The Rival Appears
1028 Words
The arena was alive.
Fans packed the stands long before the puck dropped.
Music thundered through the speakers.
The excitement of playoff hockey electrified the air.
Emma stood near the media section, reviewing notes for her latest article.
Normally, the noise helped her focus.
Tonight, it only made her thoughts louder.
Because she couldn't stop thinking about Noah.
About their confrontation.
About the confusion in his eyes.
About the way he'd looked just as shocked as she felt.
One of us is missing part of the story.
His words had haunted her for two days.
And the worst part?
She believed him.
Noah had never been a good liar.
She'd spent years knowing every expression, every tell, every hidden emotion.
The devastation she'd seen in that hallway had been real.
Which meant one terrifying possibility remained.
Maybe neither of them had chosen to leave.
"Emma?"
A warm male voice interrupted her thoughts.
She turned.
A tall man in a team jacket approached with an easy smile.
Dark hair.
Kind eyes.
Broad shoulders.
Handsome.
Very handsome.
"Dr. Lucas Bennett."
He extended a hand.
"The team's doctor."
Emma shook it.
"Emma Hayes."
"I know."
His grin widened.
"You're kind of famous."
She laughed.
"That's definitely not true."
"Tell that to the reporters trying to steal your articles."
The compliment caught her off guard.
Lucas seemed genuine.
Comfortable.
Easy to talk to.
Which felt refreshing after days of emotional whiplash.
"Mind if I sit?" he asked.
Emma gestured toward the empty chair beside her.
Lucas settled into it.
"You're surviving the circus?"
"Barely."
"I've worked with hockey players for six years."
He leaned closer.
"They're worse than toddlers."
Emma laughed.
A real laugh.
One she hadn't expected.
Lucas smiled triumphantly.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The first genuine smile."
Emma rolled her eyes.
"You analyze people too much."
"Occupational hazard."
For the next twenty minutes, conversation flowed effortlessly.
Lucas was funny.
Intelligent.
Charming without trying too hard.
The kind of person who immediately puts others at ease.
For the first time since arriving at the arena, Emma relaxed.
What she didn't notice was the pair of blue eyes watching from across the rink.
Watching everything.
Watching Lucas.
Watching her.
Watching them together.
Noah sat on the players' bench waiting for warm-ups.
And his mood was rapidly deteriorating.
"Who is that?"
The question came from nowhere.
His teammate Ethan looked up.
"What?"
Noah pointed discreetly.
Toward Emma.
Toward Lucas.
Toward the way she was laughing.
Ethan followed his gaze.
Then immediately groaned.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"You've got that look."
Noah frowned.
"What look?"
"The jealous look."
"I'm not jealous."
Ethan stared.
Then burst out laughing.
"Noah."
"I'm not."
"Captain."
"No."
Ethan nearly fell off the bench.
"You absolutely are."
Noah's jaw tightened.
Because unfortunately, Ethan wasn't entirely wrong.
Watching Emma laugh with another man felt unpleasant.
Deeply unpleasant.
Irrationally unpleasant.
Lucas leaned closer to say something.
Emma laughed again.
Something sharp twisted inside Noah's chest.
He hated it.
Hated how instinctive the reaction was.
Hated how much he cared.
Hated that after five years, his first thought was still mine.
Not literally.
Not possessively.
Just emotionally.
As if some stubborn part of his heart still believed Emma belonged in his life.
And seeing someone else makes her smile feel wrong.
Dangerously wrong.
"Who is he?" Noah asked.
Ethan smirked.
"Doctor Bennett."
The team doctor.
Great.
Just great.
Successful.
Handsome.
Smart.
Exactly the kind of man Emma deserved.
The realization should have made Noah happy.
Instead, it made him miserable.
The game itself was intense.
Fast.
Physical.
The crowd roared with every hit and goal.
Noah scored twice.
Added an assist.
Played one of his best games of the season.
The media will praise him tomorrow.
The coaches would celebrate.
The fans would chant his name.
Yet all night his attention kept drifting toward the press box.
Toward Emma.
Toward Lucas.
Toward the growing friendship he desperately wished didn't bother him.
Unfortunately, it did.
A lot.
By the end of the game, Noah was in a terrible mood.
His team had won.
Yet he felt like he'd lost something.
Again.
After the victory, media interviews began.
Players rotated through the interview room.
Questions flew.
Cameras flashed.
Emma sat near the front.
Notebook ready.
Professional as always.
Noah entered last.
The room immediately focused on him.
The captain.
The star.
The face of the franchise.
He answered questions mechanically.
His attention remained elsewhere.
Specifically, the man standing beside Emma.
Lucas.
Again.
The doctor had apparently come to deliver an injury update.
And somehow he was making Emma smile.
Again.
The universe clearly hated Noah.
Finally, the interview ended.
Reporters began packing up.
Emma gathered her notes.
Lucas appeared beside her.
"Are you hungry?"
Emma blinked.
"What?"
"Dinner."
His smile was relaxed.
Hopeful.
"I know a place nearby."
The room suddenly felt very quiet.
At least to Noah.
Because every instinct inside him immediately focused on the conversation.
Emma looked surprised.
Then thoughtful.
Then slightly nervous.
Noah hated all three reactions.
Especially the thoughtful one.
Lucas continued.
"No pressure."
Emma smiled softly.
"I'd like that."
Something inside Noah snapped.
Not dramatically.
Not visibly.
Just enough.
Enough to hurt.
Enough to remind him that five years was a long time.
Long enough for people to move on.
Long enough for lives to change.
Long enough for someone else to take his place.
The realization landed like a body check.
Emma deserved happiness.
He knew that.
Wanted that.
But hearing her agree to dinner with another man still felt awful.
Lucas grinned.
"Great."
"We'll see you around."
Then they walked away together.
Leaving Noah standing alone.
Watching.
Again.
Just like five years ago.
Only this time, he wasn't confused.
He wasn't waiting for a phone call.
Or a text.
Or an explanation.
This time he understood exactly what he was seeing.
And it terrified him.
Because for the first time since Emma returned, Noah realized something.
If he didn't find the truth soon—
If he didn't figure out what had really happened between them—
Someone else might become the future he'd spent five years dreaming about.
And Noah wasn't sure he could survive losing her twice.
- Writer
