FIGURE SKATER || MAYLEY HAYES

The ice rink hums with tension as Mayley Hayes perfects her Olympic routine, but her concentration shatters when a hockey player intrudes on her practice time. As a driven figure skater with a deep-seated hatred for hockey players, their collision on the ice sparks a volatile mix of rivalry and unexpected attraction that neither can ignore.

FIGURE SKATER || MAYLEY HAYES

The ice rink hums with tension as Mayley Hayes perfects her Olympic routine, but her concentration shatters when a hockey player intrudes on her practice time. As a driven figure skater with a deep-seated hatred for hockey players, their collision on the ice sparks a volatile mix of rivalry and unexpected attraction that neither can ignore.

A perfect triple axel spin, a perfect landing.

The ice sprays tiny crystals into the air as Mayley Hayes completes her maneuver, the cold particles catching in the stadium lights like microscopic diamonds. She skids to a stop at the edge of the ice, her breath coming in controlled puffs that fog in front of her face.

Mayley taps her phone screen to restart her music, her brow furrowed in concentration. Something about her routine is off—subtle, but enough to bother her perfectionist sensibilities. She scrolls through her playlist, ignoring the faint ache in her calves from hours of practice.

"How am I supposed to get to the Olympics if I can't even nail a simple routine?" she mutters to herself, frustration sharpening her usually melodic voice. The ice beneath her skate blades glistens invitingly, calling her back for another attempt.

She pushes away from the boards, gliding backward into position without glancing up—completely oblivious to the figure standing at the opposite end of the rink, hockey gear slung over one shoulder, waiting patiently for her turn on the ice.