Riley's POV:

I woke up with a groan, feeling the weight of exhaustion pulling me back into the depths of my bed.

Rubbing my eyes slowly, I tried to process everything that had happened the night before.

Memories of the moment with Val flooded back. Val kissed me. Even if it was just on the cheek.

I felt myself turning red again at the thought, the warmth spreading across my cheeks like wildfire. My heart gave a small, involuntary flutter, but I brushed it off as best I could.

This was not the time to get lost in emotions. I had to get to class. I checked the time and my eyes widened in shock. It was 9:30 am.

I'm screwed. Panic surged through me as I threw on my school uniform, my hands fumbling with the buttons in my haste.

I grabbed my brush and ran it through my hair, not bothering to check if it was neat. A quick brush of my teeth followed before I grabbed my bag and dashed out of my dorm room, scattering around like an idiot.

I ran past a few seniors, their laughter echoing in the hallway, amplifying my embarrassment. My face burned, but I was too focused on getting to class to let it bother me for long.

Stumbling into the classroom, I braced myself for a scolding. But to my relief, the teacher was in a good mood and let me off with a simple nod after I mumbled a random excuse about my alarm not going off. I quickly took a seat next to Bree and Grace, grateful to be off the hook.

"Cutting it close, aren't you?" Bree whispered with a smirk.

"Don't remind me," I muttered, trying to catch my breath. Val wasn't in any of my classes since they were a year ahead. The only time we shared was during PE and ice hockey practice after school, but those didn't really count.

As the teacher droned on about quadratic equations, I rested my chin on my hand, my mind wandering back to Val. The kiss on the cheek at the party, the way they smiled at me in the hallway-it all felt like a dream. My thoughts were interrupted by Grace nudging me.

"Earth to Riley," she whispered. "You're zoning out again."

I shook my head, trying to focus. "Sorry, just thinking."

"About?" she teased, a knowing look in her eyes.

I felt my cheeks flush. "Nothing!"

The morning classes dragged on, but finally, it was lunchtime. Bree, Grace, and I headed to the cafeteria, grabbing our food and finding a table near the windows. As we chatted and ate, my eyes scanned the room, looking for Val. I spotted them sitting with their friends at a table across the room. They caught my eye and gave me a small wave. I waved back, feeling my heart skip a beat.

"You should go talk to them," Bree said, nudging me with her elbow.

I hesitated. "I don't want to interrupt."

Grace rolled her eyes. "You're not interrupting. Just go."

Taking a deep breath, I stood up and made my way over to Val's table. Her friends smiled and made room for me.

"Hey, Riley," Val greeted, their eyes lighting up. "Howd you sleep last night?"

"Decent" I admitted, feeling a rush of warmth as I remembered her kiss again. "How about you?"

Val shrugged. "It was hard to drift off, but i did. Anyways, you going practice later?"

"Definitely," I said, smiling. "See you there?"

"Absolutely," Val replied, their smile making my heart flutter.

I returned to my table, feeling lighter. Bree and Grace gave me approving looks, and we spent the rest of lunch chatting about our plans for the weekend.

The afternoon classes passed in a blur, and before I knew it, it was time for ice hockey practice. In the locker room, Bree and Grace were already getting changed when I arrived.

"Ready to get beaten?" Bree asked, tying her skates, her voice laced with sarcasm.

I roll my eyes, pulling on my gear. The familiar routine of lacing up my skates and donning my helmet helped calm my nerves.

Val walked in, her presence immediately drawing my attention. She gave me a quick nod and a smile before heading to her locker. As we finished getting ready, I felt a sense of anticipation building. This practice felt different.

My thoughts interrupted as Coach Roberts barged in, telling us to hurry up.

So I did, and I was soon skating laps.

Val's POV:

Riley felt off today, but I didn't know why. She seemed more nervous, which was odd because she never tried to make small talk with me before. Maybe I was overthinking?

I decided to skate next to her, "Riley, you good?"

She giggled, but I could sense the nervousness in her voice. "I'm good, why?"

"...nothing." I skated off just as the coach split us into teams. Riley and I were on opposite sides.

The game started fast. I dodged past defenders, feeling the cold air whip against my face. Riley was on the other side, just as fierce. She maneuvered with surprising agility, her focus intense.

Then, during a scramble for the puck, Riley charged towards me. I barely had time to react before she crashed into me. I fell hard onto the ice, the breath knocked out of me. Almost immediately, I felt a weight shift on top of me. It was Riley.

I was so glad I was wearing a helmet so she couldn't see my cheeks burn up. I was blushing so hard.

Riley then spoke, "I'm so sorry, Val!" She got off of me and helped me up.

I giggled, "It's fine, just try to resist the urge of climbing on top of me, okay?"

Riley's POV:

As I heard Val say that, I went super red. She skated off, but I lost complete focus on our current match. My mind was spinning, and I couldn't shake off the embarrassment.

Val's POV:

I could feel Riley's eyes on me as I skated away, her embarrassment almost palpable. I tried to focus back on the game, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the warmth of her body on mine.

The game intensified, and the puck came my way. I sped up, determined to make a play. Just as I reached for it, I felt another crash. This time, it was harder. I hit the ice with a thud, pain radiating through my arm.

I looked up, expecting to see Riley again, but instead, it was someone else, an opposing player glaring down at me.

"Watch where you're going," they snarled.

I tried to push myself up, but the pain in my arm was sharp. Riley skated over, her face a mix of worry and anger.

"Val, are you okay?" she asked, kneeling beside me.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, the coach blew the whistle, signaling the end of the game. Riley's concern deepened as she noticed the way I cradled my arm.

"Let's get you to the medic," she said, her voice soft but urgent.

I nodded, trying to ignore the throbbing pain. As Riley helped me off the ice, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a game.

My friends caught up to us, the concern of them blasting my eardrums.

I couldn't help but feeling something shifted between me and Riley, something I can't quite explain.

--

A bit of a cliff hanger?

1200 words! Decently long chapter ☺️

Bit of a late upload bc I had a banging headache 😭

If you still want to suggest stuff, comment below. I'm using some ideas from last chapter soon. 🫶