Hockey trip

After practice, the team lounged in the locker room, decompressing after another grueling session. The air was thick with sweat, banter, and a curious tension that circled Val.
Steph, always the one to break the silence, perched on a bench, smirking. “So, Val. What’s it like fraternizing with the enemy?”
Val, midway through unlacing her skates, looked up with an exasperated sigh. “Seriously? Can we not?”
“Oh, come on,” another teammate chimed in, grinning. “You can’t just casually drop ‘I’m seeing Tyler freaking Reynolds’ like it’s no big deal. Spill.”
“It’s nothing like that,” Val protested, her tone sharper than intended. “We’re just... close.”
“‘Close,’” Steph repeated, arching a brow. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Because from where I’m sitting, it looks a lot like ‘I’m making heart eyes at our biggest rival.’”
Val groaned, pulling her hoodie over her head. “Look, I get that it’s weird. I didn’t plan on this. But Tyler’s not what you all think. She’s... not just some rival.”
Steph’s teasing expression softened, and the rest of the team grew quieter, listening more intently.
“Well,” Steph said after a pause, “as long as she’s good to you, that’s all that matters. Just... watch your back, okay? Some people around here take rivalries too seriously.”
Val offered a faint smile, her gratitude unspoken but evident. “Thanks, Steph. I’ll be fine.”
The team dispersed soon after, leaving Val alone with her thoughts—and the gnawing feeling that Steph’s warning wasn’t far off the mark.

The Text
Later that evening, Val sprawled on her hotel bed, scrolling aimlessly through her phone. The room was dim, the only light coming from her screen.
A text popped up from Tyler:
Tyler: Can you meet me? It’s important. Here’s the location.
Val frowned, sitting up straighter. Tyler never sounded this urgent.
Val: What’s going on? Are you okay?
Tyler: I just need to see you. Please. I’ll explain everything.
Val hesitated. Something felt off, but she couldn’t ignore Tyler’s plea. Tossing on her jacket, she slipped out of the hotel and into the night.

Ambushed
The streets were quiet, the kind of silence that made Val’s nerves hum. She checked her phone again, confirming the location Tyler had sent. A shortcut through an alley seemed to be the quickest route.
As she turned into the narrow passage, two shadows moved to block her path. Her gut clenched.
“Well, well,” one of them said, his voice low and mocking. “If it isn’t the Firehawk’s girlfriend.”
“Who the hell are you?” Val snapped, her fists clenching.
“Doesn’t matter,” the other said, stepping closer. “What matters is you’ve been sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
Before Val could respond, the first man shoved her hard against the wall. Pain shot through her back, but she pushed off the wall, swinging a fist that connected with his jaw.
“Feisty,” he sneered, grabbing her arm and twisting it painfully behind her back.
“Get off me!” Val shouted, trying to twist free.
The second man laughed, stepping in to grab her by the collar. “You think you’re tough because you play hockey? Let’s see how tough you really are.”
A punch landed squarely on Val’s ribs, knocking the wind out of her. She crumpled slightly, only to be yanked upright by her hair.
“Stop it!” she gasped, struggling uselessly.
They didn’t. Another blow landed, this time on her cheek, splitting her lip. She stumbled, hitting the ground hard.
“You should’ve stayed in your lane,” one of them muttered, kneeling down. His hand moved to grab at her jacket, brushing against her chest.
Rage flared through Val, overriding the pain. She kicked out, her foot connecting with his knee. He howled in pain, but before she could get up, the other man struck her again, his knuckles scraping against her temple.
Her vision blurred, the world tilting as she slumped to the ground.

