The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 40

Two days had flown by since our last-minute decision to move. We were prepared to toss it all out in exchange for the furnished luxury apartment that awaited us downtown.

Lucas insisted on helping out, which made the move even smoother. We were able to clean and leave the old place in semi— decent condition before driving the moving truck all the way to the new place. Perhaps it was the bright new day, but | felt like a brand-new person as | walked into the luxury apartment building alongside my friends.

It looked even more endearing than the last time we visited. The new place was a haven of elegance and comfort, a stark contrast to the cramped and worn-out apartment we had left behind. | took a deep inhale in and spread my arms out.

Lucas chuckled as he walked by and sat the last box of our personals beside the TV. The TV itself was a huge contrast, a wide flatscreen that made our little box of static back at the old apartment look embarrassing.

“Thank you so much for all your help, Lucas,” | said gratefully. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and grinned. “No problem at all. | am always willing to help with an upgrade.”

Aria came in after him, drenched in sweat as she tossed down the last box. She cut her eyes to me and sneered. “Glad you're enjoying the air conditioning.”

| laughed and grabbed her shoulders before positioning her in front of the vent by the near wall. “You can too. And it’s actually cold!”

Upon feeling the cool rush of air blasting through the vents, Aria began to melt under my grip.

We spent the next hour wandering around, just enjoying the beauty of it all. I’d never felt more excited to sleep in a bad that didn’t look like it had springs sticking out of it. Aria, of course, was fascinated by the bathroom, and Lucas was just used to the luxury of it all.

Suddenly, Lucas jerked to life and hopped off the couch.

“| almost forgot!” he exclaimed, rushing out of the living room. | heard the door

slam and | turn to give Aria a questioning look.

“What's with him?” | asked her, and she simply shrugged. Oddly enough, there was a hint of a smile on her face.

Finally. Lucas returned to the room, only he had a bottle of champagne in one hand and a large cake teetering in the other. | gasped as he set both down on the coffee table in front of me and clapped his hands.

“We figured we could continue the celebration,” he said, popping the top off the bottle. We decided to move to the spacious balcony, taking in the breathtaking view of the city below.

“Cheers to a fresh start and a beautiful new home!” Aria exclaimed, raising her glass of sparkling champagne. The clinking of glasses then filled the air and we laughed as the liquid warmed our bellies.

| sipped my champagne and giggled as the bubbles tickling my tongue. The sensation would never get old. “Can you believe we're finally here?” | said, slightly dazed.

“| know, right?” Aria replied, her gaze wandering across the cityscape. “It feels like a dream come true.”

Lucas grinned, his eyes shining. “I’m glad you two already feel at home. Heck, | almost want to ditch my place for this one.” As we laughed, Lucas offered to cut the cake and he gave us each a slice.

We savored the buttercream icing in silence, instead listening in to the soft cadence of the city below. The lights twinkled the sky darkened to a deep blue. The stars peeked out one by one, adding a touch of magic to the night.

“| feel so grateful to have both of you in my life,” | said softly. “Moving here. wouldn't have been half as fun without you two.” Aria reached over and squeezed my hand. “Glad we could make things easier. You deserve the rest.”

Lucas chimed in, “We've been through so much together, and | know we’re going to make even more incredible memories in this new place.”

Chapter 40 From there, the champagne flowed, and the cake disappeared, but this beautiful evening had yet to begin.

As the night air grew chillier, we migrated inside. In the living room, we set up the bar by the kitchen with an array of drinks. Aria prepared a platter of finger foods that we could snack on, especially since no one felt like cooking a full dinner by that point.

Lucas expertly manned the bar, mixing up delightful cocktails with flair. | sat back and watched the two work on their crafts, relishing my contentment.

“Let's turn on those fancy speakers that came with the apartment!” Lucas suggested, his words slurred.

Without hesitation, | made my way to the sleek control panel on the wall, adjusting the volume and selecting a playlist full of pop music. As the first beats of music filled the room, we devolved into carefree abandon.

Aria twirled around, her dress swirling gracefully, while Lucas playfully shook his hips, showcasing some of his well-practiced dance moves. | joined in, allowing the music to take over my body and wash away my stress.

The atmosphere was contagious, and soon we found ourselves lost in a dance-off, each of us trying to outdo the other before realizing how silly it had become. The laughter was infectious, exhilarating even.

Any thoughts of Bruce and Timothy were fleeting, yet persistent all at once. The contrast was so great between them. Bruce was that dark shadow that haunted me, but Timothy was like a flickering candle, casting both warmth and pain.

“Get out of my head!” | clenched my hair and shook my head, as if the thoughts could escape through my ears.

| closed my eyes, trying to push the intrusive thoughts away, but the memories. played like a movie in my mind. | could feel Timothy's strong hands working their magic on my feet, the gentle pressure releasing the knots in my muscles. Alongside the soothing memory came that familiar swirl of conflicting emotions.

That massage had not been innocent and well-intentioned. | couldn't lie to myself about that. There had been moments when Timothy's touch had lingered, sending unexpected shivers down my spine.

“Uh-uh!” | shook my head and ran over to the control panel. | rolled the knob, raising the volume.

“Whoa!” Aria wiggled around until she collapsed into a heap on the couch. “Evie is letting loose tonight!” vibrations. | almost As the speakers filled the room, | paused to feel the get lost in 1. it. Just when the feeling of bliss had heightened, there was a sudden knock at the

door. Startled, | cut the music, which disturbed Lucas and Aria. | ignored their protests as | hurriedly made my way to the entrance, slightly flustered.

“I'm sorry about the noise!” | called out to whoever might be on the other side.

Slightly curious about our new neighbor, | swung the door open, expecting to find. a neighbor complaining about the loud music. However, the sight that greeted me left me utterly stunned. There, standing in a t-shirts and flannel pants, was Timothy.

My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. | hadn’t expected to see Timothy for at least a couple months. A few days was too soon to close any of the emotional wounds we’d left on each other.

“Hey,” he said with a warm smile, his soft eyes lingering on me. “I see you've settled in. How's the new apartment?” “T-Timothy?” | gasped.

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