ICY GAMES: My Brother's Rival

Chapter 1: Project Maddox ~QUINTESSA~ My fingertips dug into the edge of the booklet hard enough to bend the paper. It was stamped which meant it'd been approved. My final project for the semester was printed boldly in the centre of the first page. [Develop and execute a retention strategy for a student athlete considering retirement.] His name was also printed below. [Maddox Jakes.] A mix of frustration and sadness crawled up my chest. I was to begin my internship the coming Monday. In two f*****g days. It shouldn't have been me. My future depended on convincing the most stubborn hockey player on campus not to quit. Maddox Jakes had already announced his retirement online. The entire campus knew he wouldn't be playing in the Champions Qualifiers. And somehow, I was supposed to change his mind. My phone beeped and I stepped aside to receive the call from my Aunt. "Hi, Aunty.” A temporary sense of relief washed over me. “Hi, darling. Did you get the stamp you said you were waiting for?" She asked, her tone laced with excitement. I sighed and headed to class. “Yes, I did. But…” I exhaled again. Heavily. "I'll have to intern here for the holiday, Aunty." Aside from the fact that this was insanely stupid, I had to give up my holiday for some guy whose nonchalant decision was somehow standing in my way of protecting my funding. “Will it be too stressful?" Her voice softened. “Of course. I basically have to nanny a whole team— the hockey team at school." "Oh no, honey. Don't say it like that.” She laughed and somehow, I found myself laughing too. “It’ll all be fine. I'll come to see you at school if that's okay." I smiled, nodding as I fondled something on the side of my locker line. “By the way, when was the last time you spoke to Ethan?" That question made my stomach twist. Even tighter than it had been when I received my stamped project booklet. "Um…” I didn't know how to respond because I had to be careful. Any wrong response would definitely lead to her lecturing me about why ‘blood would always be blood’. "Tessa..” She breathed my name. "Yes, Aunty.” "When?” Her voice still held its calmness. "Can I be honest?” In all truth, I'd never been pushed to call him since I resumed this session. “My parents gave birth to him. He's fine with Dad and I'm fine here as well." “Tessa…”She paused. "Mom might be late, but I don't want anything to do with him. He has his Father, and his career while I have myself…” I blinked rapidly. "And you. And Cherry. And Vanessa. And my education" My cousins were just enough for me. My eyes wandered to the digital clock mounted up high. "Shit.” It slipped from my lips. "I have to see Mr Rogers. I'll call you as soon as I'm free.” Fuck. I thought I was time-conscious enough until I looked up and realized I was five minutes late for my appointment with the Sports Directors. This man was a punctuality freak and if I wasn't there within ten minutes, his secretary would have me book another. Being an acquaintance of my aunt didn't guarantee that I could meet him whenever and wherever I wanted. It was a few blocks away from here and by the time I ran there, ten minutes had already passed. "Good afternoon, ma'am.” I greeted his secretary. "I'm here to see Mr Rogers. I booked an appointment with him by 12 pm..” She glanced down at her wristwatch like she was scolding me indirectly. "You already know the rules, young lady. You'll have to book another." Shit. “Please, you really have to let me meet him. It's really important—" “I cannot help you. I'm acting based on instructions I cannot disobey." She answered dismissively. My energy dropped with the sweat on my face. I needed to meet this man. The last time I met him was when he insisted on helping me find a way to protect my funding. "You're going in, aren't you?” Someone asked from behind. I wasn't sure who they were referring to, so I turned. It was Maddox Jakes. Captain of the Ice Titans. And the one on whom my fate somehow depended. His dirty blonde hair was perfectly styled. He stood tall, almost twice my height and he smelt damn nice. He was popular for his looks as well as his hockey skills. Half the girls on campus were obsessed with him and the other half pretended they weren't. If one were just seeing him for the first time, they'd think he walked on runways other than clashing on ice. "Y..yes,” I answered, swallowing hard. "Let her in. Wren and I need to see Mr Rogers." The way he said my name made it sound familiar. Like he hadn't just learned it from a project file. We'd never spoken as much as a sentence. "How do you know my last name?"I asked, following behind to Mr Rogers’ office. His mouth twitched. "You're not exactly invisible, Wren.” “And as far as my memory goes back, I don't remember booking a trio appointment.” "Good. Then we're headed to the same place." He didn't break his character as he kept walking. “I have to see him on my own.” I added, "Privately.” He stopped at the door. “Save yourself the effort." A lump formed in my throat. “What?" His eyes narrowed, then he shook his head with very little effort. "I'm not staying, Wren.” My lips thinned, and I didn't respond before I pushed the door and went through. "I already got your Aunt's message, Tessa.” He didn't even bother to answer my greeting. "There's nothing I can do about it. Except you finish your internship and ace this project,” he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but the school will withdraw your scholarship.” Withdrawing my scholarship would mean the end of my academic journey and I wasn't even ready to quit. I wasn't ready to be a burden on my aunty who is a single Mom of two college kids who despite all, still extends the little financial support she could. “I was never meant to work for it, sir. It's a scholarship," my eyes watered and my voice cracked. “You are not working for it, sophomore." His voice raised, very obvious that I'd pissed him already. “You’re passing for it." He cleared his throat. “If you don't pass this,” he leaned closer, his bold gaze piercing through me. "The scholarship is gone, young lady.” I blinked my tears back, very hard and then sniffed. His words choked me. My scholarship wasn't just tuition. It was my apartment… My books…My future. Without them, I wasn't sure there'd even be a next semester. "I'll work for it." I wasn't sure about how, but I was sure I meant every word I said. I turned, finding my way out of there tearfully. Now I was left with no option but to really accept my situation. I had to fight for my scholarship even if it meant doing the impossible. “She talked about Ethan." My heart slammed against my ribcage as I was about to reach for the door handle. “Your aunt said something about Ethan wanting to see you." I released a breath of relief, then turned to him. Ethan's identity couldn't be revealed right now. Not when I was still trying to fight for my scholarship. Not in this school where I was to manage a hockey star. Not even to this man. "Um…” I sniffed, letting out an awkward but controlled chuckle. "He's just someone I know" I lied and I didn't even feel bad about it. "Don't forget.” He added, “your primary goal is keeping that captain on the team. The team is your secondary.” I walked out of his office and Maddox was still there, back against the wall with a confident stare. Like he already knew exactly what Rogers had told me. And judging by the look in his eyes... He wasn't about to make this easy. “Let's see how long you hold out for." He sneered before walking away. He'd made it clear he was leaving and somehow, I was supposed to stop him.