Rescued
“HEY!”
The shout cut through the haze of Val’s pain. She blinked, trying to focus, as a figure charged toward them.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Tyler’s voice was sharp, filled with a fury Val had never heard before.
The men barely had time to react before Tyler was on them. She tackled the nearest one, fists flying with a ferocity that left him scrambling to escape. The second man tried to grab her, but Tyler spun, delivering a swift elbow to his gut.
“Get out of here!” Tyler shouted, her voice breaking. “NOW!”
The men hesitated, but the sheer rage in her eyes sent them fleeing.
“Val!” Tyler dropped to her knees, her hands hovering over Val’s battered face. “Oh my God, are you okay?”
Val tried to sit up, wincing as pain shot through her ribs. “I’ve been better,” she muttered, her voice weak.
Tyler’s eyes filled with tears as she carefully helped Val to her feet. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I didn’t know—”
“It’s not your fault,” Val interrupted, leaning heavily on her. “But... thanks for showing up.”
Tyler nodded, her tears spilling over as she wrapped an arm around Val’s waist, guiding her out of the alley.

Tyler was sitting on the edge of the bed, her mind racing, unable to calm the storm of thoughts whirling around her. She could barely look at Val, who was resting on the bed with an ice pack pressed to her forehead, trying to keep still despite the pain. The bruises across her cheek and neck were deep and vivid, and Tyler couldn’t shake the image of Val getting attacked outside the hotel. Every time she thought about it, her chest tightened, and anger bubbled up inside her.
Her fingers hovered over her phone, but she didn’t know who to call. She had already thought about calling the police, but what more could they do now? She should’ve acted faster—should’ve been there. She couldn’t shake the guilt.
Just as Tyler was lost in her spiraling thoughts, the door to the room opened abruptly with a gust of air. Tyler’s coach stormed in, his face tight with frustration, eyes narrowing at the sight of her sitting in the room with Val.
“Reynolds!” he barked, voice sharp enough to make Tyler flinch. “What the hell are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be in this hotel! This isn’t your team’s space!”
Tyler stood up quickly, her protective instinct kicking in. She wasn’t going to take this. Not now. Not after what had just happened. She met her coach’s glare, her posture defensive. “I don’t care about the hotel, Coach,” she said firmly, her voice low but steady, though her anger simmered underneath. “Val needed me. What happened to her—no one’s going to try and tell me it’s just some rule we should follow. She’s been hurt.”
The coach’s jaw clenched, a vein popping in his temple as his eyes flickered from Tyler to Val, who was still lying there, looking pale and bruised. But before he could speak, another voice interrupted the tension.
Coach Roberts entered the room, her stern expression softening for a moment as her eyes found Val. When she saw her player’s condition—her battered face and the swelling along her jaw—Roberts’s face shifted, the hard edges melting away.
“Val,” she said quietly, crossing the room to kneel by her side. Her fingers gently cupped Val’s bruised cheek, her tone now soft and filled with concern. “Sweetheart… what happened?”
Tyler’s coach, still fuming, shot a glare at Roberts but remained silent, obviously frustrated. He didn’t want to deal with this right now, not after what had just happened.
“Let’s focus on what really matters here,” Roberts said, lifting her head to meet his eyes, her voice stern once again. “My player was attacked. She was outside the hotel meeting someone and was jumped. Tyler found her and got her out of there. So unless you’ve got something useful to say, we need to stay focused.”
Tyler’s coach took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but his frustration was palpable. His voice was gruff, his arms crossed over his chest. “Fine. But this isn’t just some fight. Someone’s going after players, and that’s not something we can ignore. This is a safety issue, not just a scuffle.”
Roberts’s face hardened again. “I agree. We’ll report this to the league, but right now, I want to know who’s behind this and why. We can’t just let it go.”
“I’ll handle it,” Tyler’s coach grunted, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’ll make sure the authorities take this seriously. But for now, we need to keep things quiet. This is still under investigation, and we can’t have this blowing up before we know more.”
“Tyler’s right,” Roberts replied firmly, her tone unwavering. “I won’t let this slide either. But for now, Val needs to rest, and we need to make sure the rest of the team stays safe. That’s our priority.”
She turned to Val, brushing a strand of hair from her face, her expression softening again. “I’ll make sure you’re safe, Val. But for now, you need to take it easy. I don’t want you pushing yourself.”
Val’s voice was barely audible, but it was filled with quiet defiance. “I’m not going anywhere,” she mumbled.
Roberts sighed, looking at her for a moment before nodding. “I know you’re tough, but you need rest. Don’t make me drag you off the ice tomorrow if it comes to that.”
“I’m playing,” Val insisted with a small, determined smile.

