The New Protagonist

The celebration was chaotic. Gloves, helmets, and sticks littered the ice.

Maya made her way down to the glass. She felt lightheaded. The adrenaline was fading, leaving a strange sense of peace.

She had done it. She had defied the narrative. Liam was whole. He was a champion.

Liam was circling the ice with the trophy. He spotted her.

He didn't wave. He skated straight for the glass where she stood.

He stopped. He looked up at her, sweat dripping from his hair, his smile so bright it hurt to look at.

"You yelled," he shouted through the glass.

"I promised I'd watch your flank!" Maya shouted back.

Liam handed the trophy to Davey.

"Hey!" Liam yelled to the crowd. "Someone help me out here!"

Two of his defensemen rushed over. They locked their hands together to form a step.

Liam climbed up. He reached over the high plexiglass.

"Come here," he commanded.

"Liam, that's dangerous," Maya laughed, but she reached up.

He grabbed her under the arms. With effortless strength—that "Locomotive" power—he hoisted her up and over the glass.

She landed in his arms on the ice. Her heels slipped, but he held her tight.

The crowd went wild. It was the movie moment. The happy ending.

"You saved me," Liam whispered into her hair. "Again."

"I'm your lucky charm," Maya said, tearing up.

"You're my everything," Liam corrected.

He kissed her. It was cold and wet and smelled of victory.

As the confetti cannons blasted (because of course there were confetti cannons), Maya closed her eyes. She waited for the fade-to-black. She waited to wake up back in her office, or in the afterlife. The story was over. The quest was complete.

But nothing happened.

She could still feel the cold ice seeping through her shoes. She could feel Liam’s heart beating against hers. She could hear the AV kid asking Sarah out over the PA system by accident.

She wasn't going back.

Maya opened her eyes. She looked at Liam.

"So," she said, smiling. "Pizza?"

"Pizza," Liam agreed. "But no carbs for you, right?"

Maya laughed. "Screw the carbs. I'm the main character now. I eat what I want."

And as Liam skated her around the rink, carrying her like a bride, Maya Lin decided that this life—the one with the hockey, the high school drama, and the boy with the honey eyes—was infinitely better than the one she had left behind.

She held on tight, ready for the sequel.