”where’s the trophy? he just comes running over to me” you were sitting in the chilly bleachers, bundled up in your warmest jacket, watching matt’s hockey game. you knew he was nervous—his usual confident smile was replaced by a focused, tense expression. he had been talking about this game all week, pacing around and running his fingers through his hair. this wasn’t just any game; it was a big one, and he wanted to make a good impression. you could feel his anxiety from the moment he stepped onto the ice, his movements stiffer than usual, his eyes darting toward the scoreboard.

as the game went on, matt gave it his all, but things weren’t going as planned. his team was trailing, and every time the other team scored, you noticed his shoulders slump a little more. your heart ached watching him struggle; you knew how much this meant to him. with each passing minute, the clock seemed to tick faster, and the possibility of a loss loomed larger. despite their efforts, matt’s team was down by a few points, and it seemed like there was no way they could pull through.

just when you thought it was over, the final seconds ticked down, and the tension in the air was palpable. matt made one last desperate attempt, skating down the ice with a burst of speed. with a flick of his wrist, the puck soared past the goalie and into the net. the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game, and matt’s goal had sealed the win.

the rink erupted in cheers as matt’s teammates rushed to celebrate. but instead of joining them, matt’s eyes found yours. without hesitation, he skated straight toward you, his face flushed and breath heavy. you barely had time to react before he was in front of you, pulling you into a tight hug, his helmet pressing against your shoulder. you could feel his heart pounding as he held onto you, panting but smiling.