Chapter 1 - The Game Begins

Chapter 1: The Game Begins

The ice rink is slowly emptying, the echoes of skates fading as my teammates head towards the locker room. Our coach is still giving us a pep talk for this weekend’s game.

Coach: “Great job, guys! I want to see the same performance on the ice Saturday! Go hit the showers, you’re done for the day! And don’t forget, the bus leaves at 8 AM, so don’t be late. Have a good evening, everyone!”

I’m exhausted, but satisfied. Tonight’s practice was really intense, but it’s exactly what we need if we want to climb the rankings by the end of the season.

Just as I’m about to head to the locker room, Jack, my best buddy, catches up to me with his usual mischievous grin.

Jack: “Hey, how about grabbing a bite together tonight?”

I shake my head.

Me: “I’m having dinner with my family tonight…”

He rolls his eyes and pushes on.

Jack: “Oh come on, it wouldn’t hurt you to get out a little, Brice!”

I sigh, a bit annoyed. I know where this is going.

Me: “What are you implying?”

Jack: “Nothing, just that you’ve turned into a bit of a hermit lately… Seriously, when was the last time you hooked up with someone?”

I can’t help but roll my eyes. It’s always the same with him.

Me: “I really don’t have time for that right now, with classes and hockey…”

He doesn’t let it go.

Jack: “Stop making excuses, man. By the way, I found an app that could save your life…”

I cut him off, exasperated.

Me: “Cut it out, Jack.”

But this time, he looks really serious.

Jack: “I’m not joking, dude! Have you heard of ForFansOnly?”

I raise an eyebrow, suspicious.

Me: “That sounds like some kind of porn site.”

He bursts out laughing.

Jack: “You’re not entirely wrong, but it’s much more than that. You actually talk to real girls. And if you’re lucky, things can get… interesting.”

I shake my head, even more skeptical.

Me: “Wait, you’re not telling me you pay for this?!”

Jack winks at me, looking proud of himself.

Jack: “You can’t judge it without trying. This thing changed my life, man. Never a dry spell again with it!”

I look at him, torn between amusement and disbelief. He’s really serious, and somehow, this conversation sticks in my head. Maybe Jack isn’t entirely wrong. It’s been a while since I’ve really relaxed…

Me: “Yeah, yeah, if you say so… Alright, I’m out. See you, man.”
Jack: “Got it, say hi to your mom for me, haha!”
Me: “Shut up, asshole!”

I chuckle despite myself as I walk away. Jack’s an idiot, but that’s why I like him. He had once confessed he had a crush on my mom a few years ago… I almost punched him that day, but hey, he’s my best friend, so I forgave him. Halfway.

I finally leave the rink, the cold air stinging my face. The streets are almost empty at this hour. As I walk home, I can’t help but think about what Jack said. He’s always pushing me to go out, meet girls, as if that’s the solution to everything. Maybe he’s not entirely wrong…

The fresh wind wakes me up a bit, and I find myself at my door sooner than expected. The smell of dinner greets me as soon as I step inside. The contrast between the cold outside and the warm, cozy interior is comforting, almost too peaceful. It’s like the house is in a bubble, isolated from the outside world. My mom is there, as usual, finishing setting the table.

Me: “Hey, I’m home!”

My mom looks up and smiles at me.

Mom: “Good evening, sweetheart. So, how was your day?”

I collapse into a chair, exhausted.

Me: “Tiring, but it’s alright… Oh, and I found an internship at a law firm. It’s only for a week, but it’s cool to finally see what it’s really like.”

She lights up.

Mom: “Oh, that’s wonderful! Congratulations, I’m so proud of you! Come sit, tell us all about it while we eat.”

We start having dinner, and as usual, we talk about everything and nothing. I know it might sound strange, but I love these family dinners. It’s always nice to come together and feel supported, even in tough times.

We’re in the middle of dinner, and as usual, my dad starts the conversation again.

Dad: “So, Brice, how was practice? Are you ready for the weekend?”

I nod with a smile.

Me: “Yeah, two more wins and we’ll move up a division!”

