In the heart of Harvard, Alessia Gilmore is ready to embrace her second year and the independence it brings. After a summer spent reconnecting with friends and discovering herself, she's determined to step out of her twin sister Rory's shadow and ca...
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As they walked back from the rink, Riley and Beau moved through the cool night air, the quiet of campus settling around them. The game had been intense—probably would be one of the toughest of the season so far. Riley still felt the adrenaline lingering, each step grounding him back into the calm rhythm of his everyday life.
"Man," Beau said, running a hand through his messy hair, "that last quarter was brutal. Quinn was ready to knock someone's teeth out. I swear, that guy's practically a human wrecking ball."
Riley snickered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Quinn wouldn't be Quinn without throwing at least a few punches. And Avery—he's just as bad, always staring down opponents. You'd think he was trying to start fights telepathically."
Beau laughed, nudging Riley's shoulder lightly. "Hey, maybe he is. He's got that intense look down. Well, when he's actually focused, anyway..."
Riley raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Speaking of Avery's focus... did you catch him in the third period?"
"Oh yeah, he was locked in," Beau replied, not fully catching on.
Riley tilted his head, giving Beau a knowing look. "No, I mean, he was staring at that guy on the Bulls. Number 24, the one with the dark hair."
Beau blinked, clearly surprised. "Really? Like, he knew him?"
"That's what it looked like," Riley said thoughtfully. "He skated past him at least five times, and each time, he was totally distracted, like he was seeing someone he didn't expect. Honestly, it could've cost us a goal if Quinn hadn't been so quick to step in."
Beau frowned, pulling open the door to their dorm building as they stepped inside, the warmth immediately washing over them. "Guess it's not every day you run into someone like that in the middle of a game. Whatever it was, Avery seemed completely thrown off."
"Yeah," Riley agreed, glancing at Beau as they headed up the stairs. "Makes you wonder what's going on there."
They exchanged a look, both of them curious but knowing it wasn't their place to pry. Still, they couldn't help but be intrigued by the mystery of it. Their voices and laughter faded into the hallway as they walked back to the quiet comfort of their dorm rooms, sharing a small, private smile before parting, both still buzzing from the game and the unexpected tension in Avery's gaze.
