The hallway was buzzing with that oddly warm, restless energy that came with the tail end of March — too early for exams, too late to still care. Students filtered out of the assembly room in small groups, half-listening to their teachers' reminders about projects, half-already dreaming of spring break.
Claire Bennett adjusted the sleeves of her uniform blazer and leaned her shoulder against the lockers just outside her classroom, twirling her phone idly between her fingers. Her hair, pinned back in a loose twist, caught the sunlight from the tall windows behind her — perfectly golden and just messy enough to seem effortless.
Jade appeared with a dramatic sigh, dropping her bag at her feet. "If I hear one more teacher say 'stay focused even as the weather gets nicer' I'm dropping out. Right here. On the tile."
Claire smirked. "Bold move. Right in front of the staffroom."
"Go out in style," Jade said with a wink.
Amber joined them a beat later, half-walking backward, still texting. "Hey. Quick thing. You two doing anything Saturday?"
"Define anything," Jade muttered, rubbing her eyes.
Amber ignored her and turned to Claire. "Mason's game is this weekend. He's been hinting that I should come watch, and I kind of want to. But I don't want to show up solo like some desperate girlfriend."
"Supportive girlfriend," Claire corrected mildly.
Amber waved a hand. "Potato, potahto. Anyway, if you guys tag along, I'll owe you drinks or whatever. Think of it as people-watching with a dramatic sports backdrop."
Claire tilted her head, thoughtful. "I think my dad's going, actually. He watches the games when he has time. Could probably hitch a ride with him."
Jade raised an eyebrow. "Why's your dad into high school hockey?"
Claire shrugged. "My brother's on the team."
That earned a full stop from both girls.
"...You have a brother?" Jade asked.
Claire arched an eyebrow. "Stepbrother. But yeah."
Amber blinked. "Who? What grade?"
"…Same year. Different class," Claire said with a shrug.
Jade squinted. "But I don't know anyone else named Bennett in our year."
Claire gave her a flat look. "That's because his surname's Carter. You know, parents get divorced, remarried, last names don't always match up — shocking, I know."
Amber blinked. "Wait, so who is it then?"
Claire hesitated just a second, then said casually, "You know that guy who's always in gym clothes? Kinda messy black hair? Always looks like he either just woke up or finished a workout?"
Jade frowned, flipping through her mental yearbook. "...Oh. That guy?"
"Yeah. That's him."
There was a brief pause.
Jade's expression dulled slightly. "Oh. Huh. For a second I thought you were hiding, like, a model or something."
Claire rolled her eyes. "He looks like an average guy."
Jade half-losing interest. "Just… kinda expected more mystery, less sweatpants."
Amber pulled her focus back. "Whatever. If your dad's going anyway, and we don't have to figure out trains or buses, I'm down. That place is pretty far without a car."
"Same," Jade said, already halfway to pulling out her phone. "But only if we stop for snacks on the way."
"I'll ask him tonight," Claire said with a small shrug. "He's pretty into the whole hockey thing, so it shouldn't be a problem."
"Honestly, now I just want to see what your stepbrother looks like when he's not dressed like a gym teacher in training," Jade added with a smirk.
Claire didn't answer — just pushed herself off the locker and started walking toward the stairs.
The engine hummed as Tom Bennett's SUV pulled into the lot just outside the mid-sized stadium, nestled on the edge of a neighboring city. The afternoon sun was still climbing, glinting off car roofs and the wide stretch of glass over the arena's entrance.
Claire sat in the front seat, arms crossed, watching her dad's slightly smug smile grow with each passing second.
"I think we beat the team bus," he said, clearly pleased.
As if on cue, a dark blue school bus rounded the corner and pulled into the parking area adjacent to them.
"Or not," Claire muttered.
"Timing's perfect," Tom replied with a grin, already reaching for the door handle. "C'mon, girls."
In the backseat, Amber sat up straighter, brushing her hair over one shoulder. "So weird seeing a game before it's been clipped to a thirty-second highlight reel."
Jade stretched lazily. "As long as it's not boring. If I drove an hour just to watch sweaty boys miss the puck, I'm blaming you."
"Relax," Claire said dryly. "They're not half-bad."
They stepped out just as the bus doors swung open with a hiss. One by one, the hockey team began filing out — not in mismatched hoodies or track pants, but in crisp, coordinated outfits: dark blue pants and a white button-ups with the school crest stitched into the collar. Their bags slung confidently over shoulders.
It looked less like a team of high schoolers and more like a university team walking into a championship — or a scene from a sports commercial.
Jade's jaw dropped slightly. "Okay, hold on. Why do they look like they're about to model for a magazine?"
Amber blinked, just as stunned. "My boyfriend said something about this. Apparently, the new captain convinced the coach at the start of the year to try this whole 'image' thing. Said something about 'its a privelage to play a game so we have to dress accordingly'."
"Seriously?" Jade said. "And the coach agreed?"
Claire's dad chuckled, arms crossed proudly. "Well, it worked, didn't it?"
Claire gave an exaggerated sigh. "You're so smug it's unbearable."
"It was I who told your brother that." Tom replied with a grin.
"Which one is he?" Jade asked suddenly, her eyes scanning the procession.
Claire nodded toward the front of the group. "That one."
Jade followed her gaze — and froze.
Leading the team with a casual yet unmissable authority was a tall boy with neatly styled black hair, his amber-gold eyes sharp beneath a furrowed brow.He gives off a confident air, and his posture was straight, purposeful. Every step was firm. Intentional.
"He's… different," Jade muttered.
The players each took their bags from the cargo hold. As Chris slung his over one shoulder, he glanced toward the doors and said, clearly and without hesitation, "Let's go."
Without another word, the rest of the team followed, falling into a calm, almost disciplined rhythm. Not a single one of them looked toward the handful of spectators gathering outside — not even Amber's boyfriend.
"Did you see that?" Jade said in disbelief, eyes still fixed on the stadium entrance. "They just walked in like they own the place."
Claire hummed, already heading toward the entrance with her hands in her jacket pockets.
Jade caught up, narrowing her eyes. "How the hell did you not mention any of this?"
"You never asked," Claire replied, almost bored.
Amber, still a little dazed, blinked again. "Wait. That guy — the one you just pointed to. That's… Chris? Chris Carter? From the other class?"
Jade followed-up with "The messy-haired guy in gym clothes? Doesnt resemble at all".
Claire smirked slightly but didn't slow down. "Yeah. That one."
"…You have got to be kidding me."
"I told him he wont be popular with girls looking like that, but he didn't listen." Tom said with a hint of disappointment.