​I had spent extra hours glamming up today. It was my two-year anniversary with my boyfriend, Ashton-cole. I clutched my bag, my heart doing little flips at the thought of kissing him on the lips. ​I spun my locker humming joyfully as I turned the lock. ​A picture fell out of my locker. I picked it up, a small smile forming on my face, thinking it was a surprise anniversary note from Ashton. ​Instead, I received the absolute shock of my life. ​It was Ashton, his hands wrapped around the waist of Bella Williams, the school's reigning queen bee, as he kissed her passionately against his car. ​Hot, blinding tears instantly rushed to my eyes. Who put this here? On our anniversary? ​"What's that? Give it here," Janice said, noticing my sudden silence. She snatched the picture from my hand. The moment her eyes landed on it, her mouth dropped open. "How dare he... How dare he do this to you?!" ​"I... I don't know..." I choked out. ​The dam broke, and I burst into heavy tears. Janice immediately wrapped her arms around me, pulling me tight against her chest. ​"Shhhh, you deserve so much better, Kat. Please don't cry," she whispered fiercely. After a moment, she pulled back, gently wiping my cheeks. "Wipe your tears. Let's go to class." ​"Janice, I don't know if I can..." I whispered, my voice trembling. ​"Oh, you will." Janice firmly arranged my messy hair and grabbed my hand. "We are going in there." ​But the moment the classroom door opened, my heart shattered into a million more pieces. ​There was Ashton. Sitting at his desk, completely unbothered, giggling with Bella about God knows what. ​A sudden, hot wave of fury washed over my grief. Before Janice could stop me, I yanked my sleeve from her grip and marched straight toward them. ​"What is the meaning of this, Ashton?!" I demanded, as I slammed the picture onto the desk right in front of him. ​The room went dead silent. ​Ashton looked down at the photo, then looked up at me. There wasn't a single shred of guilt in his eyes. Instead, a cold, arrogant smirk crawled onto his lips. ​"Oh. It's a visual representation of our love," he spat carelessly. "Look, I'm done with you, Katherine. You're no longer on my level, and honestly? You're just so boring." ​My jaw dropped. The betrayal felt like a physical blow to the stomach. "Really? You didn't know that for the two years we were together?" ​"I never loved you. I was just playing with you," he said, leaning back in his chair as if he hadn't just destroyed my world. "So move on and stop bothering us." ​Bella smirked beside him, flipping her perfect hair over her shoulder. "Yes, loser. You heard him." ​Instantly, the entire class erupted into cruel laughter. Janice surged forward, aggressively dragging me back toward our seats in the row. ​"You shouldn't have confronted him, girl," Janice whispered softly, soothingly rubbing my back. ​But as I sat there, staring blankly at my desk, a tiny part of me was glad I did. At least now I knew the truth. I had been in love with a monster. ​The teacher walked in a moment later, starting a lecture on quadratic equations. But the numbers and lines just blurred together through my unshed tears. I just wanted to disappear. ​The second the bell rang, I shoved my books into my bag and practically bolted for the exit. Janice was right on my heels. ​"I want to go home," I told her, my voice cracking the moment we hit the hallway. "I can't stay here anymore." ​"Okay. I'll take you home," she said, absolute care and protectiveness shining in her eyes. ​"No, you shouldn't miss school because of me. Take your car, I'll walk..." ​"Come on," Janice interrupted, grabbing my arm. "We're best friends. I am with you through this." ​She led me out to the parking lot, and we drove away from the hellhole that was our high school. The moment we reached my bedroom,thankfully empty since my parents were at work,I collapsed onto my bed and burst into violent tears. Janice held me through all of it. ​"He doesn't deserve a single one of your tears," she said fiercely hours later, handing me a tissue. ​"I know," I sniffled, looking at the ceiling. "I just feel like such a fool. To think... I even got him a beautiful anniversary present." ​"Well, trash it." ​"I'm not going to show my face in school for weeks," I muttered, pulling the covers over my face. "I feel so ashamed. And I'm definitely not attending the big hockey game this evening." ​"No, love." Janice forcefully yanked the covers off my face. "You are not going to hide away like a victim. And yes, you are absolutely attending that game this evening. You must show that worthless piece of trash that you don't care." ​"But how can I even walk in there alone?" ​"You won't look alone, and you will look like an absolute goddess," Janice said, a dangerous spark in her eye. She dragged me out of bed by my hands. "Get up and wipe your face. We are going to the mall right now to get a killer revenge outfit." ​Despite my heavy protests, Janice practically threw me into the passenger seat. ​Thirty minutes later, I was standing