Between the rink and us

Sienna Hart had imagined her first day at Westbridge University at least a hundred times. In every version, she looked confident. Prepared. Completely in control. None of those versions included a suitcase wheel getting stuck in a c***k on the pavement while she stood in the middle of campus fighting for her life. “Come on,” Sienna muttered, yanking the suitcase harder. The wheel refused to move. Behind her, a car horn sounded. She turned around. A black SUV was waiting behind her. The driver's window rolled down. “Need some help?” Sienna glanced at the driver. Then at the suitcase. Then back at the driver. “Nope.” The guy raised an eyebrow. “You sure?” “Very.” He smiled like he found that amusing. “Okay.” The window rolled back up. Sienna grabbed the suitcase with both hands and pulled. The wheel finally came free. She nearly stumbled backward. “Got it,” she whispered proudly. “Clearly.” She froze. The SUV was still there. The driver's window was down again. Sienna stared at him. He was around her age, maybe nineteen, with dark, slightly messy hair and the kind of face that looked unfairly good without trying. He wore a gray Westbridge sweatshirt, and his expression was annoyingly relaxed. “You know,” he said, “most people say thank you.” “I didn't ask you for help.” “You also didn't accept it.” “Exactly.” He laughed. Not an embarrassed laugh. A genuinely amused one. Sienna narrowed her eyes. “What?” “Nothing.” “Then stop looking at me.” His smile widened. “Have a good first day, freshman.” The SUV drove away. Sienna stood there, staring after it. “Who was that?” She turned. Maya Collins stood behind her, holding two iced coffees and looking far too entertained. Sienna sighed. “I don't know.” Maya handed her a drink. “You've been on campus for approximately twelve minutes and you've already found a cute guy.” “I didn't find him. He found me.” “Even better.” “He was annoying.” Maya took a sip of her coffee. “That's usually how it starts.” Sienna groaned. “No. Absolutely not. I didn't come here for boys.” “Sure.” “I came here for school.” “Of course.” “My journalism degree.” “Obviously.” “My future.” Maya nodded seriously. “Your very important future that definitely won't involve a ridiculously attractive boy.” Sienna gave her a look. Maya grinned. “I'm just saying.” They continued toward their dorm. Westbridge University looked exactly like the pictures Sienna had spent months studying online. Old brick buildings surrounded a wide green lawn. Students hurried between classes carrying backpacks and laptops. There were cafés tucked into corners of buildings, banners hanging from lampposts, and enough people wearing Westbridge merchandise to make Sienna wonder if the university had a secret rule requiring it. Then she saw the banner. A massive navy-and-silver sign stretched across the entrance of one building. WESTBRIDGE WOLVES — HOCKEY SEASON STARTS NOW. Maya stopped walking. “Oh my God.” Sienna kept moving. “What?” Maya pointed. “The Wolves.” Sienna looked at the banner. “It's hockey.” “I know.” “You said that like you'd just discovered oxygen.” Maya lowered her voice dramatically. “The Westbridge Wolves are huge.” Sienna shrugged. “It's college hockey.” Maya stared at her. “Please don't say that around anyone.” “Why?” “Because half the campus would probably disown you.” Sienna laughed. They continued toward their dorm, but the sound of shouting from across campus caught Sienna's attention. A group of students had gathered around a large digital screen. Curious, she glanced over. A hockey highlight was playing. A player in a navy jersey flew across the ice, dodging another player before sending the puck toward the goal. The crowd erupted. Sienna barely had time to register the number on his jersey. 