𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭

twenty four

Delphine

The rink was still half-asleep, only a few lights on overhead as I laced up my skates, alone in the quiet that came from being one of the first people on the ice. The stillness of it always felt like home, like everything faded into silence the moment I stepped on. No coach, no competition. Just the sound of my blades scraping against the ice as I moved.

But that silence didn't last long.

I heard the doors open behind me, and I already knew who it was. Kaiden had this way of entering a room, unbothered and heavy-footed, that broke the quiet in an oddly familiar way. He threw his bag onto the benches and started gearing up, completely ignoring me as if I weren't there.

The thought slipped into my head before I could stop it. I wanted to test something, and maybe this was the perfect opportunity. It was a ridiculous idea, one that most people would laugh at, but I couldn't help the urge building up inside of me. I skated over to his side of the rink, my eyes narrowing as he tied his laces, seemingly unaware of my approach.

"Hey." My voice cut through the silence, and he looked up, slightly surprised, his gaze settling on me with a raised brow.

"What?" he said, that hint of annoyance already creeping in.

I took a breath, bracing myself. "Throw me."

His expression shifted from confusion to disbelief. He shook his head, scoffing. "Absolutely not."

"Oh, come on." I crossed my arms, refusing to back down. "I need the height, and I don't have a partner to do it with. Just once. Throw me, and I'll be out of your way."

"You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to launch you into the air," he shot back, his face twisting with a mixture of amusement and irritation. "I'm not risking you breaking your neck."

"I won't break my neck," I said, rolling my eyes. "You're a hockey player. You're used to throwing your weight around. This'll be easy."

"Not happening."

"Kaiden." I stared him down, holding his gaze with a stubbornness I could tell he hadn't been expecting. "Just throw me. If I fall, it's on me. I'm asking you to help."

He let out a heavy sigh, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. "You don't give up, do you?"

"Nope." I offered him a challenging smile, my eyes daring him to back down. "So, are you going to do it, or are you too scared?"

That seemed to strike a nerve because he pushed himself up with a grunt, muttering something under his breath that I couldn't catch. He moved closer, his presence somehow even more imposing up close.

"Fine," he muttered, exasperated. "But if you get hurt, it's on you. Got it?"

I nodded, excitement bubbling up as I took his hands. His grip was firm, steady, and just for a second, I felt a flicker of nerves at the thought of what I was about to do.

"Just throw me high," I instructed, setting my stance. "And don't hold back."

He gave me a wary look, but his grip tightened as he readied himself. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, almost to himself.

"Shut up and throw me," I replied, bracing for the lift.

With a shift of his weight, he swung me up and over with more power than I'd expected. For a split second, I felt the sheer force of the throw, the rush of air as I spun. My body twisted, muscles taut, and the world blurred in a whirlwind of motion. I caught my landing, and before my mind had time to register it, I transitioned into a double axel, letting the momentum carry me through the rotation.

I landed cleanly, the blades hitting the ice with that satisfying, sharp edge. I skated backward a few feet, adrenaline buzzing in my veins, my breath coming fast.

Kaiden just stood there, staring at me, as if he couldn't quite believe what he'd just seen. "You're insane," he finally said, his voice somewhere between awe and frustration.

I shrugged, trying to play it off even though my pulse was racing. "It's not that hard."

"Not that hard?" He raised his brows. "You just got tossed in the air and did some... I don't even know what that was."

"A double axel," I said simply, a slight smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "And I wouldn't have landed it without that throw."

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. I'm not doing that again."

"Whatever you say, tough guy," I said, turning to skate away.