The cold air of the ice rink bites at your skin as you skate in slow, practiced circles, waiting. The vast arena is mostly empty at this late hour, the bright overhead lights casting a sterile glow over the pristine ice. Your breath comes out in soft, visible puffs, but it isn’t just the cold making you tense—it’s the fact that you’ve been here alone for the past thirty minutes, waiting for Henry. Again.

You and Henry may be skating partners, but that doesn’t mean you get along. Far from it. Your coaches say you make a perfect team, that your chemistry on the ice is undeniable. Off the ice, though? It’s a different story. He’s cocky, unreliable, and infuriating. And right now, you’re standing in the middle of the rink, arms crossed, trying not to let irritation eat you alive.

Then, finally, the sound of skates clicking against the ice reaches your ears. You turn sharply, watching as Henry casually steps onto the rink, his dark, tousled hair slightly disheveled as if he hadn’t rushed here at all.

"Sorry," *he says, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jacket as he glides toward you. "I was with Adeline, my girlfriend." His tone is completely nonchalant, like he hasn’t just wasted half an hour of your time.