Page 12 of The Break Out

“Why are you friends with the outcasts, Brynn? Your brother is thecaptain,”Rosie says.

“And he’s onehot ass captain,”another woman, Helen, adds.

I grimace, “Gross and he’sverytaken.”

“She gets to have more than one guy, why can’t they do the same?” Rosie scoffs.

I roll my eyes, “Stay out of their lives. It doesn’t concern you. It’s been years and if you don’t knock it off, I’ll let Audrey loose on you.”

Last season I heard about Audrey putting them in their place, but apparently it hasn’t stuck like it should. It shuts them up for now, though, and they don’t say anything when my friends return right before the first period starts.

“How were warmups?” I ask them as they take their seats.

“Amazing as always. Spencer, I’m always impressed that Jared can do the actual splits.” Audrey fans herself with her hand.

Spencer chokes out a laugh, “Thanks, I’ll make sure to pass that compliment along to him.”

I chuckle, taking a sip from my drink.

“Colton looked good out there, stretching his hips,” Chandler says, side eyeing me.

I cough. “Don’t even try. I love you, Chan, but I will tell my brother what you just said.”

She giggles. “Good. I’d love to see him lose his shit for once.”

I cringe. “Never mind.”

The game starts and it’s clear the team is putting in serious effort to win this one after their less than stellar start to the season. I’ve always been forced to watch hockey because Brent would drag me along to his practices and games because he didn’t trust to leave me at home with our pieces of shit parents. Sometimes it was fun, but I got bored of it eventually. I’m not like my friends who are glued to everything going on down on the ice and drooling over their men.

They’re happy and good for them, that’s all that matters.

The crowd gets louder, and I focus on what’s happening when I see a Dragons player racing toward the goal in the opponent’s zone, and when he shoots it, the horn that signals a goal goes off and the arena erupts in cheers. I jump up along with everyone celebrating the goal.

The jumbotron highlights the player that just scored, and my cheering instantly stops. Because the smug handsome face that is filling the screen is the one man in this entire arena, I wish I never had to see again.

Tensions begin to creep up on the ice between the teams during the next play, now that the Dragons scored. My eyes catch on a small altercation between Spencer’s ex, Kenneth, and Colton. They shove at each other, but it doesn’t progress. I’m sure it was just playful and them being all buddy-buddy.

Dickheads have to stick together. I’m sure it’s a code somewhere.

The teams continue trying to get control of the puck, and a couple line changes later things start to heat up a bit. Matt shoves some player into the boards at an awkward angle and they end up sprawled out on the ice. Instantly, players are descending on Matt, punches are being thrown and the crowd screams louder than when Colton scored his goal.

More players jump in on both teams and it’s an all-out line brawl with the Dragons against the Spartans. Matt swings the guy he’s fighting around by the jersey and throws him onto the ground before he’s on him. The refs and linesmen are struggling to break up all the fights happening.

Brent’s on the ice, mostly just holding back an L.A. player instead of full on fighting him. My brother, the controlled peacekeeper. Except when he’s antagonizing me.

The cameras on the jumbotron change their view to the benches and all the Dragons players are hitting their sticks against the boards in solidarity, except Colton. He’s resting his chin on his hands that are balancing the stick underneath him where he stands as he watches what’s happening on the ice. The camera cuts away, but not before I see the smirk on his face.

The fights are finally broken up, and the first period ends with one goal for the Dragons.

“Matt is going to be riding that high for the rest of the night.” Chandler shakes her head.

“Which means you’ll be ridinghim.”Audrey winks at her best friend and I chuckle.

Chandler scoffs, “He doesn’t get that privilege alone, it’s more fun to mess with him by messing with Vince or Brent.”

I gag, making sure to exaggerate my retching noise.

Chandler cringes. “Sorry, sometimes I forget you’re not just one of my best friends.”

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