I didn't sleep that night. I just lay in bed staring at the ceiling, replaying everything Cole said. Every word. Every look. Every moment.

He said Lucas never deserved me. He said he would never have let me go.

What was I supposed to do with that?

I showed up at the rink the next morning at 5 AM. I didn't know why. I should have stayed home. I should have taken a break. But I couldn't stay away.

Cole was already there when I walked in. He was stretching on the ice. He looked up when he heard the door open.

"You came," he said.

"You asked."

"I didn't think you'd actually show up."

I shrugged. "I have practice."

"At 5 AM?"

"Coach said I need extra work."

"Sure." He smiled. That small, crooked smile that made my stomach flip. "Whatever you say."

I stepped onto the ice. The cold hit my face. I welcomed it. It helped me think.

Cole skated over to me. "You okay?"

"I don't know."

"That's honest."

"I'm trying to be more honest."

He nodded. "Good. That's good."

We stood there for a moment. Just breathing. Just existing in the same space.

Then he looked at me differently. His face got serious. "I need to tell you something. About Lucas."

My stomach tightened. "What about him?"

"You should sit down. What I'm about to tell you... it's not easy to hear."

I didn't sit. I leaned against the boards instead. "Just say it."

Cole took a breath. Then he started talking.

"Lucas didn't break up with you because of long distance."

I blinked. "What?"

"He lied. He told you it wouldn't work. That you were too far apart. That hockey was too demanding."

"Yeah. I remember."

"That wasn't the truth."

My heart started pounding. "Then what was?"

Cole looked at me. His grey eyes were soft but serious. "His dad made him do it."

I felt like the air got knocked out of me. "What?"

"His dad. Mr. Kingston. He sat Lucas down before graduation and told him you were a distraction. He said if Lucas wanted to make it to the NHL, he needed to focus. No girl. No relationship. Just hockey."

"That's insane."

"I know."

"And Lucas just... listened?"

Cole nodded. "He was scared. His dad controls everything. Money. Connections. The college scouts. Lucas didn't have a choice."

I shook my head. "Everyone has a choice."

"He was eighteen. His dad threatened to pull his funding. No college. No hockey. Nothing."

"So he chose hockey."

"He chose his dream."

"Same thing."

Cole didn't argue. He just watched me. Waiting.

I felt something crack inside me. Something I thought I had buried a year ago. The anger. The hurt. The confusion. It all came rushing back.

"He didn't even tell me the truth," I said. My voice was shaking. "He let me think I wasn't enough."

"Because he was ashamed."

"Good. He should be."

Cole didn't say anything to that.

I pressed my palms against my eyes. I didn't want to cry. Not here. Not in front of him.

But the tears came anyway.

"I spent a year thinking I did something wrong," I said. "A year wondering why I wasn't good enough. Why he didn't fight for me."

"He wanted to."

"Then why didn't he?"

Cole stepped closer. "Because he's weak. That's the truth. He's weak, and he's selfish, and he doesn't deserve you."

I looked up at him. "Why do you care so much? Why does any of this matter to you?"

He didn't answer right away.

I pushed. "You keep showing up. You keep saying things. You paid for my skating fees, and you didn't even tell me. Why?"

Cole looked away. His jaw tightened. His hands curled into fists at his sides.

"Because I've been watching you for years, Mia. I've been watching you skate and laugh and work so hard you collapse at the end of the day. I've been watching Lucas take you for granted. I've been watching him break your heart. And I've been wanting to punch him in the face the whole time."

I stared at him.

"I couldn't say anything," he continued. "He was my brother. My best friend. You were his girl. I had no right."

"But now?"

"Now he's gone. Now he's made his choice. And I'm tired of being quiet."

The air between us was thick. Heavy. I could feel my heartbeat in my throat.

"Cole," I said. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." He stepped back. Gave me space. "I just needed you to know the truth. The whole truth. What you do with it is up to you."

I nodded slowly. My brain was spinning. Too many thoughts. Too many feelings.

"I should go," I said.

"Same time tomorrow?"

I almost laughed. "You're asking me that now?"

"Just checking."

I shook my head. But there was a small smile on my face. I couldn't help it.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said.

And I walked out of the rink with my heart in my throat.

The next morning I showed up at 5 AM again. I didn't know why. I should have stayed home. I should have taken a break.

But I couldn't stay away.

Cole was already there when I walked in. He was stretching on the ice. He looked up when he heard the door open.

"You came," he said.

"You asked."

"I didn't think you'd actually show up."

I shrugged. "I have practice."

"At 5 AM?"

"Coach said I need extra work."

"Sure." He smiled. That small, crooked smile that made my stomach flip. "Whatever you say."

I stepped onto the ice. The cold hit my face. I welcomed it. It helped me think.

Cole skated over to me. "You okay?"

