"God help us," Liam mutters, shaking his head.
Luke barks out a laugh. "Yeah, or—and hear me out—you do this big public declaration thing, and boom.Yoursocial suicide. Instant."
Liam doesn't even glance up from his dumbbell curls, just nods sagely like some prophet of doom. "He's right. This will nuke your reputation. You'll go from Zach Westbrook, campus legend, to Zach Westbrook, lovesick clown. It's basically the same as grabbing a mic in the dining hall and announcing,'Hi, I'm Zach, still a virgin.'"
They both grin at me, twins united in their smug-ass roast.
I drag a hand down my face. "You two are insufferable."
Damn if I give two shits about image or reputation. That's exactly what cost me her the first time. Over my dead, hot eight-pack body am I making that mistake twice.
They can call it social suicide all they want.
If it gets me Caroline back, then fine—bury me in the graveyard of reputations and carve"Gone but Swooned"on my tombstone.
Elijah gives me this look. "You're really gonna do it, aren't you?"
My grin spreads slow, crooked—half cocky, half already picturing it.
The perfect place.
The perfect moment.
I can practically see it now: Caroline in my jersey, drowning in it, looking better than I ever could. Front and center. Next home game.
"Let's just say..." I draw it out, real casual, "...she'd look damn good wearing my number on the ice."
Elijah freezes mid-set. "No..." Drawn out, suspicious.
The twins whip around, Cody drops his dumbbell onto the mat with athud. All three give me that exact sameyou cannot be seriousface.
My grin only widens.
Groans explode in stereo.
"Bro, no shot you're pulling that stunt," Liam groans.
"Dude..." Luke pinches the bridge of his nose like he's aged twenty years.
Cody mutters, "Bro's about to turn hockey night into a rom-com disaster."
I just laugh, grabbing my towel and slinging it over my shoulder. "Better get used to it, boys. Show time's coming."
Even Kentaro—who's been laser-focused on his bench reps this whole time—pauses mid-press, slowly lowering the bar back into place. He doesn't say a word at first, just tips his head my way with that unreadable stare.
Then, deadpan as ever, he says, "If you actually pull that off, you might earn my respect."
The room goes quiet for half a beat.
Then Liam barks out a laugh. "Damn, that's like... the holy grail of compliments coming from him."
"See? Even Kent believes in me."
Kentaro shrugs, smirk ghosting at the corner of his mouth. "I didn't say I believe in you. I said if you do it. Big if."
Another round of groans, louder this time.
And I walk out grinning like a lunatic, savoring the idea of blowing the whole campus to pieces in the next home game.
