— ON THIN ICE
CHAPTER 2
caroline harvey x fem!reader
sypnosis : how would things end up when the popular cheer captain gets entangled with the star player from the opponent team?
— tags & warnings : VERY SLOW UPDATES , slow burn , reader is a cheerleader , sort of enemies to lovers , smut maybe?? , i lowkey have very minimal knowledge of hockey so if that’s obvious in the fic ignore it , adding tags along the way
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The cheers from the crowd erupted the moment the lights dimmed, loud and overwhelming as both cheer teams skated into the rink. The sound rolled through the arena, echoing off the walls in waves, and as you took your place at the center of your formation, you couldn’t help the small, satisfied smile that settled on your lips. Maybe you were imagining it—but it felt like they were louder for you. For your team. And that alone was enough to send a quiet sense of pride through your chest.
On the other side, tucked away in the locker rooms, the atmosphere was far more contained, though no less intense. The Wisconsin players were scattered around, some lacing up, others adjusting their gear, the usual pregame rhythm settling in. It didn’t take long for someone to break the focus. “You know what’s the most interesting thing about Minnesota?” one of them said, glancing around with a smirk as she pulled her gloves tighter.
A few heads turned, curiosity flickering.
“Their fine-ass cheer team.”
Laughter broke out instantly, bouncing off the walls as the tension eased just slightly. Another player leaned back, shaking her head with a grin. “Rumor has it their prissy captain rejected every single guy that’s ever asked her out.”
That only made the laughter louder.
Laila Edwards laughed along with them, though she didn’t add anything herself. Instead, her attention shifted, her gaze settling on her best friend. Caroline Harvey was quieter than usual, her focus seeming just a little too distant.
“Hey, everything alright, KK?” Laila asked, stepping a bit closer.
Caroline turned, her thoughts cutting off as she adjusted her helmet. “Yeah, sorry. Just pregame stress,” she said, her tone casual, almost automatic.
Laila studied her for a moment before nodding. “You’ll do well. Like always.” She reached out, patting her on the back, a small gesture of reassurance that earned a slight lift of Caroline’s brows in response.
It wasn’t long before the call came for both teams to head out. Caroline took a steady breath as she got to her feet, rolling her shoulders once before following the rest of the team out of the locker room. The moment she stepped into the arena, the noise hit her all at once—loud, electric, alive—and it settled into her bones the way it always did, sharpening her focus, building that familiar confidence.
Both teams skated out onto the ice, falling into position behind their respective cheer squads. Caroline’s eyes moved almost instinctively, scanning the team in front of her, taking in the formations, the movement—until they landed on you.
The so-called untouchable captain.
There was something about the way you stood—centered, composed, completely at ease under the lights—that made you impossible to ignore. It wasn’t loud or attention-seeking, but it didn’t need to be. You drew attention anyway. Effortlessly.
Her gaze lingered a second longer than it should have, and only then did she register Abbey Murphy slipping up behind you, close enough to suggest familiarity, the kind that didn’t need to be questioned.
You felt the light pat on your back and turned your head slightly, immediately recognizing Abbey. “Don’t forget to show them who’s the best cheerleader ever,” she murmured, her voice low and teasing.
You let out a soft chuckle, the nerves that had been sitting in your chest settling into something steadier. “I never do,” you replied lightly, your confidence slipping back into place as naturally as ever.
Your gaze drifted then, curiosity pulling it across the opposing team until it landed exactly where you expected it to.
Number four.
Caroline Harvey.
You couldn’t deny it—your interest had been slightly piqued earlier. Maddie had spent far too long talking about her, going on and on about how good she was, how she looked, how she was the star of the entire team. You hadn’t cared much then, brushing it off as just another one of her obsessions.
But now, seeing her in front of you, it was different.
She did look as good as Maddie had said, maybe better.
Your eyes met. It lasted no more than a second, maybe even less, but it didn’t feel that way. There was something steady in her gaze, something sharp and assessing, like she was trying to figure you out in that brief moment. Not admiration, not indifference—something in between that made it hard to look away.
