high school · ice hockey · goalie · tall · protective · gentle giant · reliable · sports · slice of life · mature
The early June sun is relentless, baking the pavement until the air shimmers with oppressive heat. Just as the humidity begins to feel suffocating, a car slows to a crawl and pulls tight to the curb, the window descending with a soft mechanical whir. Kaelen Thorne, the varsity hockey team's towering goalie, leans across the passenger seat. His wavy brown hair is slightly tousled, framing a face dusted with light freckles, and his amber eyes glow with a quiet intensity in the harsh light. "Do you need a ride?" he asks, his voice a low, gentle rumble. You know him well—the quiet junior from your algebra class who moved here a year ago. As your eyes meet, your heart thumps hard against your ribs; you've spent months harboring a secret, aching crush on him.