Faking it with the Hockey Badboy

Hazel's POV

I should've known today would be hell, the moment I heard my name echo across the cafeteria in gasps.

The room was buzzing with the usual chatter and clatter, but as I stepped in, everything changed.

Phones buzzed, one after the other.

Ping. Ping. Ping.

The sound became deafening.

Heads turned and most eyes were locked on me.

Then came the first laugh, followed by another. Then the whispers followed, not even hushed.

"He's off-limits, but my heart never listens"

I paused for a bit there, my tray trembling in my hands with the thousand eyes that stabbed into me. My breath came in short, sharp gasps, and my vision blurred not from tears, but from shame.

"She wrote that about her step-brother?"

"Freak."

"Yo, she's wild."

I heard the sound of the familiar words. The words I had written myself in the middle of the night about the one boy I should never have fallen for.

Trey Rivers; the Ice Hounds' Golden Boy, my stepbrother and secret crush for years. I should have known better when I stayed up writing this smut about him in secret, spinning scenes that would never happen. But crushes don't care about logic especially this hopeless kind.

Tears burned behind my eyes but I forced myself forward, taking a seat at the far end of the room, where maybe I could pretend I didn't notice.

I fumbled for my own phone immediately from my pocket. My fingers trembled as I unlocked the screen. Please let it be nothing but a meme, prank, or campus alert. Anything.

But I was right as the screenshot of my love letter from my notebook stared back at me mockingly. My grip on my phone tightened, sweat trickling down my spine and heat spreading up to my neck like wildfire.

I turned round and I saw him sitting at the center table with his hockey buddies. He wasn't looking at me at first, he just sat there, with his jaw clenched, staring at his phone, and when he did finally glance my way, it was with a look I'd never seen before- Disgust.

Something inside me cracked.

Who would have leaked a copy of my love letter? Just then, my attention was jolted when I heard Tiffany Ross' voice. She climbed onto the low platform near the salad bar confidently, like she was about to give a press conference. Her high ponytail swished together as she raised her phone in the air.

"Hello, hello, Sterling student body! Just in case you haven't read the trending story of the week, let me do you the honors," she said, eyes locked on mine.

My heart stopped.

"Our very own Hazel Pierce wrote this steamy little fantasy starring none other than her step-brother."

Laughter filled the entire room.

I stood up, trembling. "Tiffany, stop it," I yelled stepping into the center of the hall

She grinned. "Oh, don't be shy, you wrote this, didn't you? I mean it's okay for people to write what they fantasize, right? But don't tell me you have a crush on your own step-brother. That's gross."

More laughter.

"Does your dad know what kind of creep you turned out to be?"

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out

Trey pushed through the crowd, his expression unreadable. "Hazel..." His voice cracked slightly. "Tell me it's not true, please."

I turned to him, shaking my head. "It's not, Trey, I ..."

But Tiffany cut in, waving her phone. "It's all here. Every fantasy, every sick line about him." How did she get around to take a picture of my notebook?

I knew I shouldn't have taken her threat yesterday lightly but why was she snooping around my stuff?

Tiffany and I go way back in high school when she had made my life hell in sophomore year. She and her pack of evil cheerleaders used to corner me in the bathrooms, cafeteria, trash my locker, and post fake secrets about me on the school board.

The worst part? No one believed me when I complained. Not even the teachers.

So when I saw her kissing Trey yesterday close to the locker room, after his practice, it was like my lungs forgot how to work. I'd only gone back to drop off the game sheets as the team's assistant-a position I'd solely taken just to get closer to Trey.

I forced a smile when Trey introduced me to her as a transfer student and the new cheer captain. "Transfer, huh? Small world."

Tiffany's eyes twinkled, in deep malice "Yeah, lucky me. Imagine coming all this way and finding familiar faces."

"You two know each other?" Trey asked

"Yes, we went to the same high school and we pretty much got along," Tiffany said with a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

When Trey excused himself to grab something from the locker room, I turned to her.

"I don't know what game you're playing, but stay away from him," I hissed.

Tiffany's smile never faltered. "Acting tough now, Hazel? That's cute."