"I don't know."

"That's honest."

"I'm trying to be more honest."

He nodded. "Good. That's good."

We stood there for a moment. Just breathing. Just existing in the same space.

Then the doors slammed open.

I turned around.

Lucas walked onto the ice. His face was cold. His eyes were fixed on Cole.

"I see you couldn't wait to move in on my girl, Cole."

Cole straightened. "She's not yours. She hasn't been yours for a year."

"She's always been mine."

"That's not how it works."

Lucas took a step closer. "Stay away from her."

"Or what?"

Lucas's jaw tightened. "Don't test me."

"I'm not testing anything. I'm telling you the truth. You lost her. You gave her up. You don't get to come back and act like nothing happened."

"You don't know anything about what happened."

"I know everything." Cole's voice was calm. Steady. "I know about Dad. I know about the threats. I know you chose hockey over her. And you know what? That's fine. That's your choice. But don't come back here acting like you deserve a second chance."

Lucas's face went pale. "You told her."

"Someone had to."

"You had no right."

"She deserved to know the truth."

"I'm her ex."

"And I'm the one who actually cares about her."

The words hung in the air like a slap.

I stood there frozen. Watching them. Two brothers. Fighting over me like I was a trophy.

"I can't do this," I said.

They both turned to look at me.

"Not here. Not now." I started skating toward the exit. "I can't be in the middle of this."

"Mia, wait." Cole reached for me.

I pulled away. "Please. Just... give me some space. Both of you."

I walked off the ice. Grabbed my bag. Left the rink without looking back.

The cold air hit me outside. I took a deep breath. And then another.

My phone buzzed. A text.

Sophie: "You okay? Heard what happened at the rink."

I stared at the screen. Then I typed back.

"No. But I will be."

I didn't know if that was true.

But I had to believe it was.

I walked out of the rink with my heart pounding. My hands were shaking. I couldn't think straight. All I could hear was their voices. All I could see was the look on their faces.

Lucas. Cole. Two brothers. Both angry. Both hurt. Both looked at me like I was something to win.

I didn't want to win.

I walked all the way home. It was a thirty-minute walk. I didn't care. I needed the cold air. I needed to clear my head.

But nothing cleared my head. The thoughts just kept coming. Lucas and his lies. Cole and his truth. The way they looked at each other like they were about to kill each other.

I was inside my house for maybe ten minutes before my phone buzzed.

Sophie: "Lucas and Cole are fighting at the rink. For real this time. Coaches are breaking it up."

I stared at the screen. My stomach dropped.

I should have stayed out of it. I should have let them handle it. But I couldn't. I grabbed my keys and ran back.

The rink was chaos when I got there.

Coaches were shouting. Players were pulling them apart. Lucas was on the ice, his lip bleeding. Cole was on his feet, his jersey torn at the collar. They were both breathing hard. Both looking at each other like they wanted to finish what they started.

"What are you doing?" I screamed.

They both turned to look at me.

I walked onto the ice. Straight toward them. "What is wrong with you two? This isn't a game. You're brothers."

Lucas wiped the blood from his lip. "He started it."

"Liar," Cole said. "You threw the first punch."

"Because you were looking at my girl like she was yours."

"She's not yours. She hasn't been yours for a year."

"She'll always be mine."

"No. She won't."

I stepped between them. "Stop it. Stop it right now."

Lucas ignored me. He kept staring at Cole. "You think you're better than me? You think she'd ever choose you? You're the backup. You've always been the backup."

Cole's face went cold. "Is that what you think?"

"I know it."

"Then you don't know anything."

I pushed them apart with my hands on their chests. "I said stop."

Lucas looked at me. "Mia, just walk away. This is between him and I."

"No. It's not. You two are fighting over me like I don't have a choice. Like I'm a prize you get to win."

"Mia, I'm trying to protect you."

"From what? From your brother? From the truth? From all the lies you told me?"

Lucas flinched. "That's not fair."

"Fair? You lied to me. You let me think I wasn't good enough. And now you show up like nothing happened and expect me to fall back into your arms?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, okay?"

"Sorry isn't enough."

I turned to Cole. "And you. You kept secrets too. You paid my skating fees and never told me. You watched me cry over your brother and didn't say a word."

Cole's jaw tightened. "I was trying to protect you."

"I don't need protection. I need the truth. From both of you."

Silence.

Everyone was watching us. Coaches. Players. The night guard. I felt their eyes on me. It made me want to disappear.

I stepped back. "I'm done. I'm done being the reason you two tear each other apart."

"Mia, wait." Lucas reached for me.

I pulled away. "No. You don't get to touch me. You don't get to talk to me. Not until you figure out what you actually want."

And I walked away.

I walked out of the rink. Out of the chaos. Out of all of it.

I didn't look back.

