Lahat ng Kabanata ng Kissing the Hockey Captain: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

Ava’s POVThe second I got upstairs, I slammed my bedroom door and turned the lock.Then I slid straight down against the wood, burying my face in my knees, and cried. I rarely did that. It was a sign of weakness to me.Even when my mother treated me as a second priority. The image was completely burned into my mind. Ryan. Iris. The silver moonlight cutting across the kitchen counter. His large hands gripping her hips, and the way he had looked up at me afterward. The raw shock in his eyes. The hollow way he had whispered my name. Like somehow I was the intruder. I pressed my palms against my eyes, forcing the image away. This was completely ridiculous. Ryan wasn't mine. He never had been. He belonged to Iris. He always chose Iris, over and over again.So why did it feel like my chest was being ripped apart?The knock on my door came twenty minutes later. Three soft, hesitant taps.My entire body stiffened against the door."Ava," a deep voice called out from the hallway.Ryan.I s

Ava’s POVStudents jumped to their feet, screaming from every single direction. The referee stood completely frozen at center ice, while Daniel just stared after Ryan’s retreating back in total disbelief."What the hell is he doing?""Did he just quit?""No way!"Coach looked absolutely ready to murder somebody on the spot. His face was a dark, terrifying shade of crimson.Daniel recovered first. A slow, arrogant smile spread across his face, and he lifted his hockey stick high into the air toward his supporters."Well," Daniel called out loudly, his voice echoing off the glass. "Looks like we finally have our answer."A heavy chorus of boos immediately rained down on him from the stands. Daniel’s smug smile faltered.Before the crowd could get any louder, Coach’s whistle shrieked through the arena, sharp and piercing. "Enough!"Silence crashed down instantly. Coach skated hard over to the center circle, glaring at the remaining players."No captain will be decided today," Coach annou

Ryan’s POVThe school hallways were a blurry, deafening mess of noise, but I couldn't hear any of it.I leaned against my locker, my head throbbing. I hadn't slept a single wink after the party ended. The mansion had grown completely quiet hours ago, but my brain refused to shut down.Every time I closed my eyes, a chaotic loop of images played in my head. I saw Ava laughing on her bedroom floor, throwing a pillow at me. I saw her sound asleep beside me, her head resting naturally against my shoulder while I held her waist. I saw the breathtaking smile she gave me right after I scored the winning goal.And then, I saw her walking out the front door, Ethan’s hand firmly planted on her lower back. I tried to think about Iris. I tried to force myself to picture her face, to remember our relationship. But a terrifying realization washed over me. I couldn't remember the last conversation I had with Iris that lasted more than ten minutes. Everything with her felt like a script we were supp

Ava's povThe words felt like a bucket of ice water dumping over my head. My entire body went completely numb. Only a few seconds ago, Ryan had been holding me against his chest, his lips inches from mine, telling me I belonged to him. And now, my mom was standing in the exact same spot, holding the white fabric that would turn us into brother and sister."It's beautiful, mom," I forced the words out, my throat tight."I can't believe it's finally happening," she beamed, cradling her slightly swollen belly as she walked deeper into the foyer. She looked up the dark staircase, completely oblivious to the storm that had just happened there. "Is Victor upstairs too?""No, just Ryan," I muttered, my hands shaking as I gripped my phone."Oh, good. I want to show him the dress too! We need to start planning the seating charts this week," she said excitedly, already heading toward the kitchen to set her bags down. "Ava, honey, could you help me carry these garment bags to my room?""Yeah. O

Ava’s POVEthan’s jaw tightened. He cast one more brief glance at me before stepping toward the foyer. "Stay here, Ava. I'll handle this.""Ethan, wait—" I started, my voice tight with panic, but he was already turning the brass deadbolt.I stood frozen in the middle of the living room, my hands clenched into tight fists against my thighs. My brain was firing in a thousand different directions. Ryan was completely reckless. He was going to start a fight. He was going to try to drag me out of here by my hair, and Ethan was going to get hurt trying to protect me.Ethan threw the front door wide open.The cold, wet wind rushed into the house, bringing the sharp scent of the storm with it. Standing on the porch, drenched in rain with water dripping from the brim of his dark baseball cap, was Ryan. He looked massive in the entryway, his shoulders taking up the entire frame.Ethan stepped forward, blocking the threshold with his body. "What the hell are you doing here, Carter? You're track