"I am not the same scared girl you knew from high school. You hurt him, and I swear, you won't have it light with me"

"Oh, sweetie." She leaned in, her tone suddenly razor-sharp. "Trey's a big boy. He can decide who he wants."

As she turned to leave, swinging her waist like some hot model on the runway, she paused without facing me, her voice sweet as poison, "One more thing, Hazel..."

I tensed.

She glanced back over her shoulder, eyes glittering. "You might've cheered the loudest today, but Trey is about to forget you exist. Stay in your lane unless you want me to make your life miserable."

So here I was reeling from the aftermath of her threat. Trey's brows pulled together, his eyes seeking answers in mine before his expression shut down.

I wanted to disappear. How could I ever think he'd want someone like me? Well, he would never want me now if I told the truth and everything I'd ever hidden would be ripped open.

He'd never look at me the same way again. Not as his stepsister or as the girl who cheered the loudest at every game. Only as the creep who wanted what she could never have.

Then, just as the floor threatened to give way beneath me, a deep voice cut through the chaos.

"Actually," I heard a voice coming from the crowd. "That story wasn't about Trey."

My head jerked toward the voice, and for a moment, my mind went completely blank.

No. It couldn't be.

Jaxon Carter.

The Ice Hounds' captain and the team's notorious Playboy. It's safe to say he was my least favourite person because he was Trey's biggest rival. I dreaded coming in contact with him because his ego was way bigger than the whole hockey team.

My stomach twisted painfully. Why was he getting involved? What game was he playing now?

Jaxon walked forward, slow and deliberate, his eyes locked on Tiffany. "It was about me."

The world tilted and my breath hitched.

Of course, he'd make it worse.

Tiffany sputtered, disbelief written all over her face. "Excuse me? Why would she write a love story about you?"

Before I could even process what was happening, Jaxon was already moving towards me.

My pulse thundered. I wanted to back away, but my feet wouldn't move.

He stopped beside me, and without hesitation, his arm slid around my shoulder like it belonged there. The air left my lungs.

"You haven't heard?" His voice was smooth, effortless. "Hazel is my girlfriend."

Hazel's POV

Wait... What?

My heart thudded painfully against my ribs. My body froze, caught between disbelief and horror. I didn't even know what to feel anymore, only that whatever he was doing, I was doomed for real.

Tiffany's mouth hung open. "There's no way."

Trey's expression changed to anger "Hazel? Is that true?"

I froze.

If I said no, they'd know the love letter was about Trey.

But if I said yes..

"Tell them," Jaxon whispered in my ear, his breath hot on my skin, "unless you want your secret out."

I swallowed hard. "Yes. Jaxon's my boyfriend. I've liked him... for a long time."

The moment the words left my lips, my heart tore in two because in saving myself,

I lost the only person I ever truly wanted.

Tiffany's face turned red. Her plans to humiliate me just crashed.

"You're lying," she snapped. "Hazel's not your type. This is a joke."

"You want proof?" Jaxon said.

Before I could stop him, he turned me gently and locked his lips with mine.

My first kiss.

Warm, unexpected... and completely disarming.

My fingers touched my lips before I could help it.

Everything inside me twisted in a flash. I know this is the part where I am supposed to shove him away and run out of the cafeteria, but I stood there frozen, my heart pounding so loud that it sent all the noise blurring into the distance.

Why did the school playboy just give me my first kiss in front of the whole school?

Shame, anger, something dangerously close to hope clung fiercely to my chest, and the one that hurt more: a part of me wished it were real.

When my brain finally snapped into reality. I bolted out of the cafeteria, I didn't even know where I was going, just that I needed to get away before I collapsed in front of everyone. The whispers chased me all the way out, sharp like needles under my skin.

By the time I reached the bleachers near the hockey rink, my knees gave out. I sank onto the cold metal bench, clutching my bag to my chest like it could hold me together.

Tears blurred my vision. I hated myself for it. For being the invisible girl who fell for the boy everyone adored and for being the stepsister who could never measure up.

"Rough day, Princess?"

The voice sent a chill straight down my spine.

I didn't need to look to know who it was.

Jaxon Carter.

Of course.

He leaned against the railing, all smug smirk and messy hair, his toned muscles wrapped in our varsity jacket.

And of course, he was smirking. Always smirking.