I sat on my bed for an hour. Maybe more. I didn't check the time. I just sat there and stared at the wall.

Everything felt broken. I thought I was over Lucas. I thought I had moved on. But hearing the truth about what happened just brought all the pain back.

And then there was Cole. The boy who was always there. Always watching. Always helping. The boy who looked at me like I mattered.

Why didn't I see it before?

Why did it take his brother showing up for me to realize what was right in front of me?

The doorbell rang.

I didn't move.

It rang again.

Then my phone buzzed.

Sophie: "Open the door. I have ice cream."

I got up and opened the door. Sophie stood there with two pints of ice cream and a look on her face that said she wasn't leaving.

"I heard what happened," she said, walking past me into the house. "Everyone heard what happened. It's all over school."

"Great."

"Don't care about school. Care about you." She plopped down on my bed and held out a pint of ice cream. "Here. Chocolate. Because everything is terrible."

I took it. Sat down next to her. Opened the lid and took a bite.

"I hate them," I said.

"You don't."

"I want to."

"Same." Sophie scooped some ice cream into her mouth. "But you don't. You never do."

I didn't argue. Because she was right.

"Can I say something?" Sophie asked. "And you can't get mad?"

"I can't promise that."

"Fine. I'll say it anyway." She turned to me. "Cole is better for you."

"I know."

"Like, actually better. He shows up. He stays. He doesn't make excuses."

"I know."

"He's always been the one who cared. Even when Lucas was with you, Cole was the one who helped you carry your bags. The one who drove you home. The one who checked on you when you were sick."

"I know, Sophie."

"Then why are you still choosing Lucas?"

I looked at her. "I'm not choosing Lucas."

"Then what are you doing?"

"I don't know." My voice cracked. "I don't know what I'm doing. I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of getting hurt. Of choosing wrong. Of giving him my heart and having him leave like everyone else."

Sophie put her hand on mine. "Cole isn't everyone else."

"He's a Kingston."

"He's not Lucas."

I didn't have an answer for that.

My phone buzzed again. I looked at the screen. My heart stopped.

Cole: "I'm outside. Can we talk?"

I stared at the screen. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do.

Sophie leaned over. "Is that him?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

"Look out the window."

I walked to the window. I pulled the curtain back. And there he was. Standing in the rain. His hair was wet. His clothes were soaked. He looked up at my window and held his hands out like he was saying please.

"Sophie," I said. "He's not leaving."

"Then go talk to him."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. You can do hard things, Mia. You do them every day."

I looked at her. She nodded.

"He's been waiting for you for a long time," she said. "Go see what he has to say."

I took a deep breath.

And I walked downstairs.

I opened the front door and stepped outside. The rain hit my face immediately. Cold and sharp. It woke me up.

Cole stood there in the middle of my driveway. Soaked to the bone. His hair was plastered to his forehead. His jersey clung to his chest. He looked like he had been standing there for a while.

"Mia." His voice cracked. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything. For the fight. For Lucas. For making you feel like you had to choose." I stepped closer. "Cole..."

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just..." He ran his hand through his wet hair. "I couldn't keep watching you. I couldn't keep pretending I didn't care."

My heart started pounding. "Why do you care so much?"

He looked at me. His grey eyes were red. Like he had been crying. Or like he hadn't slept in days.

"Because I've been in love with you since sophomore year."

The words hit me like a slap.

"What?"

"I know. It's crazy. It's stupid. You were with my brother. I had no right. But I couldn't help it. I watched you skate. I watched you laugh. I watched you work harder than anyone I've ever known. And I fell for you. Hard."

I couldn't breathe. "You never said anything."

"Because he was my brother. You were his girl. I couldn't do that to either of you." "But you paid for my skating fees."

His face tightened. "Yeah."

"How? How did you even do that?"

"There was a scholarship. You applied for it last year when your dad couldn't afford your training. You didn't get it. The committee turned you down."

"I know."

"I went to them. I told them I had a donor who wanted to fund it anonymously." My eyes widened. "That was you?"

"I had savings. My dad gave me money for graduation. I didn't need it. You needed it more." "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you would have said no. You would have been too proud. Too stubborn. You would have refused help from Kingston."

He was right. I would have.

I stepped closer to him. The rain kept falling. Neither of us moved to get out of it. "You watched me from afar," I said. "For years."

"Every day. Every practice. Every competition. I was always there. Just in the background." "And you never said anything."

"I was scared. Scared you would reject me. Scared you would hate me for going behind Lucas's back. Scared of what it would do to our family."

"But you're saying it now."

He nodded. "I'm tired of being the guy who stays quiet. I'm tired of watching you hurt. I'm tired of pretending I don't want you."

The words hung in the air between us.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't have words. All I had was this feeling. This overwhelming feeling that had been building for weeks. Months. Years.