in front of the three-way mirror of a high-end boutique, staring at my reflection in complete shock. ​"It looks so good on you, Kat!" Janice squealed, jumping joyfully like a child. ​"I don't know, Janice..." I turned around uncomfortably. "The gown is so short. And it's hugging my body so tightly. I've never worn anything like this." ​"Nonsense. Pair it with this," she said, tossing a sleek, cropped black leather jacket over my shoulders. ​I slid my arms into the sleeves and looked in the mirror again. ​Janice gasped. "Bitch! You look like an absolute badass! Now, we are going to pair it with your knee-high leather boots, and Ashton won't even be able to breathe when you walk past." ​"Mmmm," I murmured, a tiny, reluctant smirk touching my lips, though a part of me just wanted to crawl back into bed. ​We paid for the outfit, and I clutched the shopping bag tightly as we headed toward the mall's grand exit. I was so lost in my own head, drowning in thoughts of tonight's game, that I wasn't looking where I was going. ​Oof! ​My shoulder slammed into a solid, unyielding chest. The force of the impact knocked me clean off balance. I gasped, bracing myself for the hard tile floor, but before I could fall, a pair of large, heavy hands shot out and caught me firmly by the waist. ​The grip was strong, holding me effortlessly. ​I looked up, my angry gaze meeting a towering, broad-shared guy. He was wearing a baseball cap pulled low and a pair of dark designer sunglasses inside the mall. ​The sheer arrogance of his look ignited the leftover fire from my heartbreak. I forcefully yanked myself out of his grip. ​"You should take off those ridiculous glasses and watch where you're going, you pervert!" I snapped, my voice dripping with venom. ​"Easy, Katherine," Janice whispered anxiously beside me, her eyes widening as she stared at the stranger. ​But the guy didn't get angry. Instead, a slow, deeply amused chuckle vibrated from his chest. He looked around the quiet corridor of the mall, making sure no one was watching, and slowly slid the dark sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. ​His piercing eyes locked onto mine. ​"Pervert?" he repeated, his voice smooth, confident, and entirely too attractive. He raised a dark eyebrow, a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "You really don't know who I am?"

I don't care who you are. Just watch where you're going next time," I snapped, turning on my heel and marching toward the exit. ​Janice scrambled to follow right behind me. "Such an annoying dude," I muttered, my cheeks still burning from his intense gaze. ​"Annoying, but dangerously cute, girl," Janice responded, nudging my shoulder as we reached her car. She unlocked the doors, and we slid inside. ​"That's the problem with you,you get easily attracted to strange guys," I told her, clicking my seatbelt into place. ​"Ouch! But he is cute, babes. Admit it." ​"No, he's not!" I lied, turning my face toward the window to hide my expression. But deep down, I knew the truth. He was undeniably attractive. Those piercing eyes were incredibly sexy, but I was completely, utterly done with men. One had just shattered my heart into pieces; I wasn't about to let another near me. ​When we reached my house, Janice pulled up to the curb. "I'll pick you up in a bit so get ready for the game." ​"Okay, babes," I said, offering a weak smile before heading inside. ​The house was quiet, but I found my mom sitting in the living room. "Oh, hello, honey," she greeted, looking up from her book. ​"Hi, Mom," I responded, my voice carrying a heavy weight I couldn't quite mask. ​"Oh, sweetie..." She immediately stood up, her maternal instincts kicking in as she rushed over to me. "Have you been crying? What's wrong?" ​"Ashton and I broke up," I whispered. ​I expected her to be shocked, but instead, she wrapped her arms around me, gently stroking my hair. "It's okay, baby. To be completely honest, your father and I never liked him for you anyway. You deserve someone who treasures you." ​Hearing her say that brought a tiny bit of comfort to my aching chest. "I'll be fine, Mom." ​"Have you had anything to eat?" ​"Yes," I lied. I didn't have a single shred of an appetite, but I needed to get upstairs. "I'm going to go get ready for the game." ​I went up to my room, took a long, hot shower, and stepped out with a towel wrapped tightly around my body. I was in the middle of curling my hair in front of the vanity mirror when my phone beeped on the counter. ​Be there in a few minutes, the text from Janice read. ​Panic surged through me, forcing me to move faster. I quickly did my makeup, stepped into the outfit we picked earlier. When Janice honked outside, I waved goodbye to my mom and walked out. ​Janice's jaw practically dropped when I climbed into the passenger seat. "You look so incredibly good, girl!" ​"You too, Janice," I told her, smiling despite the heavy knot of anxiety twisting in my stomach. ​As we drove toward the arena, the reality of the situation began to set in. I was going to watch