Page 18 of Heart of a Fighter

Tonight, she’s on the bench watching the game like a hawk.

Zach and I have given each other a wide berth since things got out of control. We’ve exchanged brief formalities but nothing more. I never thought much about how my temper affected others. But now that Zach and I aren’t on civil terms, I realize how much his friendship means to me. We should have talked things out like mature adults instead of throwing punches. I’ll take the heat for that. I threw the first one.

That all changes tonight. I need to be an asset to the team, not a hindrance.

The atmosphere in the arena is electric as we step onto the ice. It’s a high-stakes game against our fiercest competitors, the Predators. They’re known for playing dirty and living up to their reputation tonight. It’s clear from the first puck drop that this is a grudge match.

Our last game with the Predators ended with Zach taking out their star center in a bruising fight that landed them both in the penalty box. Mark, their center, has it in for Zach, and he’s out for revenge. Every time Zach gets the puck, Mark is right there, making risky, borderline illegal moves to take him out.

As the game intensifies, my senses are on high alert. I keep my eye on him, protective of my teammate no matter our personal differences. Mark shadows Zach, his eyes glinting with dangerous anger. I watch Mark line up a hit, his body coiled like a spring ready to unleash. My pulse races as I see the trajectory Mark’s aiming for–Zach’s blind spot.

Mark barrels towards Zach, who’s focused on maneuvering the puck, lining it up for Graves to take the shot. Zach’s unexpectedly shoved by another player and knocked to the ground. Graves fights for the puck as he and a Predator race to the goal. The refs are caught up in the sudden change of play, oblivious to the fallout of the hit.

Zach’s head thuds against the ice, sending his bucket skidding. In an instant, Mark shifts his stance and closes in on Zach. I shout a warning, but the roar of the crowd drowns out my voice. Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I skate toward them. I watch in horror as Mark aims a vicious kick toward Zach’s exposed head.

Without a second thought, I lunge forward and slam into Mark, knocking him off balance as his skate slices through the air, dangerously close to Zach’s head. Mark goes down hard, and the shock of the intervention leaves him briefly stunned. I don’t give him a chance to recover. I throw off my gloves and start swinging, my fists connecting with a satisfying thud. The need to protect Zach, to prevent the unthinkable, fuels every punch.

The crowd erupts as Predators and Saints converge on us. Refs rush to separate us, but I’ve got tunnel vision, focused solely on keeping Mark pinned to the ground. Whistles blow in frantic bursts as I land punch after punch into him in a hazy blur.

It takes several teammates to pull me off Mark, and as they do, the reality of the situation hits me. The refs shout, coaches spring to their feet, and the crowd is frenzied. I glance at Zach as I’m dragged to my feet with whistles blaring in my face. He shakes his head, dazed. I catch Lauren’s mortified look as she rushes to the ice alongside Dr. Evans.

"Number 22, Sable Creek Saints, fighting. Game misconduct. You’re out of the game,” a ref yells, signaling my ejection.

I glance back one last time as a lineman and security escort me off the ice. Mark clutches his side, still lying on the ground with refs and his team surrounding him. The arena fades behind me as I head to the locker room. As the adrenaline wears off, the weight of my actions sinks in. I took it too far with Mark. He’s out on the ice with Zach, and I’m out of the game, unable to protect him.

The locker room is eerily quiet as I sit alone, replaying the last few minutes, wondering what I could have done differently. The door swings open, and my father strides in, his face a mask of controlled fury. I brace myself for the inevitable confrontation.

“You’ve gone too far this time, Granger. That’s it. You’re off the team,” he says, his voice stone cold.

“What?” I took the fight too far, but he’s letting me go from the team?

“We had a deal, and you broke it.” He runs a finger over his wrinkled brow and shakes his head. “I should have known better.”

“You don’t understand. Zach was unprotected. Mark would have made a direct hit to Zach’s head if I hadn’t been there. It could’ve been fatal.” How could he not see that? “I had to stop him.”

“We’ve had issues with the Predators, but no one on their team would purposely injure another player to that degree.” He dismisses my words as always, only this time the consequences could have been serious. I know what I saw. “Your rogue behavior is costing this team. The fines the league is bound to impose will be substantial. There’s no going back from this, Granger.”

“Is that all you care about? The fines,” I argue. “Zach’s safety was at risk. I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”

Dad’s eyes narrow. He steps closer, his presence imposing even to a big guy like me. “I held up my end of the bargain by letting that girl stay based on your promise.”

“Lauren.” I seethe. “She has a name.”

“So do you, so live up to it. And for fuck’s sake, stop this absurd fixation with this, this Lauren girl. She’s one of a dozen, and you need to focus.”

A lump forms in my throat. She’s not one in a dozen––she’s the only one. The thought of losing her, of ending what we’ve started, is too much to think about. But I know Dad won’t budge––not now, not after this. But I can’t walk away, not when a Predator has a bullseye on Zach’s back.

“I won’t see her anymore. Just keep me on the team. Sideline me. Anything. Just keep me out there,” I plead in earnest.

Dad studies me for a moment, but his expression remains stern. “You’ve racked up some serious league infractions. There’s nothing I can do about what the league decides.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets. “I won’t make a final decision about your position on the team until after the league looks into this violation. Get your things together and go home. I don’t want you talking to the press, adding fuel to the fire with your accounting of what happened tonight.”

As he exits the room, it hits me. If Dad doesn’t believe what I saw, maybe the refs didn’t see it either. My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. If Lauren didn’t see Mark coming for Zach either, what does she think of me now? The room shrinks around me, leaving my head spinning. I’ll never outrun my reputation.

CHAPTER 10

AFTERMATH

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