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The game was tonight and it's safe to say that everybody is anxious. The rest of the team, coach, from what I've heard, so is our audience. Even I am just a little nervous. The only person who seems insanely calm and scarily at ease is Demi. The game isn't at our stadium, it's at a proper, huge stadium that's not too far from ours, so we're currently driving. Just like we usually do, Demi and I are driving in my car and the others are on the bus. I agreed to drive today.

As I stopped at a red light, our bus right in front of us, I turned to Demi. "You seem unusually calm for tonight's game. It's the first game of the season, I expected you to be more nervous."

"Why would I be nervous?" she asked. "You always win," she shrugged.

"What if we lose this time?"

"Don't say that," she hissed, "if you lose, the entire team is done for the season, you don't get to play against good competitors again. And I'll look stupid in the stands. Did I really have to wear your hat again?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're my girlfriend and that has to show."

"Vince."

"Hmm?" I stepped on the gas, following our bus as the light turned green.

"Don't you think we can stop now?"

"Stop what?"

She hesitated. "The act."

I stayed quiet for a long time. "Why?"

"The whole point of this was to redeem our reputations, wasn't it? We did that already."

"It's only been a month."

"No, I know, but we got what we wanted. The public loves you again and doesn't hate me anymore. Your position on the team is secured now too, so... what are we waiting for?"

"I thought you wanted your debts paid off." I glanced at her.

Realization flickered across her face. Had she forgotten that she was supposed to get something out of this too? "You don't have to do that if you don't want to. You promised me the apartment under yours, that's enough. I can pay off the debts."

"When? In another lifetime?"

She huffed, leaning back in her seat.

"Demi, $350,000 is a lot."

"You didn't think I could pay it off?"

"No, I don't think you can," I said bluntly. I glanced at her. "Demi, I made you a promise and I signed it. I'll keep my word. But you have to keep yours."

"I am."

"The contract said that we have to stick by it until I give you further notice. I don't remember giving you further notice. Don't ask me that again."

She was silent for a minute before she let out a sigh. "Fine, fine. I won't ask you that again. Don't mope now, you have a game to win."

We arrived at the stadium and entered through the back. I parked the car and we climbed out. There were no reporters outside the stadium, due to security reasons, but there would be a few inside, and anyway, it'll be aired on national TV, so we can't really hide. We walked inside hand in hand like we do everywhere we go. I stopped near the stands turning to her.

She eyed me for a minute in amusement. "You're nervous," she stated before laughing softly. She gasped dramatically. "You get nervous? I didn't know you could do that."

I nodded, humming softly. "There's a lot more I can do. Want to see?" I leaned in.

She went on her toes, leaning in but right before our lips could touch, she pushed me towards the locker room, smiling. "Go. You have a game to play."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, letting go of her hand and heading to the locker room. I took a stall and changed, coming back out to get the gear and skates on. I was grabbing my skates when Logan came and sat beside me.

"Mr. Hunter," he cleared his throat.

"Yes, Mr. Connor?"

"Are you in love with Demi Tiffany Vaughn?"

I stopped all movement and turned to him. "What?"

"It's a serious question, Mr. Hunter. Are you?"

"No, of course not. Why the hell would you ask me that?"

He shrugged, "Oh, I don't know, maybe because you're acting like you are."

I blinked in confusion. "Isn't that the whole point?"

He rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. It seemed fake at the beginning, we knew it was. But it doesn't anymore."

I watched him in confusion.

"You're the same around her now, with and without the press. Are you sure you don't like her?"

Before I could answer, coach walked in, clapping his hands together loudly. "All right, most of the audience is here and so is the other team. Let's discuss once more and then you boys can get on the ice."

I grabbed my helmet, holding it under my arm, glancing at Logan. "I'm not in love with her," I mumbled.

"Fine. But do you like her?" he whispered.

"I don't know," I admitted.

He stared at me wide-eyed as coach cleared his throat and started going over the strategy again. After we did that, we all made it out in a line and got on the ice.

I stopped in front of Demi who was still standing there, waiting. I crouched down a bit and she pushed my hair back knowingly, smiling softly. My eyes scanned her face and the urge to kiss her overwhelmed me. But I suppressed it. Again. I put the helmet on and she knocked on it three times.

"Good luck," she grinned before rushing off and sitting in the stands.

I blinked and cleared my head of all thoughts before stepping into the rink, rolling the hockey stick between my hands, going over, and taking my position. All other thoughts have to wait right now. We have a game to win.

✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧

I could hear the five-second countdown as I swung the hockey stick and sent the puck over to Christian. I know it's harder for him to score, but he has to try taking that puck forward. I got close enough to the net with three seconds remaining and caught the puck as it slid over the ice, hitting my skate. I hit it as hard as I could, aiming for the net, and scored the final point. We were winning anyway.

The buzzer sounded a second after I scored and I almost fell while Christian, Logan, Cody, and Lucas all surrounded me, yelling and trying to tackle me.

I let out a laugh, pushing them all off. "Get off of me."

Michael skated over too and all of us took our helmets off, celebrating our win. We were officially announced as the winners and we briefly shook hands with the other team and then started to leave the rink.

"Why don't we let Romeo here leave the rink first?" Logan snickered.

I rolled my eyes at him and skated out, spotting Demi stand up from her seat and run down and over. I was grinning like a maniac. I barely offered people a smile and I was grinning for her. She's really doing something to me.

She squealed loudly, meeting me at the opening to the rink. "Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" she exclaimed, going on her toes and throwing her arms around me. I laughed, hugging her back. "That was the first ever game of this season, you won!" She pulled back to look at me. She seemed happier than me. She leaned forward but I pulled back. She frowned in confusion. I took the hat off, giving her a pointed look. "Oh, right," she chuckled. I leaned down and she came up, her heels lifting off the ground as I kissed her. She grabbed my jersey, pulling me closer.

The commentators sitting in the booth were talking about us but I wasn't paying the most attention. Until I pulled away and actually heard what they said. "It seems like Vince and Demi have won the public's hearts, not just tonight, but with all the glimpses we've seen of their romance!"

"The public has seen their relationship through paparazzi snippets but it seems enough to fuel their fandom!"

"The public is in full support of their relationship and some people are even talking about the two getting married one day!"

Both Demi and I frowned in confusion before she laughed softly and I rolled my eyes.

"In the exclusive interview Hunter did with City Scoop, we saw how he defended his girlfriend and the public just swooned! This seems like it'll last doesn't it?"

"It sure does. Seems like fate, huh?"

It sure does.

"Not to pop your bubble, but Mr. Hunter, you're blocking the way," Logan scoffed.

I sighed, glaring at him and then stepping out of the rink, letting the others pass. Michael glanced at me knowingly and then quietly followed the others into the locker room. I lingered behind, taking my gloves off and watching Demi.

"What?" she asked, laughing nervously and taking the hat from me, putting it back on.

I snatched it back off and she clicked her tongue in frustration, reaching for it. I lifted my arm up and she sent me a pointed look.

"What are you doing?" she whined, jumping up but still failing to reach it. I watched in amusement and she groaned and huffed. "Why are you being so—"

I cut her off with another kiss. I brought my arm down and she grabbed the hat but she didn't snatch it away or break the kiss. She came up on her toes and her arms went around my neck, pulling me in closer.

I smiled against her lips, forgetting everything else. The game, the team, coach, the press, the pictures, I forgot everything when I kissed her.

How can this be fake and still feel so real?

It can't. It has to be real. It is. I wasn't supposed to but I did, I fell for her.

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