Word count: Currently 14k but I’m only halfway through writing.
Ship: Garrett Graham x F!Reader
Spoilers - Off Campus Season 1 though this story is AU. There are also Easter eggs for the first 4 books of our hockey boys. Teenage romance. Second chance. Reader is the main character. You are described as petite and curvy with golden auburn hair. No Y/N but you are called Caroline, Red, and Sunshine by other people. Caroline is not your real name. Garrett is your first love. Dean is your best friend. Garrett and Dean are closer to Belmont and Stephen’s real ages in this. Garrett and Dean are both 25 and you are 24. TW for gambling, violence, and homelessness. Dark and angsty at times but there is a happy ending. Each chapter is named after a song. Not beta'd so all errors are my own.
Synopsis: You and Garrett were next door neighbours as teenagers. The two of you fell in love. One stormy night your lives imploded because of lies and greed. You vanished that night while Garrett went to boarding school in London. 10 years later the two of you see each other at Briar U. Will this be your second chance at love or will your past tear you two apart for good?
A/N - This is the AU storyline that I was talking about before. Remember Garrett mentioned Phil sending him to boarding school in 1x05. That is where this story comes from. I haven't written something this big in a long time so I'm kind of nervous. I posted part of it yesterday but then I took it down because I wanted to finish it completely. I have some time off so I should be able to write and edit the rest of the chapters over the next couple of days. Hopefully if everything goes right I'll start posting full chapters in August.
CHAPTER 1
IN ANOTHER LIFE
In another life
I would be your girl
We'd keep all our promises
Be us against the world
In another life
I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were
The one that got away
The one that got away
Today had really been one of those days. Housing had called this morning to leave a message for Caroline Redford about the apartment that was supposed to come with your new teaching contract. You were so busy with the doctors that you hadn’t been able to call back at the time so you let it go to voice mail. You still did a double take whenever you heard the name Caroline but you knew you’d have to get used to it like everything else. When you finally did call back a flustered secretary only said you’d have to come into the admin building for clarification. Another delay. Another night in your car. Maybe this was your sign to move on. You had already started to question if this job was the right choice. You’d assumed the anonymity of the large campus would help you blend in. You’d just be another TA. A voice in your head that sounded like Uncle Pete says “This isn’t your life anymore.” It hadn’t been your life since… You knew the rules that he drilled into you. You shouldn’t stay too long in one place. The same place every night was like putting a bullseye on your back. Routines. Simplicity. Comfort. Stuff that other people took for granted were all dangerous for you. You’d learned early on that credit cards leave a trail. You didn’t make friends anymore because then you’d have to keep your story straight. It was so exhausting always looking over your shoulder and wondering when the next shoe would drop. You knew you could call him, “I won’t let you fall, Sunshine.” but you couldn’t put him in danger. It had only been 6 months since Uncle Pete… and you still woke up screaming.
Portland Pickles Viral 'Heated Rivalry' Night Recreates Iconic Same-Sex Kiss on Field
Chris Tremblay
On the evening of Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the Portland Pickles, a collegiate summer baseball team based in Oregon, transformed Walker Stadium into a stage for one of the most talked-about moments in recent sports history . During a theme night titled "Heated Riv-Dill-ry Night," the organization orchestrated a scripted confrontation between a pitcher and a batter that culminated in a passionate same-sex kiss on the field, directly referencing the popular queer romance series Heated Rivalry . The moment, set to the 2002 pop anthem "All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u., was captured on video and quickly surpassed one million views on social media platforms in less than 12 hours .
The Scripted Stunt: From Conflict to Connection
The event was meticulously choreographed to mirror the high-stakes tension of the source material. During the game, a scripted sequence began when the pitcher intentionally "hit" the batter with a baseball . Following the impact, the batter charged the mound in what appeared to be a standard baseball brawl . However, as the two athletes met between the bases, the aggression vanished, replaced by a staged "make-out session" that sent the attending crowd into a frenzy of cheers .
The Portland Pickles leaned heavily into the marketing potential of the stunt, using their social media presence to engage with fans of the Heated Rivalry franchise. Captions for photos of the event included cheeky references to the books and show, such as: "Our cottage was packed. Tongues were used. Things got heated" . The "cottage" reference is a specific nod to a pivotal setting in the Rachel Reid novels and the HBO adaptation where the protagonists, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, find sanctuary together .
