As the night goes on, we get more and more caught up in each other's passion, and our love-making reaches a whole new level of intensity. Eventually, we collapse into each other's arms, exhausted but deeply satisfied.

I kiss her forehead, and she says something I didn't expect her to say: "Can you hold me tonight, but leave before I wake up?"

"Yeah, I can," I tell her.

I encircle her waist with my arm and pull her body close to mine as I pull the covers over our bodies. "I meant what I said; I will always love you." I whisper.

She is silent, but I can hear her tears escaping and running down her cheeks. I hold her tighter, feeling her body shake with sobs. I know I hurt her deeply with my actions, but I hope that in time she will understand why. As long as she knows that my love for her is unwavering, I will do everything in my power to make things right. I whisper in her ear, "I'm sorry," and she nods, still unable to speak.

She falls into a deep slumber while her head rests on my chest. I run my fingers through her hair, hoping that one day she will love me again. I know tonight was goodbye, and it breaks everything in me. As I watch her sleep, I realise that my apology was not enough to fix the damage I caused. I close my eyes, trying to hold back the tears, but they escape and run down my cheek. I pull her closer to me and whisper, "I'll always be by your side whenever you need me. Even in the dead of night, when you call, I'll be right there. I won't give up on us." I kiss her cheek. "I love you."

☾

I stay up all night watching her until the sun begins to come up, I slowly get out of bed, trying not to wake her. I know I have to leave and give her the space she needs. I quietly grab my pants and pull them on, grabbing my sweater and walking toward her. With one last kiss on the cheek, I whisper, "I love you, Star, always."

I walk out of her room and head to the front door. The cold air hits my chest as I pull the hoodie over my head and walk back to my house. I enter and grab the keys to my truck, heading back out and starting the engine. I take a deep breath and try to hold back the tears as I drive away, knowing that I won't be able to see her again for a while. As I turn onto the main road, I remind myself that Star is strong. I find myself at the rink, park my car, and head inside. The smell of fresh ice calms me. I sit in the stands, and memories from our first game flood my mind. I can see her standing here, cheering me on. I sit here for a few moments, reminiscing, until my phone goes off.

"Hello?"

"Yo, where are you?" Ace asks.

"Out, why?"

"Can you pick up coffee if you're close to home?"

"Yeah, I'll be back soon." I hang up. I rub my face and look around. I breathe in the fresh ice once more, holding in the pain I'm feeling, before heading back to my truck.

☾

I place an order for four coffees at the drive-thru and then proceed to Star's house, knowing she is still asleep. I leave a cup on her table and quietly leave. I head back to my place and yell when I walk in. "Coffee!" I say as I put them down on the coffee table.

"Oh, you're a lifesaver," Laura says as she grabs one. I nod and head to my room. I close the door and head to the shower. The water warms my cool skin as I step in. I take a deep breath and feel the tension in my body start to melt away as I immerse myself in the soothing embrace of the water. I exit and dry myself before returning to my room. I put on some clean sweatpants and a clean hoodie and head back into the living room. With my hood placed over my head, I take a seat on the couch. "Are you okay?" Laura asks me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lie. Ace looks at me and says, "Where did you go last night?" My eyes narrow in his direction, and I say, "Out."

"The police shut us down last night, what with curfew and everything." Ace adds. "Your dad was looking for you." I take a deep breath and put my head down.

"Next time the old man comes around, tell him to fuck off." He shakes his head and tells Laura to give me some space. I grab my phone and look at the time: eleven a.m. I hear a door close, and I look out the window. I see Star with a gym bag heading to her Jeep.

Where is she going?

I grab my keys and decide to follow her. I keep my distance as she drives. I wonder where she is going.

☾

I continue to follow her until she makes her way to a boxing gym a town over. I watch as she parks her Jeep and an older man walks out the door. She kisses his cheek and hugs him. Curiosity gets the best of me, so I walk in. Hiding in the shadows, I watch as she wraps her hands, getting ready to fight.

"Star. This is Kiara. Kiara, this is my niece, Star. My baby brother's little girl." I hear the man say.

That's her uncle?

"Nice to meet you," Star says with a sweet voice. The girl is too nice for her own good.

"Yeah, same." The other girl says before adding. "Ready to get your ass kicked?" She smiles. A sinister smile crosses Star's face as she says, "Sure."

They both head into the ring, and her uncle counts down. The girl swings but misses Star, who continues to smile, now with a hint of amusement in her expression. Star's confidence is evident in her smile as she effortlessly dodges the girl's swings, leaving her opponent frustrated and confused. Despite the tension in the ring, Star remains calm and collected, enjoying the challenge.

The girl finally lands a hit on Star, and you can see the anger in her eyes. Star's fist collides with the girl's jaw, making her stumble back. She goes for another swing but misses, giving Star room to hit her once more. The crowd inside the gym roars as Star's victory seems inevitable, but she decides to end the fight with grace and helps the girl up, reminding her that it's just a sport and they can both learn from the experience.

I watch as she gets down and takes a seat on one of the benches. She looks around, and I know I'm caught when her eyes lock on mine. Anger is written all over her face, and her tone kind of scares me when she speaks.

"Come out from the shadows, Gage." She says it sternly. I hesitantly step out of the shadows and walk towards her, wondering how she knew I was there. As I approach her, she gives me a curious look.