Faking It With The Hockey Star

Harper’s POV

The next morning, I woke up early and immediately reached for the shopping bags sitting beside my bed. Inside were the things I had chosen for Justin: his tie, the set of cufflinks, and a few other little details I had picked out so he would look perfect for graduation.

I was smiling down at the bags when my phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Mia: What are you doing about the draft?

I frowned at the text.

Me: What?

Her reply came back almost instantly.

Mia: The draft, girl! Did you forget it is tomorrow?

I sat bolt upright in bed, my heart instantly racing. "Oh, no."

How had I forgotten? The draft was tomorrow, right before graduation.

Me: Oh my God. You are right.

Mia: Are you going?

I stared at the screen for a moment, the weight of the week settling in.

Me: I do not know yet. I need to talk to Justin.

Before I could set the phone down, it rang. I picked up immediately. "Hey."

"Girl, I am low key terrified," Mia said, her voice shaking slightly over the line.

"Terrified?"

"Yes. I do not know how this whole thing is going to work. What if Mason gets drafted somewhere far away? What happens to us then?"

I let out a slow breath. "I have been thinking about that too."

"I just pray he gets picked by a team," Mia whispered. "I want him to get his opportunity so badly, but I am scared of what comes after."

"I understand."

There was a quiet pause on the line before Mia spoke again, her tone shifting slightly. "Honestly, I am lucky in one way. My parents can support me if I need to relocate, so I do not have to make every single decision based purely on money."

"That definitely helps."

"It does, but I have still been going back and forth on my internship."

I leaned back against my pillows, resting my hand over my chest. "So have I."

"Are you still thinking about going out of state?"

"I was," I looked over at the bags on the floor. "I do not think I want to leave anymore."

Mia went completely silent. "Really?"

"Yeah. I have thought about it a lot. The company here is not offering a fixed salary, but the opportunities are amazing. They have direct connections with major producers and directors, and I will get real hands on experience with high end equipment." I paused, letting out a breath of pure relief. "And honestly, I do not want to uproot my entire life right now."

"Because of Justin?"

I smiled faintly. "Partly."

It was not just about him, though. I wanted to see what I could build right here first. I wanted to finish school, grow my YouTube channel, gain solid experience, and figure out who I was before jumping into something just because it looked impressive from afar.

"I am going to stay," I said softly, feeling completely at peace with the words.

Mia let out a happy sigh. "Honestly, I think that is the absolute best decision for you."

"What about you?"

"I am thinking about staying here too," Mia admitted. "Since my parents are helping me, I can afford to stay in the city and focus entirely on learning without stressing over rent immediately. I want to spend the next year building up my skillset."

"That is smart."

"Because after that, I want to start my own production company."

I sat up straight. "Are you serious?"

"Very serious," she sounded excited now, the anxiety from earlier completely gone. "I want to start small. Short films, small digital projects, content for YouTube to build an audience and learn the business side. Then, maybe in a year, I can officially launch."

"Mia, that sounds incredible."

"I know! I am actually so excited about it."

I laughed softly. "So you are staying here?"

"I am almost positive."

"What about Eva?" I asked.

"Let us call her right now."

Mia added Eva to the call, and her sleepy voice came through a second later. "Why are you two calling me this early?"

"We forgot about the draft tomorrow," Mia announced.

Silence stretched over the line before Eva groaned softly. "Oh my God. The draft is tomorrow."

We all broke into laughter. Mia quickly caught her up on our conversation, explaining her plan to stay, intern, and eventually build her own company.

Eva hummed thoughtfully. "That actually makes a lot of sense."

"What about you?" I asked gently.

"I do not know yet. I am still weighing everything," Eva sighed. "I am still dependent on my dad financially, and I do not have a job lined up yet. Looking at rent prices and transportation out of state is terrifying when you calculate the actual costs."

"Exactly," Mia agreed.

"So I might choose something a little closer," Eva continued. "Maybe the next state over, somewhere I can easily come back home without spending a fortune."

"That sounds really reasonable," I said.

We spent the next half hour talking through everything: internships, money, rent, relationships, the draft, and graduation. None of us knew exactly what the next few months would bring, but a deep sense of solid support settled over us.

"We need to stick together," Mia said firmly.

I smiled into the phone. "Absolutely."

"Whatever happens with the draft," Eva added, "we stay connected."

"And the production company?" I teased.

Mia chuckled. "I am starting it whether you two are ready or not, but Harper, I am serious. I want you with me when I launch."

"Till then, let us see where life takes us," I smiled.

"Deal."

Eva laughed softly. "Look at us making lifelong plans before breakfast."

"It is a bond," Mia said proudly.

"Fine," Eva replied with a warm chuckle. "I am in."

A comforting warmth filled my chest. Everything around us was shifting so fast. The draft could completely change Justin’s life, graduation would close this Chapter forever, and our careers might eventually take us down different paths. But we did not have to let change pull us apart.

"Okay," I finally said. "So we are all going to the draft tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," they answered together.

"Good," I glanced at Justin’s bags again. "Then I am going to go see my man."

Eva laughed. "Of course you are."

"I need to give him his graduation gifts."

"Go!"

We ended the call, and I carefully packed the tie and cufflinks into a larger tote bag. I grabbed my phone, booked a ride, and headed downstairs.

As I waited for the driver, I looked down at the bag in my hands. Tomorrow was the draft. The day after that was graduation. After that, everything would change.

I swallowed softly, offering up a quiet wish that whatever happened on that draft stage, Justin and I would hold tight through it all.