The Cultural Phenomenon of 'Heated Rivalry'
The inspiration for the theme night, Heated Rivalry, has evolved from a popular book series by Rachel Reid into a global cultural phenomenon following its television adaptation on HBO . The series chronicles the eight-year clandestine relationship between two elite athletes who are public rivals on the ice but secret lovers behind closed doors . The show has been praised for its authentic portrayal of the complexities of being queer in professional sports, focusing on the slow-developing intimacy between its leads rather than just the physical aspects of their relationship .
The Pickles' event was timed to capitalize on the massive anticipation for the show's second season, which is scheduled to premiere in April 2027 . By bridging the gap between hockey and baseball, the Pickles aimed to celebrate LGBTQ+ joy and the themes of "chosen family" . The team’s promotional material for the night included playful innuendos, stating that "someone’s definitely ending up in the penalty box" .
Reaction and Controversy
As is often the case with bold LGBTQ+ visibility in sports, the reaction to the Portland Pickles' stunt was deeply polarized. Proponents of the event viewed it as a lighthearted, affirming celebration of queer culture in a space—men's athletics—that has historically been exclusionary . The team emphasized that their goal was to create an environment where the world "is weird enough without anyone feeling unwelcome" .
Conversely, conservative media outlets and some social media commenters criticized the move, arguing that the inclusion of an explicit, scripted "make-out session" was inappropriate for a "family-friendly" sporting event . Critics pointed to instances of children in the stands, with some reports claiming parents were uncomfortable with the display . Despite the backlash, the Portland Pickles moved forward with their scheduled Pride Night on Thursday, July 16, 2026, further cementing their commitment to LGBTQ+ representation .
A Growing Trend in Sports Marketing
The Portland Pickles are not the only organization to tap into the Heated Rivalry fandom. Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox, has already announced its own "Heated Rivalry Night" scheduled for August 31, 2026 . The Boston event is expected to feature a decorated dance floor styled after the club scenes in the show, themed snacks, and a "Sam Deck" transformation into the iconic "cottage" . Crucially, the Red Sox event will donate a portion of its proceeds to OUT MetroWest, a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth .
This trend of "Heated Rivalry" themed nights suggests a significant shift in how professional sports teams engage with diverse audiences. Rather than standard Pride nights, which often feature rainbow logos but little thematic depth, these events are targeting specific fandoms and subcultures within the LGBTQ+ community . The success of these promotions is evident in their viral reach; similar "Heated Rivalry" moments, such as a lookalike contest kiss at a PWHL game earlier this year, have consistently trended on global platforms .
The Portland Pickles' viral kiss is more than just a marketing stunt; it is a reflection of the evolving landscape of sports and entertainment. By embracing the "electric chemistry" of fictional queer icons Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, the Pickles have brought the passion of the Heated Rivalry story to a real-world ballpark . While the event has sparked debate over the "appropriateness" of such displays in public venues, the overwhelming social media engagement suggests a strong appetite for inclusive, pop-culture-driven experiences in the world of professional athletics . As Fenway Park prepares for its own iteration of the theme night in late August, it is clear that the "Heated Rivalry" phenomenon is continuing to blaze a trail for LGBTQ+ visibility in the American sporting tradition.
Not your grandmother’s Baba Yaga.
Starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, Clark Backo, and Hudson Williams, the new mystery thriller series YAGA is coming soon to Sky.
Netflix has officially found its Lucy. ‘Heated Rivalry’ and ‘Yellowjackets’ star sophie__nelisse has been tapped to lead Netflix Canada’s adaption of ‘The Summer Will Be Different.’
The 10-episode series is based on carleyfortune’s popular romance novel of the same name and hails from Sphere Media. The show’s log-line describes it as “a simmering, sun-soaked romance set across multiple summers on Prince Edward Island about Lucy, a young woman navigating her 20s and her first real love with her best friend’s brother, the one person she was never supposed to fall for.”
Meet the cast of The Librarians: The Next Chapter at SDCC2026! ✨
Join Callum McGowan, Olivia Morris, Jessica Green, Bluey Robinson, Christian Kane, Lindy Booth, and executive producer Dean Devlin for an inside look at Season 2, including behind-the-scenes stories, returning fan-favorite characters, and a sneak peek at the magical adventures ahead, moderated by Josh Gates.
🗓️ Saturday, July 25 📍 Hilton Bayfront – Indigo Ballroom
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