Burning Ice - Chapter 21: Chapter 21

I woke up with a headache that felt like it was splitting my skull in two. The light streaming through the blinds made me squint, and I groaned, rolling over to bury my face in the pillow. My body felt heavy, like I'd been run over by a truck, and I could barely remember the night before.
Bits and pieces floated to the surface the victory at the game, the adrenaline, the high-fives, the music and the chaos of the club. My teammates celebrating, all of us caught up in the afterglow of a win. But there was one thing that stood out in the haze of it all. One thing that I couldn't shake.
Billie.
I suddenly remembered her, the way she had been sitting there, so quiet and out of place but still so... her. I had checked on her, made sure she was okay. I had tried to include her in the celebration, but somewhere along the way, she'd slipped away. I remembered looking around, and then, as I scanned the room, I didn't see her anymore.
She was gone.
The memory hit me like a punch to the gut.
I couldn't shake the way I felt in that moment, watching her leave without saying anything. Without a word. It didn't make sense. I could still feel that confusion, that anger rising up in me. Why hadn't she said goodbye? Why had she just left like that?
I wanted to follow her, to run after her, but my teammates were there. They had pulled me back, the noise and celebration drowning out everything else, and in that chaos, I'd let it go. I'd let it fade away, distracted by the buzz of the night.
But now, with the morning light creeping in, I couldn't shake the feeling. The memory of her walking out, disappearing into the night, stayed with me. I didn't understand why she'd left without a word. I didn't understand why it had bothered me so much.
But it did.
I ran a hand over my face, trying to push the thoughts away, but they wouldn't leave. I couldn't stop wondering what had gone through her mind, what had made her walk out like that. And as much as I told myself it was no big deal, that she was just being herself, something about it kept nagging at me.
I needed to talk to her. I needed to know what the hell had happened last night.
I pulled my phone off the nightstand, squinting at the screen, the bright light almost too much for my eyes. The text messages from my teammates were still flooding in, all of them asking about the game, celebrating the win, but I had something else on my mind.
I typed out a message to Billie, my thumb hovering over the screen as I tried to think of the right words. I didn't want to sound too pushy, but I needed to know why she'd left without a word.
"Hey, I didn't get a chance to talk last night. Hope you're good. Want to catch up later?"
I hit send, then sat back against the headboard, waiting. I glanced at the clock on my phone, willing the minutes to tick by.
But the response didn't come.
I checked again. Nothing.
My mind began to race. Was she ignoring me? Did I do something wrong? I couldn't understand why she'd just left like that, and now it felt like she was pulling away even further. I tried not to let it bother me, but it did. I was starting to feel restless, the quiet buzz of the unanswered text gnawing at me.
I knew she had a life outside of me, outside of whatever this was between us, but damn, it felt like I had to chase her just to get her to stay for one damn conversation. I couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.
Still, I kept checking my phone every few minutes. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
The longer I waited, the more I started to second-guess everything. Maybe I'd misread things, maybe she wasn't as into this whole thing as I had thought. Maybe last night had been a fluke for her, and now she was just... done.
But the truth was, I wasn't ready to let it go. I wasn't ready to let her go.
I tried to keep myself busy as the day went on. I hit the gym for a light workout, hoping the burn would clear my head. It didn't. I made myself a late breakfast, flipped through some highlights from the game, even answered a few texts from the guys. But every time I checked my phone, I was hit with the same hollow feeling. Billie still hadn't replied.
It was like a constant weight pressing on my chest. I kept telling myself she was probably busy or tired. She didn't owe me an immediate response, but that didn't stop my mind from spinning. The longer the silence stretched, the more I started to worry.
Around mid-afternoon, my phone rang, breaking the quiet tension. Evan's name popped up on the screen.
I swiped to answer. "Yo, what's up?"
"Just making sure you made it home in one piece," Evan said, his voice easy but with a trace of concern. "You were pretty gone last night. We had to make sure you got into that Uber."
I ran a hand through my hair, the memories of the night still blurry around the edges. "Yeah, I made it. Thanks for looking out."
"Of course" he said, then paused. "But man, you were way more drunk than usual. Like, I've seen you celebrate after games, but last night was... different. What was going on with you?"
I exhaled sharply, leaning back on the couch. "I don't know" I muttered, but even as I said it, I knew it wasn't true.
Evan let out a low hum. "It wasn't 'nothing.' Was it about Billie? I saw her leave."
My jaw tightened, the image of her walking out flashing through my mind. "Yeah," I admitted after a moment. "She just... left. Didn't say a word. One second she was there, the next she was gone."
"Did you talk to her about it?"
"I tried. Texted her this morning. She hasn't replied." I let out a bitter laugh.
