Page 77 of Mind Pucked

“Sup,” Vaughn and Benjamin say at the exact same time.

“Welcome, Jackson,” Coach says as he scoots his chair up to the table, holding a clipboard in his hand.

“What’s up, Coach?” I ask as he prepares to say something I know has to do with me.

It’s a gut feeling I can’t fight no matter how hard I try.

“Well…” He clears his throat. “First of all, I want you all to know that I’ve been so proud of you guys this season…all of you. I know parts of the season could’ve gone sideways, but you’ve all done your part to keep it going for me, and here we are heading into the Stanley Cup.”

“Yeah, we are!” Oliver whoops, and we all smile and pat one another on the back.

“I want to thank you for that,” Coach continues. “You know it’s been a couple years since we’ve found ourselves here, and I want to see the win just as much as you guys do…maybe more,” he adds. “I just need you all to keep your heads on straight and get through the rest of the season in one piece.”

“Yes, sir,” Felix says as he salutes—actually puts his hand to his head and salutes Coach.

“I picked you guys to talk to because I’ve seen the statistics.” He puts the clipboard down on the table for us to look at. “The polls are in, the numbers have been calculated, and the four of you”—he points to Vaughn, Ben, Oliver, and me—“have the potential for the highest stats of any players to play for the cup in twenty years. They expect your cumulative play to be unprecedented.” He beams as we lean over and look at the projected stats of the game. “And Felix…” He pauses as he flips the page to show the goalie stats for the season. “They have you at the highest stats of any goalie in the league at this time.”

“Way to go, guys,” I say as we all stare dumbfounded at the projections.

“Now, the other guys have some fine stats here, but it’s been said they expect you five to carry us if you can keep yourselves straight,” he says. “In saying that, I’m going to say this. You need to bring your A game and give it all you’ve got. We’re so close, and I know we can work together to get the Stanley Cup and bring it home.” He speaks with such passion I can’t help but beam at him.

It’s been so hard to find a smile these past several days, yet here I am smiling with my brothers. I don’t know what could ruin this moment.

“We got your back, Coach,” Benjamin says as he pats Coach on the back.

“Yeah, well I hope so,” he says. “But also, I have to tell you, no matter the hoped-for stats, I need to mention that as of late, there’s been a weak link in the ranks and you guys need to make sure you’re at your strongest both physically and mentally to prepare for this.”

There it is. My smile falls as the realization hits me. He continues on as I pretend I’m listening to what he’s saying, but my mind is on a certain woman and how destroyed she looked when I screamed at her to get out of my apartment a few nights ago. The hurt in her eyes still stabs me in the heart like a knife, but I’m still pissed at her and can’t stand the thought of looking at her.

I’m the weak link…I have to be. He’s not looking directly at me, but it has to be one of the five of us, and I’m it. He wouldn’t call for just us, say all this, and have it be about someone else on the A team.

I try to brace myself as I veer back toward the conversation. I’m thankful Hayden is with Dean and his wife while I’m at this meeting, so I won’t have to see Amelia when I get home.

That’s the last thing I need after an exhausting day.

“Well, that’s it for now,” Coach says. He looks at me as if realizing I’ve been lost in my mind these past few minutes.

“Thanks, Coach,” I say as he gets to his feet.

I turn my chair around and push it under the table as the other guys do the same, and then head to my locker to grab a few things, trying to ignore the feelings welling up inside me.

“Hey, Jackson,” a voice calls from behind me. “Are you doing okay, man? You seem a bit off lately,” Oliver says as Coach steps into his office, leaving us alone.

I wonder if the guys have been sent to gang up on me now that the wholeweak linkspeech has been made. All four of them were here before me, after all, so they could have gotten assigned to the Jackson-is-messed-up task force before I even got here.

“I’m good. I’ll be on my A game. We’ll get the cup,” I say, knowing my tone is short.

I know I’m just saying what Coach would want me to say, but it doesn’t feel good to talk like this to one of my best friends. Oliver gives me a weird look, and I can tell he knows I’m full of shit. I hope he doesn’t press the issue, but I can’t get that lucky. Before Oliver can say anything else, another voice speaks up.

“You’ve been distracted the last couple of practices, and you were spaced out while Coach was talking there at the end. Something is going on with you, so spill,” Felix says from beside Oliver, seemingly giving me no other choice than to talk.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about it. I’ll play my best at the next game,” I try to assure them. “It’s a big one after all.”

So far, Vaughn and Ben are just flanking the other guys. They haven’t said anything so far, but my gut tells me they will if Oliver and Felix can’t get to me.

“Jackson, we’re your friends—if something is wrong you can tell us about it. We want to help you in any way we can,” Vaughn finally cuts in from my other side.

I give him a small smile, but it’s the best I can do. I know these guys are just trying to do what’s best for me, but I don’t feel like doing this…not here, not now.

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