Beneath the Ice: A University Love Story

4 | The Unstoppable Becky Armstrong

It had been a week since the incident in the cafeteria, and Freen hadn't seen Becky since then. Not that she was actively looking for her, of course. But the university felt a little quieter, less disruptive, in Becky's absence. Apparently, Becky had been out of town for another boxing match.

Freen was walking down the hallway, her attention focused on her phone, when she overheard a group of students talking excitedly. Becky's name came up, of course, and that immediately piqued her interest, though she kept her expression neutral as she passed them by.

"She did it again!" one of the students exclaimed. "Becky won her 84th match! Still undefeated!"

"Man, she's a machine," another added. "I heard she's bringing home another trophy to add to her collection."

Freen walked past the students, pretending not to listen, but their voices followed her as she moved down the corridor. It was impossible to ignore Becky's influence in the university. Everyone admired her for her skills, and Freen would be lying if she said she wasn't impressed herself—though she would never admit that out loud.

But what really caught her attention was the next thing the students said.

"I heard she got hurt this time, though," one of them whispered.

"Yeah, something about an accident at the hotel before the match," another replied. "People are saying she slipped on some stairs. The stairs were so slippery , they think someone put oil there on purpose to mess her up."

"Seriously? That's messed up!" the first student said, sounding genuinely concerned. "How badly was she hurt?"

"Pretty bad, from what I heard. But she still won the match. Can you believe that? She's a beast."

Freen's pace slowed slightly as she processed what she had just overheard. Becky got hurt? Before the match? She had heard rumors about sabotage in competitive sports, but she never thought Becky would be the target of something so underhanded. Then again, Becky's undefeated record probably made her a prime target for jealous competitors.

For a brief moment, a flicker of concern flashed through Freen's mind, but she quickly pushed it away. Becky was tough. She had won the match despite her injury, which was just another testament to her strength. There was no reason for Freen to dwell on it.

Still, the idea of someone purposely trying to hurt Becky left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was one thing to challenge someone in the ring, but sabotaging them outside of it? That crossed a line.

As she entered the cafeteria, Freen spotted Nam sitting at their usual table, scrolling through her phone. Freen sat down without a word, setting her bag on the seat next to her.

Nam glanced up, her brow furrowing. "Did you hear about Becky?"

Freen gave a noncommittal nod. "I overheard some students talking about it. Apparently, she got hurt before the match."

Nam sighed, her face softening with sympathy. "Yeah. She slipped down the stairs at the hotel. People are saying someone might have put oil there to sabotage her. It's awful."

Freen didn't respond, keeping her expression blank as she picked up her drink. Nam leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I know you're not her biggest fan, but... that's pretty messed up, don't you think? Getting hurt before a big match like that? And she still won."

Freen took a sip of her drink, her face remaining impassive. "It's not surprising. Becky doesn't give up easily."

Nam watched her for a moment, clearly expecting more of a reaction. When none came, she shrugged and went back to her phone. Freen, however, couldn't quite shake the image of Becky injured, struggling through a match. It was an odd thought, one that lingered far longer than she wanted it to.