Evan sighed. "That explains a lot. You didn't seem like yourself after she left. We tried to pull you back into the fun, but it was like your head was somewhere else."
"I guess I just don't get it" I said, frustration creeping into my voice. "Everything was fine in the morning. Hell, it felt better than fine. And then last night, she just... disappeared. Now she's not even answering me."
Evan was quiet for a moment. "Maybe she felt out of place. You ever think about that? This whole hockey world, the chaos, the people... it's not her thing, man. You said it yourself. She's not used to it."
His words hit harder than I expected. I hadn't thought about it like that.
"Yeah, maybe," I said, my tone softer now.
"Look," Evan continued, "I don't know what's going on between you two, but if you care about her, don't let her slip away. Give her some space if she needs it, but don't wait too long to check in again. If she's important, you figure it out."
I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah. Thanks, man."
"No problem. And hey, take it easy on the drinks next time," he said with a laugh. "You were a mess."
"Noted" I said, managing a small smile despite the knot in my chest.
After we hung up, I sat there, Evan's words replaying in my head. Maybe he was right. Maybe she had felt out of place, and I hadn't done enough to make her feel like she belonged. Or maybe it was something else entirely. Either way, the silence between us was driving me insane.
I glanced at my phone again, the empty notification screen mocking me.
I had to figure this out.
I sat in my car outside Billie's apartment building, staring at the door like it might open on its own. I'd already knocked twice, waited a few minutes each time, and nothing. No sound, no movement, no Billie. My chest tightened with frustration.
I leaned back in the seat, gripping the steering wheel as I tried to figure out my next move. I didn't want to be that guy—desperate, pushing boundaries—but I also couldn't sit around doing nothing. Not when everything between us felt so... unfinished.
My thoughts kept circling back to one thing. Her job.
The idea of showing up there was equal parts tempting and unsettling. I hadn't stepped foot in that club since the night we met, and walking in now felt like crossing a line. But what other choice did I have? She wasn't answering her texts, wasn't at her apartment. I had to find her, to talk to her, to figure out what the hell was going on.
The thought of seeing her there, surrounded by lights and music, maybe with some guy trying to buy her attention made my stomach churn. I didn't want to be reminded of the part of her life I couldn't control, the part that didn't include me.
Still, sitting here wasn't going to solve anything. I ran a hand through my hair, let out a deep breath, and turned the key in the ignition.
The drive to the club felt longer than it was, my mind running through every scenario. What if she wasn't there? What if she was? What if she didn't want to see me at all?
When I finally pulled into the parking lot, I sat there for a minute, my hands gripping the wheel. The neon sign above the entrance glowed bright against the night, the steady thrum of music already spilling out as the door opened for a couple walking in.
I wasn't sure how crazy this made me look. Showing up unannounced, hoping to find her here, walking into her space like I had any right to. But I couldn't shake the feeling that if I didn't do something, if I didn't try, I'd regret it.
With one last deep breath, I stepped out of the car and headed toward the entrance.
The club was just like I remembered it, loud, dimly lit, and filled with people who looked like they belonged here far more than I did. The music thumped in my chest as I made my way through the crowd, scanning faces, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.
But Billie wasn't anywhere in sight.
I checked the bar, the tables, the corners of the room where the lights didn't quite reach. Nothing. I was starting to feel ridiculous. What was I even doing here? This wasn't my world, and barging in like this wasn't going to magically fix things.
I turned toward the door, ready to admit defeat, when I heard a voice behind me.
"Well, well. Look who's back."
I turned to see one of Billie's friends. I recognized her from that first night—curly hair, sharp eyes, and a smirk that didn't quite soften when she looked at me.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, folding her arms.
I hesitated, caught off guard by her directness. "I was... uh... looking for Billie."
Her eyebrow shot up. "Looking for Billie?"
"Yeah," I said, shifting on my feet. I felt like a damn fool standing there, but I couldn't back out now. "I just wanted to talk to her."
Her eyes narrowed, studying me like she was trying to figure out if I was trouble. "You sure about that? Last time I saw you, you were kissing her like you owned the place. What's going on now?"
"Look, I know how this might seem. But I swear, I just want to talk. She's not answering my texts, and I... I need to see her. That's all." I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
Her expression softened just a fraction, but she didn't look entirely convinced. "Billie's had enough guys come through here with good intentions that turned out to be garbage. You're not about to be one of those, are you?"
"No" I said firmly. "I'm not. I just... I care about her, okay? I need to know she's okay."
"Alright. Wait here. I'll see if she's available." She stared at me for a moment longer, then sighed.
Relief and nerves hit me all at once as I watched her disappear into the back. My heart was racing, and my palms felt clammy. I didn't know if Billie would even agree to see me, but at least I had a chance.
Now all I could do was wait. .