The high school hockey playboy and the bookworm

Chapter 1: The King of Northview (Liam’s POV)

​"Vance! If you miss that shot, you’re walking home!"

​I didn't even look toward the sidelines to know it was my father shouting. I just tightened my grip on the hockey stick and dug my skates into the ice. The Northview High arena was packed. It was Friday night, the lights were blinding, and every girl in the bleachers was wearing my jersey number.

​I was the captain. The golden boy. The guy who was supposed to lead this team to a state title.

​I took the puck, weaving through the defenders like they were statues. With a flick of my wrist, the puck flew into the net. The buzzer screamed, and the crowd went wild. I raised my arms, soaking in the worship. This was the only place I felt like I was actually in control.

​In the locker room after the game, the air was thick with the smell of sweat and victory. My best friend, Jax, slapped my shoulder.

​"Party at my place tonight, Vance. My parents are in Vegas, and the pool is heated. Every girl in the senior class is coming."

​"I’ll be there," I smirked, pulling off my pads. "Just let me get rid of this smell first."

​But before I could reach the showers, the locker room door swung open. It wasn't a teammate. It was Principal Higgins, and he looked like he was about to ruin my life.

​"Vance. My office. Now."

​Ten minutes later, I was sitting in a hard plastic chair, still half-dressed in my team tracksuit. My father was standing by the window, his back to me, radiating anger.

​"You failed the midterm, Liam," the Principal said, tossing a paper onto the desk. A big, red F stared back at me. "History and Ethics. If these grades don't go up by the end of the month, you’re off the team. No playoffs. No captaincy."

​"It’s just one test," I muttered, looking at my father’s reflection in the glass. "I’ll fix it."

​"You won't fix it," my father said, turning around. His voice was cold, the kind of cold that made the ice rink feel warm. "I’m not letting you embarrass this family name anymore. I’ve already spoken to the school. You’re being put into the Peer-to-Peer Program."

​I groaned. "The nerd program? Dad, come on. I can just hire a tutor."

​"No," the Principal interrupted. "The school board is cracking down on paid tutors for athletes. You need a student mentor. Someone who can't be bought. We’ve chosen Elena Vance."

​I froze. I knew that name. Everyone knew the "Ghost." She was the girl who sat in the back of the library, the one who wore the same three sweaters every week and never looked anyone in the eye. She was a scholarship student—a "charity case" as my friends called her.

​"The bookworm?" I laughed, though it felt hollow. "She hates me. I saw her looking at my car the other day like she wanted to blow it up."

​"She’s the only one with a 4.0 GPA high enough to save you," my father said, leaning over the desk. "And because her mother just lost her job and they are being evicted, the school has worked out a deal. She’s moving into the guest cottage on our estate. She’ll be your shadow. You study when she says. You eat when she says. You breathe when she says."

​My blood boiled. "You're moving a stranger into our house? To babysit me?"

​"I'm moving a solution into our house," my father snapped. "She starts tomorrow. 6 AM in the library. Don't be late, or I’ll sell the Porsche before lunch."

​I stormed out of the office, my chest tight. I headed for the parking lot, my mind racing. I was the King of Northview. I didn't take orders from girls who shopped at thrift stores.

​As I pulled my Porsche out of the lot, the rain started to pour. I saw a figure standing at the bus stop, huddled under a broken umbrella. It was her. Elena. She looked small, her shoulders hunched against the wind, clutching a bag full of heavy books.

​I didn't slow down. I sped past the bus stop, hitting a massive puddle. A wave of dirty water splashed up, soaking her from head to toe. I saw her flinch in the rearview mirror, but she didn't move. She just stood there, dripping wet, staring at my taillights.

​"Welcome to my world, Bookworm," I muttered, stepping on the gas. "Hope you like the water."

​I didn't know then that by tomorrow morning, that same girl would have the power to take away everything I cared about.