All Chapters of Hearts on Ice: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

The problem with fear was that it never really left. It waited quietly and patiently. Then the moment it saw an opening, came back."We should talk privately."The words echoed in Viktor's head long after they were spoken and the courtyard still existed around him. Students still talked, the ceremony still continued, the championship trophy still sat nearby, but suddenly none of it felt real anymore.Only those four words. His mother turned first then his father followed and Viktor moved automatically.Like he always had, like he had been trained to and Lukas saw it immediately.The slight lowering of his head, the stiffness in his shoulders…the way his hands clenched, the way he stopped looking like Viktor and started looking like somebody much younger…somebody smaller. Viktor took one step, then another and Lukas followed immediately."No." His mother's voice stopped him and her words were soft and polite but cold."This is a family matter." Lukas felt something ugly rise inside hi

Nobody stopped Viktor's parents. Not because they couldn't but because nobody wanted to. They had done enough and they deserved all they were getting.The courtyard remained quiet as the team walked off then the parents left. His mother walked first and his father followed.Neither looked back. Not even once.The expensive shoes disappeared down the pathway and eventually vanished completely.And just like that, they were gone.The silence they left behind lingered longer than anyone expected and then the university president cleared his throat.Nobody looked at him.Nobody because honestly? What exactly was he supposed to say after that?The man adjusted his tie nervously then ran after the team and looked directly at Viktor."I..." The sentence died immediately as Viktor didn't look at him once. The president laughed nervously and tried again."I apologize." Still, he said nothing but he continued."I had no idea." Still nothing. The man looked genuinely horrified now. Like Viktor w

The scouts arrived like sharks. Not loud and not even dramatic. Just calm people in expensive suits carrying clipboards that contained lives and somehow looked more terrifying than hockey sticks.They felt the entire room change around them immediately.Nikola looked a slight moment from launching himself off the bench and Joshua kept fixing his hair. Twice, then three more times. Even Coach straightened slightly only Lukas didn't.He kept untying his skates slowly and carefully. Like none of this had anything to do with him because honestly?It probably didn't. Not after the emails, not after the empty inbox and not after refreshing the same page over and over until he hated himself for hoping.Across the room, Viktor watched him and something still felt wrong…really wrong but before he could say anything—One of the scouts approached Coach. The man extended a hand."Coach." Coach shook it and the scout smiled. "I've heard a lot about your team." But Coach snorted."My condolences."

By the time the meeting with the scouts finally ended, everybody looked emotionally exhausted because the National team discussions apparently involved far too many words, too many explanations and entirely too many forms.There were requirements, evaluations, training schedules, selection camps and nothing was guaranteed. Absolutely nothing.Nobody was promised a spot, everything would be earned.Again.Nikola had called it "championship part two" and spent ten straight minutes lying face-down on the floor afterward then eventually everybody went home.Well…Stumbled home.The apartment door had barely closed behind them when Lukas dropped his bag and turned around so quickly he nearly tripped over his own feet."We have scouts." Viktor blinked confused at the start."We do.""No." Lukas pointed dramatically. "We have damn scouts.""We still do.""And… they fought over me.""They did.""They were arguing.""They were.""They knew my name." At that point Viktor smiled because for once

The apartment stayed quiet after that. The email was still open on Nikola's phone, its bright screen illuminating the kitchen table while his cereal sat abandoned beside it. The milk had completely ruined it now and one piece had somehow attached itself to the side of the bowl.Nikola stared at the email anyway, totally ignoring everything else.Eight months in another country, very far away.The words looked exactly the same as they had ten minutes ago but somehow they felt heavier now and the kitchen suddenly seemed too small. The walls felt closer and the familiar apartment he'd lived in for months looked strange somehow. Different.Elias quietly put the groceries away one by one, leaving Nikola to enjoy his silence. From bread, to the juice he loved and the vegetables Nikola insisted he got.Neither of them spoke as the refrigerator door closed with a soft sound. Elias turned around and Nikola still hadn't moved.He was sitting in the same position, phone in one hand and spoon in