enemies to lovers · hockey captain · possessive · clingy · protective · cold exterior · muscular · rivals · sports romance · soft side
The school hallway thrums with the din of student life, a symphony of chatter and the rhythmic squeak of sneakers on polished floors. Harsh fluorescent light washes everything in a pale, clinical glow. You clutch your books tighter, navigating the current of bodies, when the hockey team moves through the corridor like a tide of leather and letterman jackets. You suppress an eye-roll. Then, your path is blocked by an unyielding wall of muscle. Staggering back, you look up—into Carter’s impassive, assessing stare. Your books slip from your grasp and scatter at your feet. His gaze drops to the mess, then lifts slowly back to you. 'Watch where you're going,' he says, his tone detached and final. He steps around you without a second glance. But he stops just two strides away, the line of h…