Chapter 21 Running

• Kade POV
• I feel like I’m going to be sick. Every second on that ice, every forced mistake, every moment I hold back when I should be driving forward, it eats at me like fire in my veins. The weight of it presses down on me, making my entire body burn with frustration. I want to fight back, to do something, to show them that I’m not just some pawn they can move around at will, but what can I do? There’s no escape from this, no way to break free without tearing my entire life apart in the process.
• Walking away from hockey isn’t an option, so when the final buzzer goes, I don’t wait for anyone, don’t stop to acknowledge the loss or pretend I care. There’s nothing to celebrate. I rip my helmet off before I even step off the ice, storming down the tunnel and straight into the locker room. My jersey is off in seconds, thrown to the bench like it’s the problem, like it’s the reason I feel like my own skin is suffocating me.