my ex-boyfriend play hockey on the exact night he brutally dumped me. Was I making a massive mistake? ​"I know exactly what you're thinking, but we are not turning around," Janice said sternly, keeping her eyes on the road. ​"I just feel so anxious, Janice. What if people stare?" ​"Well, you look beautiful, and that should boost your confidence. Trust me, the moment he sees you, he's going to regret letting you go." ​We finally pulled up to the stadium venue. The entire parking lot was filled with cars and moving crowds. The energy was electric, but it only made my heart race faster. ​"I really, really need to pee, Katherine," Janice gasped the moment we stepped out of the car. "Stay right here by the lot and don't go anywhere. I'll be right back!" ​"Yes, ma'am," I sighed, leaning against the side of the car as she wandered off toward the stadium restrooms. ​I pulled out my phone, scrolling mindlessly to distract myself, when a deep, smooth male voice sliced through the cool evening air. ​"Are you stalking me now?" ​I snapped my head up. My eyes widened as I met a startlingly familiar face. ​"Why would I do that? I don't even know you," I spat back defensively. ​"Yes... that fire in your eyes is exactly what amused me this afternoon," he murmured, a slow smirk spreading across his lips. ​My breath hitched. Without the dark sunglasses and the low-profile cap blocking his face, he looked entirely different. He was wearing a sharp, tailored casual suit that hugged his broad, frame flawlessly. It was the arrogant guy from the mall. ​"Oh. You," I stammered, trying to regain my footing. "You're the pervert from earlier! If anything, I think you're the one stalking me." ​Before he could respond to my jab, the click of high heels echoed behind us. I turned my head just in time to see a group of Bella's popular friends walking past. ​"Well, if it isn't the boring kat that was dumped this morning," one of them sneered loudly. ​The rest of them broke into cruel, echoing giggles, throwing mocking glances my way as they headed toward the VIP entrance. My face burned with instant humiliation, and fresh tears threatened to spill over my tightly controlled makeup. I bit my inside cheek, trying to force them back. ​The stranger's playful expression immediately vanished, replaced by a sharp, intense coldness as he watched the girls walk away. He turned back to me, his brow furrowed. "What was that about?" ​"Not that it's any of your business," I muttered, blinking rapidly to clear my vision, "but my boyfriend dumped me earlier today. I'm only here to watch him play because my best friend thinks it's better to stand tall than to hide away at home." ​The stranger stared at me for a long beat, his gaze softening into something deep and fiercely protective. "Well... that's a very courageous thing to do, Katherine." ​I froze, my heart skipping a beat. "How do you know my name?" ​"Your friend called you that when she was trying to hold you back from burning me ," he chuckled softly, the tension breaking. "So, who's the ex?" ​"Cole Saltzman," I replied, feeling completely confused. Why did this literal stranger care about cole? ​Just then, Janice came rushing back, panting. "So sorry, girl! Let's go" She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes nearly popping out of her head when she noticed who I was standing with. "Wait... isn't this the cute guy from the mall?" she whispered loudly into my ear. ​"I can hear you, you know," the stranger chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement. ​I rolled my eyes, my cheeks flushing warm. Before I could say anything else, a middle-aged man in a sleek corporate suit rushed up to us, looking completely stressed. He leaned in and whispered something urgently into the stranger's ear. ​The stranger listened, giving a firm, authoritative nod. "Got it. Tell them I'm coming up now." ​The businessman bowed his head slightly and hurried off toward the stadium. ​The stranger turned his gaze back to me, an unreadable, confident spark gleaming in his eyes. "I think the game is about to start. Let's head inside, Katherine." ​I didn't know why, but Janice and I automatically followed him. He didn't lead us to the standard ticket lines. Instead, the security guards at the private VIP entrance instantly snapped to attention the moment they saw him, parting the ropes and bowing their heads to let us through without asking for a single ticket. ​The moment we stepped through the tunnel and into the massive, packed arena, a deafening, thunderous roar erupted from the crowd of thousands. ​"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" the stadium announcer's voice boomed over the mega-speakers, echoing off the ice. "PLEASE WELCOME TONIGHT'S HONORARY GUEST SCOUT. STRAIGHT FROM THE NHL... ETHAN VANCE!" ​I blinked against the glare, turning to look at Janice. We exchanged absolute, paralyzed glances of pure shock. ​The thousands of screaming fans weren't cheering for the high school teams. ​They were cheering for the man standing right next to me.

