boards. “The night of the game wasn't the first time Jordan Vale had a problem with me.”

Maya frowned. “Why?” “Because we used to play on the same junior team.” She hadn't known that. “He was good.” “Very.” “What happened?” Eli looked toward the ice. “His career started falling apart.” “That doesn't explain anything.” “I was offered a spot on a development program.”

Maya waited. “Jordan thought he deserved it.” “And you got it.” “Yes.” “Was that your fault?” “No.” “Then why does he blame you?” Eli looked at her.

“Because sometimes it's easier to blame someone than accept that things didn't go the way you wanted.” Maya understood that more than she wanted to. “What happened after?” “Nothing. At least, that's what I thought.”

He pulled his phone from his pocket. “I started getting messages a few months ago.” He showed her. Maya read them. They weren't threats. Not exactly. They were insults. Accusations. Claims that Eli had stolen opportunities.

Maya looked up. “Why didn't you tell anyone?” “Because I thought it would stop.” “Did it?” “No.” She handed the phone back. “What does this have to do with the game?” “I don't know.” “You said Jordan was there.” “He was.” “And the video shows him approaching Marcus.”

Eli nodded. “I know.” Maya stared at him “You knew?” “I suspected.” “Why didn't you tell me yesterday?” “Because I wasn't sure.” Maya shook her head. “You should have told me.” “I know.”

“No. You don't get it.” She stepped closer. “You asked me to trust you.” “I know.” “And then the second something got complicated, you shut me out.” “I was trying to protect you.” “I don't need you to protect me.”

Eli looked at her. “I know.” “Then stop treating me like I can't handle the truth.” Silence filled the rink. Then Eli said quietly: “Okay.”

Maya's anger softened slightly. “Okay?” “I'll tell you everything I know.” He explained the messages. The strange calls. The rumors. The pressure surrounding the team.

The fact that someone had been asking questions about his scholarship and his position. Maya listened. When he finished, she asked: “Why would someone go this far?” “I don't know.”

She looked toward the empty stands. “Then we find out.” Eli blinked. “What?” “We find out.” “You're serious?” “Yes.” “This isn't your problem.”

Maya looked at him. “You made it my problem when you asked me to pretend to be your girlfriend.” He smiled faintly. “Fair.” “And now someone is targeting me too.”

His smile disappeared. “That part scares me.” Maya's heart tightened. “Why?” “Because I can deal with people attacking me.” He looked directly at her. “But I don't want them hurting you.”

Maya didn't know what to say. The words felt too sincere. Too real. And that was dangerous. She looked away. “Let's focus.” “Right.” They spent the next hour going through everything they knew.

Maya made notes. Dates. Names. Messages. Locations. Possible connections. She was good at this. Eli watched her work. “You're scary when you're focused.” “I get that a lot.” “Do you?” “No.” He laughed.

For a while, the tension disappeared. Then Maya noticed something. “Wait.” She pointed at the screen. “What?” “This message.” Eli leaned closer. “What about it?” “The time.” “What about it?” “It was sent at 8:17 p.m.” “Yes.”

Maya pulled up the hockey schedule. “The game started at seven.” “Yes.” “The collision happened at 8:21.” Eli went still. Maya looked at him. “Someone sent you a message four minutes before the incident.”

Eli stared at the screen. “I never noticed that.” “What did it say?” He scrolled. Maya read it. Watch your back tonight. Her stomach dropped. “That isn't random.” “No.” “Someone knew something was going to happen.”

Eli nodded slowly. “And they wanted me distracted.” Maya looked at the clock. “We need to tell Coach Reynolds.” Eli reached for his phone. Before he could make the call, the arena doors opened.

A man walked in. Both of them turned. It was Jordan Vale. He stopped when he saw them. For several seconds, nobody spoke. Then Jordan smiled. “Well.” Eli's posture changed immediately. “What are you doing here?” Jordan shrugged. “Visiting.” “You don't play here.” “I know.”

Maya watched him carefully. Jordan looked at her. “So you're Maya.” Her stomach tightened. “You know who I am?” “Everyone knows who you are.” Eli stepped between them. “Leave.”

Jordan laughed. “Still playing hero?” “Leave.” Jordan's smile faded. “You should really learn when to stop pretending.” Maya's heart began beating faster. “What does that mean?” Jordan looked at her. “You really don't know?” “Know what?”

He glanced at Eli. Then back at Maya. “Ask him about the night before the game.” Eli's expression hardened. “Jordan.” “What?” “Don't.” Jordan smiled. Then walked toward the exit. Before leaving, he turned. “You're pretending to know everything, Maya.” His eyes narrowed.“You don't even know the half of it.” The door closed behind him.

Maya turned toward Eli. “What was he talking about?” Eli didn't answer. “Eli.” He looked exhausted. “There was a fight the night before the game.” Maya stared at him. “With Jordan?” “Yes.” “Why? “I told you. He blamed me.” “What happened?” “I don't want to talk about it.”

Maya stepped closer. “Was someone hurt?” “No.” “Did you hurt him?” “No.” “Then why are you hiding it?” Eli looked at the floor.b“Because I was angry.”

Maya waited. “I said things I shouldn't have.” “That isn't the same as attacking someone.” “I know.” “Then why does it matter?” “Because someone recorded it.”

Maya froze. “There's a video?” “Yes.” “Where?” “I don't know.” “Who has it?” “I don't know.” She stepped backward. For the first time, she understood the size of the problem. This wasn't just about a hockey collision anymore.

Someone had been collecting pieces of Eli's life. Messages. Videos. Arguments. Private moments. And now Maya was part of the story. Her phone buzzed. Both of them looked at it. Unknown number.

Maya opened the message. Stop digging. A second message arrived. The next video won't be edited. Maya's fingers went cold. Eli took the phone from her. His face went pale. “What?”

He stared at the screen. Then looked toward the arena entrance. “We need to go.” “Why?” “Because whoever sent this knows we're here.” The lights above the rink flickered. Once. Twice.

Then the entire arena went dark. Maya gasped. Eli grabbed her hand. “Stay close.” She could hear his breathing.bShe could hear her own heartbeat. Somewhere in the darkness, a door slammed. Then another.

Maya tightened her grip on his hand. “Eli?” “I'm here.” The emergency lights finally flickered on. The rink was empty. Except for one thing. A phone sat in the middle of the ice. Its screen was glowing. Eli stared at it.

Maya whispered: “Is that yours?” He shook his head. “No.” They stepped toward the ice. The phone began playing a video automatically. Maya recognized the location immediately. The locker room.

The night before the game. Eli stood on the screen, arguing with Jordan. But there was something else. Someone else was in the room. Someone neither Maya nor Eli had noticed before.

The video froze. A message appeared across the screen. Now you know where to look. Maya looked at Eli. He looked at her. For the first time, neither of them cared about the cameras. Neither cared about the reality show.

Neither cared about the fake relationship. Because whatever had started on the night of the hockey game was longer a publicity problem. It was a secret. And someone was determined to make sure they uncovered it.