Forever Chasing

Chapter 4: Game day

Harper was layed on her bed, a book in her lap and her phone buzzing on the nightstand. She glanced over at it, already knowing who it was. The text on her screen read:

Ella: Get your butt up! We're going to the game tonight.

Harper sighed, already formulating her excuses. She wasn't in the mood to deal with a rowdy crowd, and the idea of seeing Connor before a big game didn't exactly thrill her. Still, Ella wouldn't let up.

Another text popped up.

Ella: I'm serious! Don't make me come drag you out.

Before Harper could respond, there was a knock on her door, followed by the unmistakable sound of Ella's voice.

"I know you're in there, Harper. You're coming with me whether you like it or not!"

Harper groaned as she opened the door. Ella stood there, looking determined and holding a bottle of sparkling wine. "Look, we're going to have fun. We'll get ready together, drink a little, and cheer the boys on. Plus, Noah's expecting us. You can't bail."

Harper couldn't help but smile at her friend's enthusiasm. "You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

Ella grinned and pushed past her, setting the bottle down on Harper's desk. "Nope. Now, get dressed! We're going all out tonight. Black dress, some eyeliner—let's go."

Harper shook her head, but part of her was warming up to the idea. Ella had a way of making everything feel like a celebration. With a sigh, she stood up and headed for her closet. "Fine, but we're sticking to just a couple of drinks."

"Deal," Ella said with a smirk, already digging through Harper's makeup bag.

Thirty minutes later, the room was filled with the sounds of music blasting from Ella's phone, and the two of them were dancing around, singing loudly and completely off-key. Harper, dressed in her favorite black dress, felt a little more relaxed, the buzz from their drinks settling in as they giggled over their makeup routine.

"This is going to be fun," Ella said, sweeping a line of eyeliner across her eyes before passing it to Harper. "We haven't had a proper night out in forever."

Harper smiled, her worries slipping away. "You're right. We could use a fun night."

Ella's grin widened as she topped up their glasses. "That's the spirit! And who knows? Maybe watching Connor get knocked around on the ice will make it even more entertaining for you."

Harper laughed, though the mention of Connor brought a familiar twist of tension in her chest. He was infuriating, but she couldn't deny there was something about watching him play—his fierce determination, the way he commanded the ice and the way he looked under all that gear didn't hurt. Not that she'd ever admit it to him, of course.

When they arrived at the rink, the atmosphere was electric. The stands were filling up with students from Wellington Academy, all dressed in the school's colors, ready to cheer on the hockey team in their big rivalry game. Harper spotted a group of their friends near the front and made her way over with Ella.

As they reached the locker room entrance, they spotted the boys getting ready to head onto the ice. Noah saw them first, waving them over with a grin.

"Look who finally showed up!" Noah called out, his usual playful tone making Harper smile.

"Ella dragged me here," Harper said, crossing her arms but unable to hide her smile.

Connor appeared a moment later, his hockey gear halfway on. His eyes immediately found Harper, and his smirk appeared like clockwork. "Didn't expect to see you here, Sweetheart."

Harper rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm here for Noah and Noah only"

"Sure you are," Connor said, his voice low as he moved past her toward the ice, the tension between them crackling.

Lucas walked up, nudging Connor with a grin before giving Harper a warm smile. "Glad to see you support me baby sis. We need all the support we can get tonight. The other team's fired up."

Harper smiled at her brother. "Don't worry you will be fine, and i'm not giving you an ego boost. just don't let them get in your head." "ok"

"We never do," Lucas said confidently, but his eyes were serious. He knew just how intense these games against their rivals could get.

Ella clapped her hands together, pulling everyone out of the pre-game nerves. "Alright, boys. Time to kick some ass!"

As the boys headed out onto the ice, Harper and Ella made their way to the stands, finding a good spot near the front where they had a clear view of the action.

The game started out fast and brutal. Wellington was in full force, with Lucas and Connor leading the charge on the ice. Harper could feel the excitement building in the crowd, the cheers growing louder with each hit, each shot, each near-miss. She found herself leaning forward in her seat, her heart racing with every move the boys made.

But things took a turn when the opposing team, their biggest rivals, managed to score. The captain of the rival team, Ryan Carter, skated past Wellington's bench, his eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on Harper. A cocky grin spread across his face, and to her complete shock, he pointed at her before blowing a kiss in her direction.

Harper's eyes widened, and she felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck. Ella, sitting beside her, let out an huff.

"Did he seriously just—?"

But before Ella could finish her sentence, Harper's attention snapped to the ice, where both Lucas and Connor had clearly seen the whole thing. Connor's expression had darkened, and Lucas looked like he was ready to beat the shit out of Ryan.

Connor and Lucas exchanged a glance, and Harper could tell they were both seething. As the referee blew the whistle for a timeout, Connor skated over to where Ryan was standing and said something low and sharp. Ryan just smirked, clearly enjoying riling them up.

Ella leaned over to Harper. "This is going to get ugly."

Harper groaned. "Great. Just what we need—more drama."

The rest of the game was tense, with both teams pushing harder, the rivalry intensifying with each passing minute. Harper's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Lucas and Connor work together on the ice, their focus razor-sharp, determined not to let the rival team win.

But she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling of being dragged into the middle of it all. Ryan's taunt had sparked something between Connor and Lucas, and Harper had a feeling this wasn't over.

As the final buzzer sounded and Wellington won by a single goal, the crowd erupted in cheers, but Harper's attention was on Connor, his jaw tight as he skated off the ice. Something told her the rivalry between Wellington and their opponents had just gotten a whole lot more personal.