And then I grabbed his face.

I pulled him toward me and kissed him.

It wasn't gentle. It wasn't soft. It was years of tension breaking loose. Years of stolen glances and secret feelings. Years of wanting something I thought I couldn't have.

He kissed me back. His hands found my waist. He pulled me closer. The rain was falling all around us. Neither of us cared.

He tasted like rain. Like desperation. Like everything I had been too scared to feel. When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathing hard.

His forehead rested against mine. "That was..."

"Yeah."

"I've wanted to do that for so long."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because you were with him. And I thought you would never see me that way." "Cole..." I touched his cheek. "I see you. I see you now."

He closed his eyes. Let out a shaky breath.

Then he pulled back. His face changed. His jaw tightened.

"Mia, I need you to know something."

"What?"

"Lucas is sabotaging me."

I blinked. "What?"

"He's been calling coaches. Sending emails. Spreading rumours." Cole's voice was low. Angry. "He's trying to get my hockey offers pulled. He's trying to make sure I don't get scouted."

I stepped back. "That's insane. He's your brother."

"I know."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he's jealous. Because he's scared. Because he knows you're choosing me and he can't handle it."

My heart started racing. "Cole. That's serious. That could ruin your future." "I know."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." He looked at me. "I don't know what to do. I've worked my whole life for this. And he's just... taking it away. One call at a time."

I grabbed his hand. "We'll figure this out."

"We?"

I looked up at him. "We. I'm not walking away. Not now."

He stared at me like he couldn't believe what I was saying.

"Mia..."

"I mean it." I squeezed his hand. "You came for me. You paid for my skating fees. You watched over me when I didn't even know it. Now it's my turn."

"You don't have to do this."

"I know. I want to."

He pulled me into a hug. Wrapped his arms around me. Hold me tight.

I felt the rain soak through my clothes. I didn't care.

I felt his heartbeat against my chest. Steady and strong.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

He closed his eyes. Let out a shaky breath.

Then he pulled back. His face changed. His jaw tightened.

"Mia, I need you to know something."

"What?"

"Lucas is sabotaging me."

I blinked. "What?"

"He's been calling coaches. Sending emails. Spreading rumours." Cole's voice was low. Angry. "He's trying to get my hockey offers pulled. He's trying to make sure I don't get scouted."

I stepped back. "That's insane. He's your brother."

"I know."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he's jealous. Because he's scared. Because he knows you're choosing me and he can't handle it."

My heart started racing. "Cole. That's serious. That could ruin your future."

"I know."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." He looked at me. "I don't know what to do. I've worked my whole life for this. And he's just... taking it away. One call at a time."

I grabbed his hand. "We'll figure this out."

"We?"

I looked up at him. "We. I'm not walking away. Not now."

He stared at me. Like he couldn't believe what I was saying.

"Mia..."

"I mean it." I squeezed his hand. "You came for me. You paid for my skating fees. You watched over me when I didn't even know it. Now it's my turn."

"You don't have to do this."

"I know. I want to."

He pulled me into a hug. Wrapped his arms around me. Hold me tight.

I felt the rain soak through my clothes. I didn't care.

I felt his heartbeat against my chest. Steady and strong.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

I don't know how long we stood there. Minutes. Maybe longer. The rain kept falling. Neither of us moved.

Finally, he pulled back and looked at me.

"Your parents are going to see us," he said.

"Probably."

"You don't care?"

"Not really."

He smiled. That small, crooked smile I was starting to love.

"Same time tomorrow?" he asked.

I laughed. "You always ask that."

"Because I always want to see you."

My heart melted. "Yeah. Same time tomorrow."

He kissed my forehead. Then he let go and walked back to his truck. He was soaked. He looked tired. But he also looked happy.

I watched him drive away. The rain was still falling. I was still standing in it. I didn't care. I walked back inside. Sophie was waiting on the couch. She had a huge grin on her face.

"So?" she said.

"So what?"

"I saw the kiss. Through the window."

My face turned red. "You were watching?"

"Of course I was watching." She jumped up. "Tell me everything."

I sat down next to her. "He confessed. He said he's been in love with me since sophomore year."

"I knew it."

"He also paid for my skating fees. All of them."

Sophie's jaw dropped. "What?"

"He set up a fake scholarship. Used his own money."

"Wow. That's..."

"I know."

She grabbed my arm. "So what happens now?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. Lucas is sabotaging him. Trying to get his hockey offers pulled."

Sophie's face went serious. "That's really bad."

"I know."

"What are you going to do?"

I looked at her. "I'm going to help him. Whatever it takes."

Sophie nodded. "That's the Mia I know."

I leaned back on the couch. My mind was spinning. But for the first time in a year, I felt hope.

Cole was worth fighting for.

And I wasn't going to let Lucas take that away from him.