The dining room was filled with an uneasy buzz as the team gathered for breakfast. Players whispered quietly to one another, trying to piece together what had happened the previous night. The air was thick with curiosity and anxiety.
Steph was pacing by the side, her arms crossed as she muttered under her breath. “What is going on with Val and Tyler?” she asked herself, her frustration palpable. “First, there’s all that weird tension, and now Val’s being carried in here like she’s been run over.”
Her voice was low, but the others—Maggie, Kara, and a few others—caught snippets of what she was saying. Kara shot a worried glance toward the direction of the door, as if expecting Tyler to walk in.
“Do you think it has something to do with the rivalry?” Kara asked, her voice filled with uncertainty, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Steph gave a deep sigh, rubbing her neck in agitation. “I don’t know. But it’s definitely not normal. Whatever happened, it’s bad. We’re only hearing parts of the story.”
Before they could discuss further, the sound of heavy footsteps broke their conversation. Coach Roberts stepped into the room, her presence immediately silencing the low hum of chatter. Her face was a mixture of concern and authority. She didn’t waste a moment, walking straight to the front of the room, her eyes scanning the group.
“Listen up,” she barked, her voice sharp and commanding, cutting through the murmurs. “Something happened to Val last night. She was attacked while meeting someone outside the hotel.”
The room fell into stunned silence. Players exchanged wide-eyed glances, some mouths slightly agape, as the weight of the news sank in.
“She’s okay, thanks to Tyler Reynolds,” Roberts continued, her tone softer, but still firm. “But I need you all to stay in pairs from now on. No one is going anywhere alone, especially not at night. Understood?”
The team nodded, their faces filled with shock and concern. The gravity of the situation was beginning to settle in, but no one quite knew what to make of it yet.
Steph, who had been silent up until that point, couldn’t hold her questions in any longer. “Can we see her?” she asked, her voice a mix of concern and confusion. “Is she okay?”
“Not right now,” Roberts replied sharply, her gaze unwavering. “She’s resting. And I expect all of you to keep this quiet. No more talking in the hallways, no gossiping about this. We can’t let this get out until we know more.”
The team muttered their understanding, their eyes glancing nervously toward the door. It was clear they didn’t have the full picture, but it was also clear that something much darker was at play here.

Tyler’s nerves were a tangled mess. She paced around the room, glancing at Val every few minutes as she tried to process everything that had happened. Val, despite being exhausted and in pain, was sitting upright, trying to act as though it was no big deal. But Tyler could see through the façade—the tension in her shoulders, the way she winced when she adjusted her position. She wasn’t fooling anyone.
Tyler’s phone buzzed again, but she didn’t check it this time. It wasn’t going to help. It didn’t matter who called her now; it was too late for that. She could’ve prevented this. She should’ve been there sooner.
“Who are you trying to call?” Val’s voice broke through Tyler’s spiraling thoughts, soft but knowing.
Tyler froze and turned to face her. “I wasn’t calling anyone,” she lied, though the tone in her voice gave her away.
Val let out a small, pained chuckle despite her condition. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”
Tyler smiled faintly, sitting down beside her. She placed a hand gently on Val’s, her fingers trembling with concern. “I keep thinking about what happened. I should’ve been there. I should’ve done something.”
Val gave a tired shake of her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
Tyler’s heart clenched as she looked at Val, her eyes clouded with guilt. “But I should’ve been able to stop them. I should’ve been faster.”
Val’s thumb brushed over Tyler’s knuckles, her touch warm and steady. “Tyler, you couldn’t have known. But you were there when I needed you. That’s what matters.”
Tyler’s chest tightened, the weight of her promise settling in. She squeezed Val’s hand tightly. “I’m not letting anything happen to you again, okay?”
Val smiled weakly, her eyes softening as she nodded. “I know.”