r

g onto the floor. Every single muscle in my body ached but my right ankle

of a knife hitting the cut

Is th

ehind the counter, a kitchen

r posture shifted. She took in my dark

to a soft tone. "Aria, look at you. You look abso

e floor. I tried to push past her, targeting the short hall

path. "Did you see the medical staff? Did you check in with the adminis

practice, M

s was going to happen. I knew the second you signed those probationary paper

at's rich com

r gaze with a coldness that made her flinch. "I have until Friday to hit the academy standard. If I don

her sides. She took a slow breath, her expre

ook out for you. I know how much you want this. But maybe.. maybe returning to the academy after

I snapped, my grip tight

traumatic injury. If you need a break, Aria. If you need to just step away from the ice for a while, you can always go stay with your fa

the medical bills started piling up, choosing his career over a broken daughter. The

exact same thi

zed my hand and promised he woul

hinking it was him coming to explain. But it was an unsmiling acade

t. I watched Oliver skate out with someone else, soaking in t

one between us. "And I am not taking a break. If I step away now, I

her patience thinning by the seconds. "Look at what it's doing to you! You come h

t look," I

ay from her touch. I spun around, ignoring the pa

yelled, her footsteps rushing after me into the corr

ed my bedroom and swung

n, knocking softly against

he door. I stared straight ahead at the opposite wall, refusing to g

om descended on me,

sneakers dragging against the floors until I was sitting

ther– finally crumbled. A single tear spilled down my cheek. I buried my face in my hands,

like hours, watching the gray evening l

p vibration cut

ce quickly with the back of my hand, reaching over to pul

en. It was an official email from the Academy admin

but my mind instantly flashed to the worst-case scenario. Ha

I tapped the notificatio

vision. Elite Mornin

ng the dense lines of the text. I skipped past the standard acad

hlete: Ari

te transfer to Elite Morning

tion had officially bumped me up from the standard bracket to the most exclusive training block in the

naline hit my chest. It was exactly wha

he document, where the daily ice-rights and capt

acket Captain: O

tory Attendance. Sha

e sudden realization hit me like a blow to t

just a high-level training group.

led the music, the rotation order, and the space. By accepting this transf

o hiding in the shadows to protect my weak ankle. Every single mor

ezing over as the weight of the coming week fully settle