1989 || Luke Hughes

Chapter 18: Clean

Quince sat alone in her apartment, the glow of her laptop screen casting a soft, eerie light across the room. Italy, her roommate and closest friend, sat beside her, concern etched in her features as she scrolled through the videos that had surfaced online.

As Quince watched the footage of Luke's interview, her heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach. The words that spilled from his lips cut like a knife, each accusation a painful reminder of the betrayal she had endured. She felt a surge of anger and hurt rise within her, threatening to consume her whole.

"He's lying," Quince muttered bitterly, her voice tinged with disbelief. "He's twisting the truth to save his own skin."

Italy reached out, placing a comforting hand on Quince's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Quince," she murmured, her voice filled with empathy. "I know how much you cared about him."

Quince nodded silently, her gaze fixed on the screen as the video played on. She couldn't tear her eyes away, couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that lingered like a shadow over her heart.

But as the video came to an end, something inside Quince shifted. The anger and hurt that had consumed her began to ebb away, replaced by a steely resolve. She had spent too long wallowing in self-pity, too long allowing Luke's betrayal to define her.

"He's not worth it," Quince declared, her voice firm with determination. "I won't let him destroy me."

Italy nodded in agreement, a sense of pride swelling within her as she watched her friend find her strength in the face of adversity. "That's the spirit, Quince," she replied, her voice tinged with admiration. "You're stronger than this, stronger than him."

Quince smiled weakly, gratitude shining in her eyes. She knew that she couldn't let Luke's betrayal consume her any longer, couldn't allow him to hold power over her emotions. She had a game to focus on, a team counting on her to lead them to victory.

Quince entered the locker room with purpose, her mind focused solely on the game ahead. She barely acknowledged Luke's presence as he attempted to speak to her, her gaze fixed resolutely ahead as she made her way to her locker. She couldn't bring herself to engage with him, not after everything that had happened.

But as she began to prepare for the game, her concentration was shattered by the arrival of Coach Thompson. His expression was dark, his eyes narrowed as he approached Luke with a stern look.

Quince's heart sank as she watched the exchange between them, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that Coach Thompson had never been Luke's biggest fan, but she hadn't expected him to intervene like this.

"What's going on?" Quince asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Coach Thompson turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "Quince, I need to talk to you," he said, his tone serious.

Quince's heart skipped a beat as she braced herself for what was to come. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong, that this conversation was going to change everything.

"Quince, I've made a decision," Coach Thompson began, his voice firm. "I'm moving you up to pair one with Marino."

Quince's eyes widened in shock, her mind struggling to process the magnitude of what she had just heard. She had been on line two with Luke for as long as she could remember—it was where she felt most comfortable, most at home. But now, Coach Thompson was tearing her away from that, thrusting her into a new role with a new teammate.

"Why?" Quince asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Coach Thompson sighed, his gaze softening slightly. "I know this might come as a shock, Quince, but it's for the good of the team," he explained. "We need to shake things up a bit, try something new. And I believe that you and Marino have the potential to be a formidable duo on the ice."