𝐂𝐀𝐍'𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐗𝐄𝐃 - ᴄᴏʟᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴛᴇʀ

iv.

THE ONE AND ONLY.

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THE HOMECOMING WEEK WAS UNBEARABLE, honestly. Nova couldn't even imagine how Cole should've felt as the town, in general, was far more interested in football than ice hockey. Especially, female ice hockey. She didn't draw that much of attention herself but still felt like dying for a whole week of competitions, fairs and games. Cole felt exactly that but a thousand times more.

It was a real magic that Halley came to school one day before the Homecoming. She almost stayed in her bed but Jackie didn't let herself do so. Not her fault, Howard simply didn't know what that day really meant for both her and Cole, why they were being so grumpy during breakfast, why Nova didn't even suggest Jackie to drive her to school.

Her locker had a note on it.

Even when she still was able to play, their lockers didn't get decorated as much as football players' ones. Usually there were small notes and colorful stickers which didn't even fill the whole surface. Just for decency, so the girls didn't feel forgotten compared to guys in hockey and, obviously, footballers.

And they still used the fucking note on her. 'We hope you'll come back', it said. Even though every single person in the town knew that she would never. She missed a whole year, her place had already been taken, and, yet, she was unable to look at the ice rink. She couldn't even watch the game. None of them. The season was about to start, the third one she was going to miss because of the PTSD.

Then, she got invited to a party. To a couple of them, actually. One was organised by her friendgroup from hockey, another — by footballers. She knew they'd invite Cole too, definitely, so she declined immediately. If she was going to get drunk, she wouldn't do it on the same party with Cole Walter. Not ever again.

"Nova, are you decent?" she heard Will's voice through a door.

It was the day X. The day even Erin let her skip and not come to an auction because she knew it would be too hard for Halley. But someone was too stubborn to understand that, even though she and football had always been the furthest from each other, it hurt. Hurt seeing people who knew who she was, who were keen on both football and hockey, who would surely watch her with pity. Like everyone else did from time to time.

"I'm not...naked," she responded, knowing that even that kind of an unclear reply would be enough for elder Walter.

"I need your help," he collapsed on her bed, waiting for the girl to sit down and meet his mischievous gaze.

"I don't need you to need my help," she groaned but lifted her numb body. She even managed to crack a smile. Not very successfully. "What'd you want?"

"Cover for Jackie on the cider cart," he blurted out.

"No way," she told. "I would do anything for you, Will, but this tiny little thing. Jackie'll manage. I believe in her."

"She has some stuff to deal with the student council..."

Her eyes widened. "Yeah, the same auction I had to attend but begged off. I'm not going anywhere today."

"You're not if you're ready to talk about your grades," Walter smirked. "Or whatever is happening between you and Cole."

"You have no right to blackmail me when I'm vulnerable, Will," he still was smirking. She wanted to slap him for that, and it was the thought that scared herself a lot. "I am deadly serious."