17. The screen changed. LUCA BENNETT — NEWEST WOLVES RECRUIT. Maya grabbed Sienna's arm. “That's him.” Sienna looked at her. “Who?” “Luca Bennett.” Sienna looked back at the screen. The player she'd just watched was now celebrating with his teammates. “Okay?” Maya's mouth dropped open. “Okay?” “Yes.” “You don't know who Luca Bennett is?” “No.” “Apparently you've been living under a rock.” Sienna rolled her eyes. “I'm sure he's very important.” “He is.” “Good for him.” Maya laughed. “You really don't care?” “Should I?” “No.” “Then we're good.” They entered their dorm building. Sienna had barely taken three steps inside when she heard someone calling her name. “Sienna!” She turned. Their resident assistant waved from behind the front desk. “Room 214. Your key is ready.” “Thank you.” Sienna collected the key and headed upstairs with Maya. For the first time since arriving, excitement replaced her nerves. This was it. A new city. A new university. A new beginning. She had worked too hard to get here. There would be no distractions. No unnecessary drama. And definitely no hockey players. --- Three hours later, Sienna was beginning to reconsider that last statement. She sat in the student media office with a laptop open in front of her. The room was smaller than she'd expected, but the walls were covered with old newspaper covers and photographs from Westbridge events. A senior student named Claire stood at the front. “If you're interested in joining the student newspaper, you'll need to submit a sample article by Friday.” Sienna immediately started taking notes. Journalism had always been more than a degree to her. She wanted to write stories that mattered. She wanted people to read something she'd written and feel like they understood the world a little differently afterward. Claire continued. “We also have an opportunity for first-year students through the Westbridge Community Project.” Sienna looked up. “It involves student media working with different university organizations to organize community events and document them.” That sounded interesting. “There's a major project starting this semester,” Claire continued. “One student from the journalism program will work alongside a representative from the athletics department.” Sienna raised her hand. Claire nodded toward her. “What does the project involve?” “Community outreach, fundraising events, campus engagement. You'll help coordinate everything and document the process.” Sienna wrote it down. That could be good for her portfolio. “Anyone interested?” Sienna's hand went up. Claire smiled. “Great. I'll send you the details tonight.” Sienna packed her things. As she walked out, she felt good. This was exactly why she'd come to Westbridge. Opportunities. Experience. A future. She was halfway across the quad when someone shouted. “Bennett!” Sienna stopped. A hockey player came running across the grass. She recognized him immediately. Not because she'd been looking. Because he'd been impossible to miss all day. Luca Bennett. Number 17. The guy from the SUV. He was carrying a hockey bag over one shoulder, laughing with another player. Then he spotted Sienna. His expression changed. Recognition. A slow smile appeared. “Oh,” he said. Sienna's stomach sank. He walked toward her. “You.” She folded her arms. “Me.” “Suitcase girl.” “Car guy.” He laughed. “Car guy?” “You started it.” “I offered to help.” “And I declined.” “Still thinking about that?” “No.” “Liar.” Sienna rolled her eyes. One of his teammates appeared beside him. “Who's this?” “Nobody,” Sienna said. Luca looked at her. “Nobody?” “You heard me.” His teammate laughed. “I like her.” “You don't know me,” Sienna said. “Exactly.” Luca shifted the hockey bag on his shoulder. “So, what are you studying?” “Journalism.” “Seriously?” “Why?” “That explains it.” “Explains what?” “The attitude.” Sienna stared at him. He smiled. She wanted to wipe that smile off his face. Instead, she stepped around him. “Have a good day, Car Guy.” She walked away. Behind her, she heard his teammate laughing. “Dude, she hates you.” Luca's voice followed. “I noticed.” Sienna smiled to herself. At least they wouldn't have to see each other again. Westbridge was huge. There were thousands of students. There was no reason their paths would keep crossing. She was wrong. Very wrong. Because that evening, when Sienna opened the email Claire had sent her, she nearly dropped her phone. WESTBRIDGE COMMUNITY PROJECT — STUDENT PAIRING She opened the attachment. Her eyes moved down the page. Journalism Representative: Sienna Hart. She continued reading. Then stopped. Her heart sank. Athletics Representative: Luca Bennett. Sienna stared at the screen. “No.” Maya looked up from her bed. “What?” Sienna slowly turned the phone toward her. Maya read it. There was a long silence. Then the biggest grin spread across her face. “Oh, this is going to be fun.” Sienna dropped her head onto the desk. It was her first day at Westbridge. And somehow, she'd already managed to make her biggest distraction impossible to avoid.