I sighed in relief, recognizing his voice instantly. "Yeah, man," I replied, pressing my back against the cold tiles of the shower stall. "Wait, how could you tell it was me?" Jules laughed. "Honestly? Your green eyes show even through the frost." "Holy shit." My response was more of a startled whisper. I hadn't realized the frosted glass was that see-through. The implications of that were a little unnerving. I turned my back slightly, feeling suddenly exposed. "I didn't realize it was that see-through," I remarked, trying to keep my tone casual and my voice deep. Jules' laughter rang out again, and I could almost picture his amused expression. "Yeah, that's why they added the extra half wall. The folks who remodeled messed up and used the wrong glass on the last one." I chuckled, trying to hide my anxiety. The thought that someone could have seen more than just my eyes was unsettling. I ran a hand through the water streaming down my face, pushing back the damp strands of hair.

"Okay," Adrien began, tapping the book with his pen. "Hockey has offense and defense. You have six players on the ice per team. Three forwards, two defensemen, and a goalie. The forwards are responsible for scoring goals, while the defensemen focus on stopping the other team from scoring. The goalie, obviously, is the last line of defense." I nodded, trying to visualize what he was describing. It seemed straightforward enough, but the speed and intensity of the game had always intimidated me. "So, what am I expected to do?" I asked, hoping he would say everything simple. Adrien smiled, understanding my apprehension. "You'll probably be put in as a forward, but don't worry. You won't play much, especially not until you've been to a practice or two. It's more about getting familiar with the game, seeing how you move on the ice." He flipped to a page with diagrams of the different positions. "The easiest position for someone new is probably right wing. You stick to the side, focus on

The crowd erupted as the puck dropped to start the game, the noise echoing through the arena like a thunderstorm. Adrien took control from the get-go, weaving through defenders with ease, handling the stick like it was an extension of his body. He made play after play, darting up and down the ice, setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities. When Adrien scored the first goal, the crowd went wild. He skated by the stands, flashing that charming smile, his stick raised high in celebration. His confidence was contagious. The more he played, the more it felt like he was the engine driving the team forward. Thomas didn't last long before he was sent to the penalty box for tripping. It was almost funny how quickly the referees caught him, but there was no denying the aggression in his plays. Alec and Kris worked together seamlessly, even if they often switched sides, confusing the coach and the other team. At one point, the coach had to yell at them to stick to their designated z

"Hey," Adrien breathed out, his eyes widening a fraction. "I was wondering if anyone was still awake. Come talk to me." Swallowing hard, I stuttered, "Well, I need to shower…" He looked at the communal shower room with evident disgust written across his face. "I bet it is nasty as hell in there right now. Just shower in my room," he suggested quickly, leading the way. We walked down to the floor below, and he opened the door to a room much larger than any student accommodation had any right to be. Arms wrapped tightly around my chest, I followed him inside, my teeth practically chattering from nerves more than the cold. "You cold?" Adrien asked, eyeing me curiously. "Yeah, I'm Southern, remember?" I tried to joke and deflect. Adrien chuckled. "Yeah, it's pretty clear every time you open your mouth." I excused myself, claiming I needed another jacket, but I returned to my room to put on my binder. I tiptoed around a still-sleeping Alec, quickly pulling the binder over my head. T

As I walked back to the dorm with the box in my hand, a wave of anxiety washed over me. The box's contents felt like a ticking bomb. "Hey guys, where are you all headed?" I stammered out, trying to sound casual as Kris, Bear, and Alec intercepted me in the stairwell. "Back to bed," Kris replied with a lazy grin. "I'm ready to crash again." Bear grunted in agreement, the sentiment clearly mutual. Alec, who had been silent up until now, eyed the box under my arm with suspicion. "And where are you going with that?" he asked. I scrambled for a plausible excuse. "Oh, I was just heading back to change for class... This? It's just some extra stuff the nurse insisted I have, you know, with me being so new and not used to the weather and all..." The words tumbled out in a hurried jumble, sounding less convincing than I'd hoped. Alec squinted slightly, clearly not buying it. "Why are you going to class?" he asked. "Because I don't want to get in trouble?" I replied, the question sounding