1989 || Luke Hughes

Chapter 16: Say dont go

The sound of skates cutting through the ice echoed through the arena as the hockey team glided across the rink, their movements fluid and precise. Quince stood at the edge of the rink, her eyes fixed on Luke as he skated with a determined focus. Despite the tumultuous emotions swirling within her, she couldn't tear her gaze away from him.

       As the practice neared its end, Quince felt a flicker of hope stir within her as Luke approached. Her heart pounded with anticipation, her breath catching in her throat as she waited for him to speak. But as he drew closer, she could see the hesitation in his eyes, the uncertainty clouding his expression.

       For a fleeting moment, Quince felt the overwhelming urge to run to him, to throw herself at his feet and beg for his forgiveness. But she resisted the impulse, knowing that she couldn't risk making things worse between them.

       Instead, she watched in silence as Luke skated past her, his gaze fixed resolutely ahead. The distance between them felt like an insurmountable chasm, each passing moment only widening the divide.

       As the final whistle blew, signaling the end of practice, Quince felt a sense of defeat wash over her. She had hoped that this would be the moment when they could finally talk, to confront the painful truth that had driven them apart. But now, as Luke skated off the ice without so much as a glance in her direction, Quince knew that her hopes had been in vain.

        With a heavy heart, Quince turned away from the rink, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. She had come to practice hoping for closure, but all she found was heartache and disappointment.

       As she made her way out of the arena, the weight of her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She longed to reach out to Luke, to tell him how much she missed him and how desperately she wanted him back in her life. But she knew that she had to respect his space, to give him the time and the freedom to come to his own conclusions.

       As she stepped out into the crisp evening air, Quince took a deep breath, steeling herself for the long road ahead. She didn't know what the future held for her and Luke, but she was determined to fight for their love with every ounce of strength she possessed.

       And as she walked away from the arena, her heart heavy with longing and regret, Quince made a silent vow to herself: no matter what obstacles stood in her way, she would never give up on the one she loved. For in the end, she knew, true love was worth fighting for, no matter the cost.

       Luke sat in the locker room, the sounds of his teammates fading into the background as he watched Quince from a distance. She moved with a grace that belied the turmoil raging within her, her every movement a silent testament to the pain she was enduring.

      As he watched her gather her belongings, a pang of regret pierced Luke's heart. He knew that he had hurt her deeply, that his actions had driven a wedge between them that seemed impossible to bridge. But no matter how much he longed to reach out to her, to beg for her forgiveness, he couldn't bring himself to take that first step.

       Lost in his thoughts, Luke was startled when Jack approached him, his expression somber and contrite. Without a word, Jack motioned for Luke to follow him, leading him away from the bustling locker room to a secluded corner of the arena.

      Once they were alone, Jack turned to face Luke, his eyes filled with remorse. "Luke, I need to talk to you," he began, his voice tinged with urgency.