"You dropped this earlier."

He dangled a torn page from my notebook between his fingers- the same one that was circulating like wildfire.

My heart dropped. "Give it back, Jaxon."

He didn't move. His eyes skimmed the page with lazy interest. "Wow. So it's true, you've got quite the imagination, Hazel."

"Why do you have that?" My voice cracked as I stepped forward. "Did you spread it? Was it you?"

"Oh, come on." He chuckled, shaking his head. "That's how you thank your saviour?"

"My saviour?" I snapped, still reeling. "You kissed me in front of everyone!"

He shrugged. "And saved your ass from being publicly executed by Tiffany."

My mouth went dry. "You..why would you even..."

"Relax." His tone was infuriatingly calm. "I saw you about to crumble. Tiffany was sharpening her claws, Trey looked like he wanted crawl into his skin. I did what I had to do."

"By telling everyone we're dating?" I choked out.

He just smiled. "Would you rather they think that little love confession was about your stepbrother?"

The air punched right out of my lungs. My stomach twisted.

He had a point, and I hated that he knew it.

I buried my head in my hands. "You kissed me," I muttered, mostly to myself. "In front of everyone. Trey saw it. He..."

"I didn't see you stopping me," Jaxon said. "You froze."

"But I didn't come here to out you, Hazel. I came because I need something."

I frowned, wary. "What could you possibly need from me?"

"Tutoring," he said simply. "I'm failing Literature. If I flunk midterms, I'm benched. No games, no scouts, no NHL."

I blinked at him. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious."

"There are other tutors?"

"You are the only one that got an A+ last semester." He gave me that lazy, cocky grin that always made girls melt. "You're the smartest one in the room, Sunshine. I need you."

My pulse jumped at the nickname. "Don't call me that," I muttered.

"Then say yes."

"No. There is no way in hell, I am going to tutor you."

He shrugged. "Then good luck convincing everyone you're not the pervert who writes love stories about her stepbrother."

I hated him. I hated that smirk, that calm tone, that way he acted like he always had everything figured out.

I know he had a point, but still, I couldn't bear to stay in the same room with him; I would rather die.

"I'll talk to Trey," I muttered. "I'll fix it."

"You really think he'll forgive that image? You, kissing me?" He tilted his head. "Sweetheart, he looked ready to commit to kill you."

I glared. "You're enjoying this."

"Every second."

I turned around and grabbed my bag to leave because I couldn't stand him anymore.

My shoulder brushed his chest hard and my bag slipped. It hit the ground with a thud, spilling out everything: pens, papers, my phone, and my books.

"Holy crap," I muttered, diving to gather them up, my heart hammering.

But before I could reach my notebook-the one that held everything, Jaxon's foot pinned a few pages in place.

"Wait," he said, bending down before I could stop him. "What's this?"

"Don't..."

But it was too late.

He plucked the papers up, eyes scanning. His smirk returned, sharper this time. "The best places to lose your V-card on campus" he read aloud, his tone dripping with amusement.

My blood ran cold. "Jaxon, give it back," I pleaded, reaching for it, but he backed up easily, holding it just out of reach.

"Wow, Hazel. You wrote this? Didn't know you had this side."

"Stop reading it!" My voice cracked. My whole body trembled, half from anger, half from panic.

But then his gaze dropped to the bottom of the page and his eyes widened in disbelief. The smirk vanished. Then a laughter escaped from his lips, slow and wicked.

"Author: WildLifeOnCampus."

He looked up at me, eyes blazing with realization. "No freaking way. You're her? You're the WildLife girl?"

My stomach sank. Every muscle in my body went rigid.

"Jaxon, please." I stepped forward, desperate. "You can't..."

"Holy shit." He laughed again, shaking his head in disbelief. "You? Miss Wallflower? You're the one who writes all those steamy campus stories?"

I reached out, trying to grab the page, but he dodged easily.

"Shh!" I hissed, glancing around even though we were alone. "Keep your voice down."

Too late. My secret was already out, right in the hands of Jaxon f**king Carter.

He looked at me differently now, like I'd just grown two horns on my head.

"So," he said, eyes glinting, "you wrote about me too. The infamous 'Jay', that was me, wasn't it? You said my ego was bigger than my balls."