My legs shook as we climbed the private stairs into the executive box, taking our seats. Ethan sat right in the middle, with Janice to his left and me to his right. ​How did I not know who he was? ​I was completely speechless as the game started. The players from both schools skated onto the ice, and then I saw him, Cole. My heart sank into my stomach the moment my eyes landed on my ex. ​But then, Cole looked up to the VIP box where we sat. ​In a fraction of a second, his arrogant expression completely shattered. The confident smile faded from his lips, his ankles shook, and he slipped violently onto the hard ice. ​The entire crowd gasped. ​"That's Saltzman?" Ethan asked, not even looking up from his tablet. ​"Yes," Janice and I answered in perfect unison. ​Ethan looked down at the rink, a slow, devastating smirk spreading across his handsome face as he relaxed back in his leather chair. "Well. He's quite clumsy." ​For some insane reason, a rush of pure satisfaction washed over me. I actually felt good. ​Cole scrambled back to his feet, his face red, still staring up at our box in utter disbelief as the referee blew the whistle. ​The game was a total disaster for our school. The opposing team was winning by a massive margin because Cole kept missing passes, fumbling the puck, and tripping over his own skates. I couldn't help the thrill that shot through me. The mere sight of me sitting next to Ethan Vance had completely destabilized him. ​Ethan seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the show, too. At one point, he leaned in close, reaching his large hand up to my face to gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. ​Down on the ice, Cole looked up, witnessed the intimate gesture, and promptly tripped over the blue line again. ​Our school's coach was on the bench, fuming with rage, and Cole's teammates looked ready to murder him. When the final buzzer echoed through the arena, our school had lost for the first time in years. ​As the stadium began to empty, I caught sight of Bella in the lower stands. She looked up at our luxury box, her face frozen in pure shock and envy. ​"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" I asked Ethan as we finally headed out toward the parking lot, flanked by his private security detail. ​"Well, you didn't exactly give me a chance, sweetheart," he chuckled, his deep voice vibrating in the cool night air. "You looked like you wanted to kill me the second you set eyes on me at the mall." ​"I'm sorry for my rudeness earlier," I told him, suddenly feeling a wave of guilt. "I'm just... dealing with a lot right now." ​Ethan's playful smirk softened, his gaze turning incredibly warm. "No, it's okay. I totally understand." ​"Thank you," I murmured, looking up at his towering frame. "How can you be so famous already? You're so young." ​"I skipped college to focus entirely on my hockey career. Went straight to the pros. I'm only twenty," he explained, looking down at me. "You?" ​"I'm seventeen," I replied, suddenly feeling very small as I looked down at my boots. Beside me, Janice was furiously scrolling through her phone, pretending not to listen. ​"You shouldn't be wasting your tears over him, Katherine," Ethan said quietly as we reached Janice's car. "He's too clumsy for you." ​"No, he's usually really smooth on the rink," I admitted honestly. "I guess... he was just shocked to see us together." ​Ethan tilted his head, a challenging spark in his eyes. "Well, a real hockey player doesn't let outside circumstances ruin his game. His team lost tonight because of him. But you seemed to enjoy the view. Didn't you?" ​My cheeks flushed. "Yes. I did. And I have you to thank for that. Thank you for helping me make my ex-boyfriend look like a complete fool." I paused, looking into his piercing eyes. "How can I ever repay you?" ​A dark, unreadable expression crossed Ethan's face. He stepped closer, his shadow completely enveloping me. ​"You'll know soon enough," he murmured. ​Before I could process his words, his sleek black sports car pulled up to the curb. Ethan gave me one last, lingering look, slid into the back seat, and the car sped away into the night. ​I'll know soon enough? What on earth did that mean? ​"Well, girl, that was a beautiful game," Janice said, bursting into a chuckle the second his car vanished. "I absolutely loved the look on Cole's face when he saw you with a literal NHL star. God, if only he was truly your boyfriend." ​"No, that's not possible," I sighed, opening the passenger door. "What would a guy like him ever want with a girl like me?" ​"You sell yourself too short, Kat," Janice said firmly as she started the engine and drove us home. ​When she dropped me off, the house was completely dark and quiet. My parents were already asleep. I crept upstairs to my bedroom, stripped out of my revenge outfit, and climbed into bed. My heart still ached from the brutal betrayal this morning, but as my mind drifted off to the memory of Ethan's touch, a tiny smile touched my lips, and sleep finally took me. ​"You look so beautiful in that dress, Katherine," Ethan whispered. He smoothly pulled out a chair for me at a candlelit table. We were on a private beach, the waves crashing softly, and the stars above looked breathtakingly beautiful. ​"Thank you," I replied, my heart racing as he sat across from me. ​Ethan reached across the table, taking both of my hands in his. He lifted them to his lips, kissing my knuckles gently, his gaze piercing right into my soul. "I really like you, Katherine. Be my girlfriend. For real." ​I smiled, a rush of pure happiness bubbling up in my chest. I opened my mouth to respond. ​BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! ​I jolted awake, slamming my hand down on my phone to turn off the blasting alarm. I let out a long, frustrated sigh, burying my face in my pillow. ​It was all a dream. A stupid, ridiculous dream. ​Suddenly, my bedroom door swung open. My mom walked in, a massive, knowing smile plastered across her face. ​"Sweetie," she whispered excitedly, leaning against the doorframe. "You have a visitor downstairs. He said his name is Ethan." ​My heart stopped. ​"What?!" I gasped, throwing the covers off. ​Ethan Vance was in my house? At eight o'clock in the morning? ​Why?