My face burned as Leo’s laughter cut through the noise of the celebration.\n\n‘You? Like me?’ He grinned, nudging his teammate. ‘That’s adorable.’\n\nThe party swirled around me—strobe lights, pounding bass, the clink of beer bottles—but I was frozen. My confession, whispered after weeks of courage, had become a punchline.\n\nI stumbled out the back door into the freezing night, clutching my notebook like it could shield me. Snow dusted the rink beyond the party tent. I didn’t see him at first—the shadow leaning against the maintenance shed.\n\nTroy. Captain. Legend. Smirking like he knew exactly what just happened.\n\n‘So,’ he said, voice low, ‘you really thought Prince Perfect would fall for the girl who alphabetizes penalty stats?’\n\nI glared. ‘Go to hell.’\n\nHe pushed off the wall, stepping closer. ‘Or… I help you make him jealous. Make him regret it. But you do everything I say.’\n\nMy breath fogged in the air. This was insane. Dangerous.\n\nBut humiliation still stung. And Troy’s eyes held something worse than mockery—pity.\n\nI lifted my chin. ‘What’s the first rule?’\n\nHe smiled, slow and sharp. ‘You don’t ask. You obey.’\n\nNow I had a choice: walk away and stay invisible… or step into the fire.