Heat flooded my face. "Jaxon, please. Don't tell anyone. I'm begging you."

He took a step closer. My pulse went wild.

"So you want me to keep this between us?" he murmured.

I nodded quickly.

His fingers brushed my shoulder, gently , "Then you're going to make it up to me."

I froze. "What does that mean?"

"It means," he said, lowering his voice, "you'll help me fix my grades. You'll fix my reputation. And maybe, if I'm feeling generous, I'll forget I ever found this."

He tucked the pages into his jacket pocket, sealing my fate.

I swallowed hard. "You're blackmailing me."

"Let's call this returning favours," he said with that same infuriating calm.

My heart pounded so loud I could barely think. "You're insane."

"Maybe." He smiled. "But you're stuck with me now."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. What could I say? He held all the cards; my deepest secret and my dignity.

I turned away, blinking back the tears burning my eyes. "Congratulations," I said quietly, my voice trembling. "You've officially ruined my life."

He didn't flinch.

If anything, his grin deepened.

"Nah, Hazel," he said, stepping closer until his breath brushed the back of my neck. "I just gave it a plot twist."

Hazel's POV

If invisibility were an Olympic sport, I'd have been a gold medalist. At least until yesterday. Now, everywhere I walked, whispers followed me like ghosts.

"She's the one Jaxon Carter kissed..."

"Did you see that video? She didn't even push him away..."

"Poor Trey. His stepsister's a total freak."

Each word was a knife twisting deeper.

I clutched my books tighter to my chest, wishing I could disappear into the floor. Every look, made it harder for me to survive the day.

I headed straight to the library, I knew stepping foot into any class right now would be disastrous for me. So I choose to hide here at the far end and bury myself in books.

Only that a few minutes later, I heard a footstep approach, and Jaxon was taking a seat right beside me. Is he now stalking me?

"What do you want, Jaxon?" I snapped, my voice thin but steady.

He smirked leaning in close, "Relax, Sunshine. We didn't quite finish things up yesterday."

"Don't call me that." I groaned

"Why not? You kind of glow when you're mad."

I closed my book and looked him straight in the eyes. "Whatever game you're playing, I'm not in it."

"I don't think so," he said easily, flipping open the book I had just closed. "Since my girlfriend and I caused such a scene yesterday, we should at least make it convincing."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Everyone saw us kiss. You want them to believe it wasn't a pity move, we've gotta play the part."

My stomach twisted. "You're insane."

"Maybe," he said, grinning. "But you're still trending, Sunshine."

He handed me his phone. My name was everywhere.

#HazelAndJaxon. #CampusItCouple. #NerdScoredTheCaptain.

Hundreds of comments, more than half of them were nasty, the rest were obsessed.

I didn't ask for this," I said, shoving the phone back at him but even as the words left my mouth, I could still see the nasty comments buried in my memory.

The comments had called me everything from a freak to a slutty nerd. Someone even edited a meme of me next to Trey, with the caption "Sibling goals gone wrong."

My stomach twisted so hard I thought I might throw up.

I was always minding my business around campus and staying out of the spotlight but now I was trending for the wrong reasons.

"You're gonna need me," Jaxon said it slowly, like he knew I was breaking on the inside.

I hated that he was right. I hated him for being the only person who could make the noise stop.

"You blackmail me, you kiss me, and now you want to date me?"

My laugh cracked in the middle. "I didn't ask for this," I said, shaking my head

"Neither did I. But unless you want Tiffany's fan club digging deeper and dragging you, you're gonna need me."

I held my forehead in my arms. I'd deliberately put my phone on flight mode since yesterday because I didn't want to see myself trending, but for how long would I keep hiding? This is all Jaxon's fault.

He raised a brow. "Fake date, of course. You think I am interested in you?"

My jaw dropped. "You act like saving me was a favour and not your choice."

He leaned in just enough for me to smell the faint hint of his cologne. "So here's my offer. You tutor me, you fix my image on your blog. I help you survive this mess."

My voice dropped, I wasn't going to let him corner me just like that "And if I say no?"

"Then you have to keep hiding because Tiffany and her gang aren't about to let you slip away."

