Offside Hearts

Sienna The first rule every journalism professor drilled into our heads was simple: never become part of the story. We were supposed to observe, ask questions, and report the truth without allowing our emotions to get in the way. A journalist's job was to shine a light on the facts, not become one of them. I believed that rule with everything I had. At least I did until one ordinary Wednesday afternoon turned my life upside down and made me the headline I had always dreamed of writing. Ashford University was alive with excitement as students rushed from one building to another, their conversations revolving around only one thing– the annual Frost Cup rivalry game. It was the biggest hockey event of the season, and the entire campus seemed to be counting down the hours until the puck dropped. Tickets had sold out weeks ago, alumni were flying in from different states, and social media was overflowing with videos of students painting their faces in the university colours while predicting another championship victory for the Ashford Wolves. I sighed when another group of girls hurried past me carrying handmade posters with one name written across every single one of them. LUCA HAYES. Captain of the Ashford Wolves. Campus golden boy. Future NHL draft pick. According to almost everyone at this university, he was the closest thing to perfection. I rolled my eyes, adjusted the camera hanging around my neck, and continued walking toward the Journalism Department. Unlike everyone else, I wasn't interested in hockey players, no matter how handsome or famous they happened to be. Maybe that made me different, but I had my reasons. My father had abandoned my mother and me when I was six years old because becoming a professional athlete mattered more to him than staying with his family. Since that day, I had promised myself never to trust a man who loved fame more than the people who loved him. Hockey players, football players, basketball players… it didn't matter. In my mind, they all belonged in the same category. The newsroom was already buzzing when I stepped inside. Phones rang constantly, editors shouted instructions across the room, and the printers refused to stop spitting out fresh pages. The smell of coffee mixed with printer ink filled the air, creating the familiar atmosphere that always made me smile. While most students dreamed about becoming influencers or celebrities, I dreamed about becoming an investigative journalist whose stories could change lives. “Sienna.” I turned and found Professor Monroe standing outside his office with a thick folder tucked beneath one arm. He waved for me to come inside, and the serious expression on his face immediately told me this wasn't another routine assignment. I have got something important for you, he said after I closed the door behind me. I already submitted the stadium preview this morning, I replied. I know you did, and that's exactly why I'm trusting you with something bigger. He slid a media pass across his desk. I picked it up carefully and realized my name had already been printed at the bottom. The athletic department is hosting a private fundraising gala tonight, he explained. Students aren't allowed inside, but one student journalist has been invited to cover the event. *You want me to go?* “I want you to watch, listen, and pay attention. Powerful people become careless when they think nobody is paying attention to them. If you don't see anything unusual, write your article and come home. But if something feels wrong…” He paused for a moment before looking directly into my eyes. ...don't ignore it. A strange feeling settled in my stomach as I slipped the media pass into my bag. Somehow, I knew this assignment was different from every other story I had ever covered. As I reached the door, Professor Monroe called my name one last time. Sienna. Yes Stay away from Luca Hayes. I frowned in confusion. *Why would I go anywhere near him?* Professor Monroe smiled, but there was no humor in his eyes. "Because stories have a strange way of bringing the right people together, and when they do, someone's life usually changes forever." I laughed softly as I walked out of his office, convinced he was being dramatic. I had no idea that before the night was over, I would accidentally uncover a secret powerful enough to destroy careers, expose corruption, and turn the university's most famous hockey player into the one person I could neither trust... nor walk away from.