𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭

thirty six

Delphine

I arrived at the rink early, the chilled air hitting my face as I tied my skates by the boards.

Today wasn't about training or perfecting routines; it was a break, a small moment to let loose and just enjoy being on the ice. Eliza, Ethan, and Kaiden showed up not long after, carrying extra energy from the weekend.

Eliza beamed at me, waving her stick in my direction. "Ready to get your ass kicked, Delphine?"

"Shouldn't you be saying that to Kaiden?" I replied, smirking. "You're paired with Ethan, remember?"

Kaiden snorted, glancing at me. "Guess you're stuck with me, champ."

I rolled my eyes but didn't mind. As I laced up my skates tighter, I noticed the flicker of a smile on his face. There was something about seeing him so relaxed, without the hard look of focus he always carried.

We picked our sides quickly—Eliza and Ethan against Kaiden and me—and decided on the basic rules: first to score three goals wins, minimal checking since Eliza was still learning hockey, and, of course, no one could use their full power.

Not that it stopped Kaiden and Ethan from giving each other warning glares, daring the other to test their limits.

"Don't worry, Delphine," Kaiden said, nudging me with his shoulder. "I'll keep it easy."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Just don't slow me down."

The game started, and for the first time in a while, it felt like we were just a group of friends. No expectations, no competitions, just laughter and skates scraping against the ice.

Ethan won the puck from the first faceoff, weaving past Kaiden with surprising skill. He passed it to Eliza, who stumbled slightly but quickly recovered, charging toward the goal with a fierce determination in her eyes.

"Get her, Kaiden!" I called, skating alongside him.

He darted in, intercepting Eliza's path, but not before she shot the puck toward the goal. I managed to stop it just in time, blocking the goal with my stick and sending it flying back toward Ethan. He grinned, clearly enjoying the challenge, and tried to deke around me.

"You're not getting past that easily," I warned, catching his move and snatching the puck back.

Skating down the ice, I passed the puck to Kaiden, who took a clean shot toward the goal. Ethan tried to block it but missed, and the puck slid right past him.

"One-zero!" Kaiden announced with a grin, holding his stick high like he'd scored the game-winner in a real match.

Eliza gave him a playful shove. "Don't get cocky, McAllister."

We reset, and this time I was more aggressive. As the game went on, I found myself moving faster, instinct kicking in as I dodged and wove around Ethan and Eliza's sticks.

Kaiden stayed close by, his movements quick and sharp, his focus narrowed. The puck came back my way, and I caught it cleanly, passing it to him just in time for him to take another shot. It clanged against the boards, just missing the goal.

"Almost had it," he muttered, shaking his head.

I shrugged, skating over to him. "Don't worry, I've got it covered."

Our eyes met, and I felt a strange jolt, but I shook it off. This was just for fun. I could enjoy it without overthinking every interaction, right? The banter continued, each of us talking trash and shouting across the rink, the echo of our laughter filling the space.

By the time we scored another goal, Ethan looked winded. He skated over to Eliza, muttering something under his breath, but she just grinned and pushed him back into the game.

"Come on, Delphine! Don't let them take it easy on us!" she called, her voice daring.

I glanced at Kaiden, smirking. "Guess we'd better give them a real challenge."

He nodded, and we shared a quick fist bump before diving back into the game. The pace picked up, the air filling with our laughter and taunts. I was having more fun than I'd had in ages, each pass and move coming effortlessly. For once, I didn't feel the pressure to be perfect; I was just playing, letting myself get lost in the rhythm.

But Ethan was a quick learner. He closed in on me fast, using his larger frame to try to cut me off. I slipped past him, stealing the puck back just as he reached for it, then passed it up to Kaiden, who took another shot and scored.

"Three-zero. Guess that means we win," I said, raising an eyebrow at Ethan and Eliza, who were laughing and out of breath.

Ethan dropped his stick dramatically. "Rematch. We need a rematch."

Eliza nodded. "This time, I want Kaiden on my team. He's got that killer instinct."

I laughed, watching as Kaiden rolled his eyes but shrugged. "Fine with me," he said, glancing at me. "Ready to be my competition?"

I gave him a mock salute. "Bring it on."

The teams switched up, and we played another round. This time, it was Kaiden against me more directly, and the challenge lit a fire under me.

I wasn't about to let him win easily. Every time he got close, I pushed harder, skating faster, taking risks I normally wouldn't in practice. He matched my energy, and for a while, it felt like it was just the two of us, locked in a silent battle.

He stole the puck from me once, sending a cocky grin my way, but I quickly stole it back, sticking my tongue out at him as I darted down the ice. It was exhilarating, the way we moved around each other like it was all part of some unspoken dance.

After what felt like ages, Eliza and Ethan called it a day, their faces flushed as they skated over to the boards, collapsing in a fit of laughter. I slowed down, catching my breath as I watched them.

Kaiden skated over to me, his expression unreadable but softer somehow. "You're not half bad, you know that?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Only half?"

He chuckled, and for a moment, there was no tension, no rivalry—just a simple, shared moment between us. I looked away, feeling warmth spread through my chest that I tried to ignore.

"Let's do this again sometime," he said, his tone light, but there was a challenge in his eyes.

I smirked. "Only if you're ready to lose again."

As we skated off the ice together, I felt a rare sense of ease, like maybe, just maybe, I could let my guard down every once in a while. And that thought, though a little terrifying, didn't feel so bad.