Page 82 of Released from the Sin Bin

If we don’t win, it’ll somehow be blamed on me. Everyone is already questioning Coach Renan about his decision to hire me.

“What are you so nervous about?” Carter skates over to the bench where I’m standing. “It’s not like you have to play.”

“What if you guys lose?” I wring my fingers together.

“Then we lose.” He shrugs. “It’s not your fault our goalie sucks.”

“Fuck you, Carter.” Our goalie, Reed, flips him off as he skates past.

Reed isn’t the best. He’s been the backup for the past three years and hasn’t shown any interest in caring or getting drafted.

“Reed isn’t that bad,” I say while looking out at the team, watching them warm up and stretch.

“You could save more pucks in that boot than he could in the net.” Carter grins at his own loud joke while Reed glares at him.

“Go warm up. Stop distracting me.” I push Carter away.

“Yes, boss.”

Feeling eyes on me, I look out into the stands and notice Kandi sitting with a few Delta Nus watching the game. I wave to her and she smiles back before showing off the jersey she’s wearing. My Drexton Hall Husky jersey. At least I have their support, but I have eyes on me from all different directions and most of them are the Drexton Hall board members who are not happy that Coach Renan hired me.

I keep looking at the crowd, and get pulled about midway up the stands. Chills run down my spine at the man looking down at me. Eyes that look too familiar under the same shaped eyebrows and dark chestnut hair that’s slicked back.

Quickly, I turn away and find Carter on one knee, stretching out his leg on the blue line. He looks up and smirks at me. He looks just like his father, but one thing his father was missing is the soft creases and spark in his eye. Carter doesn’t have that same cruel, hard manner in his appearance. They look the same, but are completely different.

The team is down by one as we enter the third period.

I’ve been nervously quiet, but watching them slack off is frustrating.

The team sluggishly jumps over the wall for a line change.

“Quick change. Quick change.” I clap for them to wake up. “Get your lazy asses on that ice.”

The whistle is blown for icing and the play stops.

“Hey blondie,” a guy from the other team calls from the ice as my team huddles with Coach Renan. “Blondie,” he calls again to get my attention. “Do you shower with the team, too?”

My head whips around to glare at him, but Carter jumps off the bench in front of me. The ref is calling for the start of the play, and everyone lines up for the puck to drop. but Carter flies out.

As soon as the puck hits the ice, he throws his stick down and pushes the guy hard in the chest.

“Fuck,” Coach Renan groans. “Pierce.”

The guy comes right back up and Carter throws his gloves down. The other team jumps in to protect their teammate and the rest of the Huskies do the same to fight back.

Carter grapples the guy to the ground until the refs break them apart and send them both to the penalty box.

“Dammit, Carter,” I curse under my breath. I’m pissed at what that guy said, but getting a penalty when we’re down by one point is a death sentence for us.

Across the ice, Carter is spewing in the sin bin with his leg shaking.

Our eyes meet, and I shake my head in disappointment. He’s playing with his emotions and not thinking of his team. He’s better than that.

As soon as their two minutes are up, Carter peels out of the box to chase the puck. But the other guy coming out is doing the same.

“Change. Change,” Coach Renan yells, but it’s too late.

Carter tries to stop him, but the other player wraps his skate around Carter’s outstretched stick. The whistle. Two minutes on Carter for tripping.

---