I let out a deep sigh. "I wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't kissed me in front of everyone."

He shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't have if you weren't obsessing over your brother."

The silence between us stretched for a long while, both of us staring at the other.

Maybe I couldn't control the rumors but I could control how much I let them break me.

And right now, Jaxon Carter was the only way to stop me from bleeding in public.

Finally, I whispered, "You're a jerk."

"Yeah," He said, smiling. "But I'm your jerk now."

We sealed the deal with a handshake that neither of us wanted to admit it lingered too long. His hand swallowed mine whole and it was surprisingly warm too. I felt a single tingle run up my spine, so I quickly pulled my hands away.

Because I knew one thing for sure, the relationship would be fake, but the danger that would come with it wouldn't be.

***

Jaxon's POV

I knew her before she ever looked my way; quiet, smart, witty, and unbelievably cute. So when I saw her in the middle of the drama, I didn't think much. I just acted. And now, the whole campus thinks I'm her boyfriend.

I leaned back in the chair, dragging a hand through my hair remembering Coach's words from this morning replayed in my head:

"Your GPA sinks one more time, Carter, and you're benched. I don't care if you're the captain."

Benched. Right before the playoffs.

That wasn't happening.

Just maybe, the universe had decided I was too good to be benched, because the girl who could save my grades had just set fire on her reputation.

And now I couldn't get her out of my head.

When we stepped out of the library, it was official.

I walked her to class, holding her hands. Every step she took beside me was a silent brag. The nerdy girl who wouldn't even look at me freshman year now walked hand in hand with me and every jealous stare made me want to keep her there longer.

When we passed the cafeteria, Trey stood by a vending machine.

The second his eyes spotted us, I felt Hazel tense in my hands.

He looked... furious and Tiffany mirrored a worse expression, like she wanted to strangle both of us.

"Hazel," Trey said finally, his voice hard. "What's going on?"

I answered immediately, slipping my hand around her waist like it was the most normal thing in the world "Just walking my girlfriend to class."

Trey's eyes dropped to where my hand rested on her hips. His jaw flexed. "Girlfriend?"

I smirked. "You heard her yesterday."

Trey took a step closer, close enough that I could see the anger trembling in his hands. "Stay away from her."

"I don't take orders from you, Rivers," I said stepping in closer to him.

The tension crackled, thick and hot, until I heard Hazel's voice. "Enough!" she snapped, pulling me away. "Both of you."

Trey glared at me, then turned to Hazel. "You don't even know him, Hazel. He's using you,"

She stared at him, letting out a bitter laugh "You know what's funny, Trey? You only ever remember I exist when someone else does."

He blinked, guilt washing over his face. "Hazel, that's not fair..."

"No," she said quietly. "What's not fair is pretending you care now."

The air hung in total silence before Tiffany drew the attention to herself.

"You can keep trying, Jaxon, but I know you guys are just putting up a show."

"I bet you wish you were the one I was holding." I spat out.

"Watch your tongue, Carter. Not every girl will throw themselves at you." Trey tackled me back.

"Check the messages," I said, tossing Trey my phone. "Your girlfriend's been busy.

His face drained. Tiffany stammered, reaching for him but he pushed her away. "You tried to humiliate Hazel while throwing yourself at him?"

"I can explain!"

"You must think you are hot? You are frolicking with my sister and my girlfriend wants you" Trey was suddenly boiling hot and red. "Just fuck off, Jaxon!"

"I thought you hated him." He faced Hazel again.

"I..." Her voice cracked, so I replied to him.

"Maybe I just like getting under her skin. Looks like it worked."

"Shut up," Trey snapped, storming out.

Tiffany called after him, desperate and humiliated.

"Nice work, babe. I didn't know you had it in you to shake the whole campus."

She looked at me like I'd just detonated her life and maybe I had. But hell, I couldn't stop. Not when she looked that heartbreakingly cute.

She jerked her hand out of mine. "If you're going to drag me into your little game, Carter, then you play by my rules. Got it?"

My grin faltered. For a second, I didn't see the quiet, shy girl from the library anymore.

"Can't wait to hear them," I murmured.

"After your practice, at the locker room by 6 p.m.," she said and walked away.