Chapter Text
The frat house was drowning in bass drops and cheap vodka. Kai moved through the crowd like he owned it, because tonight, he kinda did.
Three goals, an assist, and the game-winning breakaway. His jersey was still on, and the girls were definitely not subtle about noticing.
He accepted the attention like oxygen. It was so easy, so expected.
But there is this one girl. Kai had never seen her before, probably not from his usual crow. She sat near the kitchen, laughing at something her friend said, tossing her hair back. And damn, she's cute.
His boys were already deep in celebration mode, but Kai's focus stayed on this girl. She wore a cropped white top that showed just enough skin, and high waisted shorts that made her legs look endless. Her skin was warm under the dim lights, her alluring eyes made her look like she belonged on a magazine cover for summer nights and bad decisions.
And yet.
She still wasn't looking at him.
Kai leaned against the wall, arms crossed and watching. She smiled at her friend, sipping from a red cup and gossiping about something. Normal party behavior except she doesn't know he exists, apparently.
"Who's that?" he asked Jake, nodding toward her.
The defenceman squinted. "No idea. Someone's roommate? Why, she's your type?"
"Hmm…" Kai muttered. "Maybe the problematic type."
Kai was hesitant, since this girl looked like she'd make him work for it. Or worse, not care if he did or not.
He waited.
Ten minutes passed.
She still hasn't looked his way.
The balcony was empty.
Kai slipped out, finally finding a quiet spot to breathe. He took in the cold fresh air, cutting through the beer fog before he heard the door open behind him.
"Oh. Sorry, I didn't know anyone was out here."
It was her.
She stepped out, fanning herself with her hand, and Kai's brain short circuited for half a second. Up close, she was even more striking. Silky skin, full lips, and eyes that were assessing him like he was an inconvenience.
"You're Kai," she said. Not a question.
He smirked. So he's not invisible after all. "You know me?"
"Hard not to. You're in every person's conversation." She leaned against the railing, not bothered by his presence. "My roommate won't shut up about you. Something about your 'game winning smile.' "
"Your roommate has good taste."
"She has terrible taste. She cries over guys who ghosts her." She shrugged. "I'm Rae, by the way."
"Rae." He tested it. Her name rolled so naturally off his tongue. "Short for Rachel?"
"Short for mind your business." But she smiled, and Kai felt something shift in his chest, a flicker of genuine curiosity.
"So, Rae." he said, turning to face her fully. "What's a girl like you doing at a hockey party?"
"Unwinding. Midterms are done, my brain is fried, and my roommate dragged me here." She glanced at him. "What's a guy like you doing on an empty balcony instead of basking in all that attention?"
He laughed, her sarcasm was oddly enticing. "Maybe I wanted a break from the attention."
"Sure you do."
"I'm serious!"
She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. And Kai realized, with a jolt, that she wasn't impressed. Not by his jersey, nor his face, nor by the endless girls who were rubbing up against him.
It was refreshing…And deeply irritating.
"So," he said, trying a different angle, "What do you do when you're not ignoring hockey players?"
"Study, occasionally eat and sleep." She ticked them off on her fingers. "Biochem is hard, so I have to pretend to have a social life after all the premed classes."
His eyebrows shot up. Premed? With that face and body? He'd assumed she was for sure an aspiring influencer of some sort. The contrast hit him like a puck to the ribs.
"Premed," he repeated. "So you're smart and hot. That's unfair."
She laughs. "Wow, smooth."
"I try."
"Try harder."
Kai grinned. "Okay, I'm gonna need your number. For medical consultation, since I do collision sports and all."
Rae crossed her arms, giving him a long, slow once over that made his skin prickle. “Really? You're going to text me about your back pains?”
"Shoulder, actually," he said, keeping his face neutral.
"Right." Rae giggles, and Kai never felt so proud to make a girl laugh.
He hands over his phone, and she typed something, handed it to him, and he saw a new contact: Dr. Rae - Consultations by appointment only.
He looks up, grinning. "Can I do a last minute appointment tonight?"
"At least 48 hours notice, champ." she rejects. "I'm busy."
"Noted." Kai acted cool, but his ego was a little bruised. It's not like him to be rejected. But who knows, maybe good things come to those who wait?
She turned to go back inside, but paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Oh, and Kai?"
"Yeah?"
"Your shoulder's fine. I saw you lift that trophy with both arms earlier."
Rae disappeared through the door, and Kai stood there, phone in hand, and dumbfounded.
Who the hell is this girl?