My dad seems genuinely pleased.

Dad: “Great news! I would have loved to see you play, but I’ll be away this weekend… Maybe next time.”

Before I can respond, the whole family’s attention turns to my sister, Emma, who hasn’t said a word since we started eating. She’s glued to her phone as always..

Dad: “Emma, put your phone down for a bit. You haven’t said a single word to us tonight! Who are you texting so much?”

She looks up, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.

Emma: “We’re talking in the class group about the upcoming exams.”

My dad frowns.

Dad: “Oh really? And what are these exams about?”

My sister hesitates for a moment, clearly caught off guard.

Emma: “Uh… it’s…”

I cut in with a smile.

Me: “Cell physiology, right? That’s what you told me the other day.”

She shoots me a grateful look before nodding.

Emma: “Yeah, that’s it…”

My dad nods.

Dad: “Well, don’t hesitate to ask if you need help. Not many students are lucky enough to have a doctor for a dad. I know you don’t like special treatment, but think about it.”
Emma: “I know, Dad…”

A few minutes later, dinner comes to an end. We exchange a few more pleasantries before everyone decides to head to bed.

Emma: “Hey, wait!”

I stop, a little surprised.

Me: “What?”

She seems to hesitate, then finally murmurs.

Emma: “Thanks for earlier…”

I stare at her, intrigued.

Me: “You shouldn’t be thanking me, you should really start focusing on your studies. Dad’s going to figure out that you’re completely slacking off.”
Emma: “But how did you…”

Me: “We go to the same university, remember? I haven’t even seen you since the semester started. I don’t know what you’ve been doing with your days, but Dad’s going to notice…”

She lowers her eyes.

Emma: “I know… But that’s my business, okay? Just drop it.”

I watch her walk away, feeling a bit worried. Emma has changed a lot lately. We used to be close, but now I feel like she’s hiding something from me. I just hope she’s not going through something too heavy. If this keeps up, I’m going to have to talk to our parents.

Lying in my room for a few minutes, I’m finally ready to close out this long day. Classes are getting harder, and hockey… our coach is becoming more demanding. Maybe Jack is right, I should go out more, meet people to clear my head… but with my schedule? Impossible.

It’s been almost a year since Tesse left me, and since then, I don’t think I’ve really had a conversation with a girl. I don’t miss her… but I have to admit, she had an amazing body. She had one hell of a pair…

Anyway… what was that app Jack mentioned again? …Fans… uh… Only?

I rack my brain, then do a quick search on my phone. Finally, I find the app: ForFansOnly. After all, what do I lose by taking a quick look?

5 minutes later…

At first glance, the app looks like a standard messaging platform, except it has a sort of marketplace with, let’s say… “interesting” options. The profiles scroll by under my fingers, and there’s really something for everyone, if you know what I mean…

But one thing immediately puts me off: the price. Every profile displays a monthly subscription. Seriously… am I really about to pay for this?

A promotional banner suddenly catches my attention:

“Special Offer! Find a profile near you!”

The offer seems free, but only for newcomers to the platform. The app would find the closest profile geographically to you. Interesting. But what if I come across a classmate? Or a neighbor? Crap… But I have to admit, it’s kinda funny. Plus, it’s free! Alright, let’s give it a shot.

“Searching for profiles in your area…”

“Please wait…”

“We found 1 profile in your area!”

Only one match? Let’s see…

The result appears:

Hello, I’m Emmy 🌸

Shy and reserved, I prefer to stay anonymous… but that’s where it gets interesting, right? Behind this shyness is a part of me that loves to reveal itself slowly, little by little. The more we connect, the more I open up to intimate and playful moments. If you know how to take your time, you’ll discover everything my shyness hides… with a hint of mischief. 🍒

I gulp as I read her description. Sexy… damn. Alright, let’s see. Emmy… 20 years old, “Lives less than 10 km from you.” Maybe she goes to the same university as me, haha?

I keep scrolling through her profile. There are a few free photos of her. Damn… that body… she’s so hot…