And then your focus was pulled from her, the opening notes of your program music cutting through the arena, loud and commanding.
You took a steady breath, your attention snapping back into place.
The music flooded through your body the second it started, familiar and energizing all at once. Your skates carved smoothly against the ice as you moved through the opening formation, every movement sharp and intentional. The bright arena lights reflected against the rink beneath you, the cheers from the crowd blending into the music until it all became one overwhelming rush of adrenaline.
Your focus drifted briefly toward Wisconsin’s cheer captain, and the annoyed expression sitting on her face only fueled you further. Good. Let her be annoyed.
You pushed harder into the routine, your confidence settling naturally into every glide and transition. Everything felt clean tonight—perfect, even. Your teammates matched your energy flawlessly, each movement syncing together exactly the way you had drilled into them during practice.
Then your solo approached.
You inhaled sharply, building speed as your blades cut against the ice. For a split second, everything around you seemed to quiet, your body moving purely on instinct as you launched into the triple axel.
You landed smoothly, posture steady as you transitioned straight back into the choreography without missing a beat. Pride swelled in your chest almost immediately, not just for yourself, but for your team too. Every single one of them was performing beautifully tonight.
Across the rink, Caroline Harvey continued warming up while Minnesota’s routine unfolded in front of her. She hated to admit it—mostly because her teammates would never let her hear the end of it—but people weren’t exaggerating when they talked about your presence.
You had a way of stealing the spotlight without even seeming to try.
Caroline’s eyes followed you almost absentmindedly as you moved across the ice, her attention catching fully the moment you launched into your jump. For a second, she forgot about the drills she was supposed to be doing, too focused on the way you floated through the air so naturally it almost looked unreal.
Beside her, Laila Edwards noticed immediately.
A grin spread across her face as she nudged Caroline lightly with her shoulder. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Laila teased. “Guess the others were right.”
Caroline blinked, her attention snapping away from you as she scratched awkwardly at the back of her neck. “Yeah,” she muttered, trying—and failing—to sound casual. “She’s alright.”
Laila let out a loud laugh. “Alright?” she repeated incredulously. “If she heard you say that, she’d probably murder you on the spot.”
Caroline huffed out a chuckle at that, shaking her head slightly. “I’d like to see that happen.”
Laila rolled her eyes immediately. “You are so full of shit.”
Back at center ice, the routine finally reached its ending formation. You held the final pose confidently as the music cut off, the crowd erupting into applause loud enough to echo through the entire arena. The sound instantly pulled a proud smile onto your face.
You turned toward your team almost immediately, excitement replacing concentration as you wrapped your arms around the girls nearest to you. “You guys did amazing,” you said sincerely, breathless from the performance.
Mary grinned from beside you, nudging your shoulder. “Oh, shut up,” she laughed. “That routine was amazing because of our captain.”
The rest of the team immediately agreed, voices overlapping as they hyped you up even more. You only shook your head with a smile, warmth spreading through your chest despite yourself.
Then it was Wisconsin’s turn.
You skated over beside your team near the bleachers, crossing your arms as you watched the opposing squad take the ice. Your eyes tracked their movements carefully, analyzing every transition and formation out of habit more than anything else.
Their timing was slightly off, some of the formations looked messy, and the energy just wasn’t there. They were good—sure—but nowhere near as polished as your team. You watched them glide through the routine with a quiet sense of satisfaction settling in your chest.
When their performance finally ended, the applause that followed was noticeably quieter than the reaction your team had received earlier. The difference was obvious enough that it immediately pulled another smile onto your lips.
Out on the ice, Wisconsin’s cheer captain Sydney looked less than pleased. She groaned under her breath as she skated past you afterward, glaring openly in your direction before heading toward the bleachers with obvious irritation written across her face.
You rolled your eyes the moment she turned away, completely unbothered as you motioned for your team to head back toward the stands as the game was about to begin.
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