Ice.

Chapter Thirteen.

I let out a deep breath as I get to the end of the short article. Below are his stats for the year and above is a video. I click on it, quickly realizing that it's a short compilation video of some of his best plays, the announcers voice ringing from my phone.

"Finn Wilder is on the ice again in his first game in the AHL. He's going down the ice with Jack Hu. Hu gets the puck from Liam Kilo, Kilo to Hu, Hu to Wilder, but it's up high. Wilder gloves down the loose puck - he shoots! He scores! Wow! What an incredible first goal for the rookie, Finn Wilder! The Thunderbirds are now in the lead!"

I watch as his teammates attack him in bear hug as Jack takes the puck from the net and hands it to them. I wish I knew him when this happened. He was sitting in the back of my English class and I didn't even know it.

The video plays for about another minute and a half, before it ends and I'm left with a smile on my face. There is something about seeing someone you care so deeply about succeeding that is incredibly fulfilling. It's also kind of strange knowing that he has fans. Like, people really like him and follow him and care about where he goes in the hockey world. Which reminds me, I have to ask Finn about his Instagram DMs because I'm positive girls, and guys, message him on the reg. I'm really not jealous, and I'm not just saying that. I just think it would be really funny and also, kinda curious to see how people flirt because I obviously have no idea what I'm doing.

A message from Cam pops up so I click on it, my eyebrows furrowing. Well, there goes my night in alone.

Cam: I'm at your front door

I shake my head with a smile on my face, leaving my room and walking down to my front door. When I open it, Cam is standing there with a smile on his face, but I can tell it's forced.

"Come on," I invite him in. He laughs as I start walking to my room without another word. He closes my front door and follows me upstairs, falling on my bed. I sit on my desk chair, looking at him as he stares at the ceiling with his hands in his hair. "What's going on, Cam?"

"I broke it off with Dylan," He sighs.

"Why?" I question. He hasn't talked much about them but I know he was just testing the waters. He had told me that he does like him, but he wasn't sure if he was ready for a relationship.

He covers his face with his hands, groaning. I don't push and wait for him to speak up again.

After about a minute, he says quietly, "He wanted me to come out."

"What?" I scoff, leaning forward. "He wanted you to come out?"

He sits up and looks at me, his eyes sad. "Yeah. He said he didn't want to sneak around anymore. He said I would never come out if I wasn't forced."

"That's so fucking stupid," I shake my head. "You shouldn't be forced. You'll come out when you're ready."

"I know," he says. "But I don't blame him for not wanting to sneak around."

"Yeah, that I get," I backtrack slightly. I do understand someone who's fully out not wanting to hide behind close doors anymore. "But he still shouldn't try to force you out. It's not up to him."

"That's what I told him, and then I left," he sighs.

"I'm proud of you," I say. "Seriously, Cam. I am. You'll know when you're ready."

"Boys suck," He groans, and I laugh. "Welcome to the club, my friend."

"How did it go with James at work?" he asks, and I shake my head. "Got the cold shoulder, which was such a blast."