Page 7 of Penalized Love

I look over toward the locker room exit when I hear loud chatter coming from that direction. Coach Johnson and his staff stroll into the room, and, as expected, all eyes land on them and talking ceases to exist.

Coach Johnson’s eyes scan the room before he speaks.“Alright, gentlemen. Thank you for cutting your summer vacations short to spend this time with us. This wasn’t a required camp, but being here shows your commitment. This is yourmoment to show us what you’ve got. Remember, we’re not just looking for skill on the ice. We want to see heart, determination, and the makings of what it will look like once you start working together as a team.”

I nod along to his words as if he and I are talking together one-on-one. I take a second to glance around the room and notice that everyone else is also focused on our coach. We’re all here for the same reason: to prove ourselves worthy of wearing the Crestwood hockey jersey.

“Alright, let’s hit the ice!”Coach Johnson’s booming voice sets us all in motion.

Levi ends up next to me as we file out of the locker room with our gear, but this time he doesn’t say a word. I wonder if the nerves are getting to him now too.

I feel at home when my skates touch the ice, although this arena is still unfamiliar. This is where I belong. I belong here because I’ve been working toward this for most of my life. I have to show my family that all the sacrifices that we’ve made aren’t in vain.

Coach Johnson’s whistle pierces the air, and all eyes are on him once more. He starts barking out drills, and suddenly, we’re in motion, following his directions in order to not make today’s session even more brutal than it needs to be.

I push myself harder with each drill, feeling the burn in my muscles and the weight of Coach Johnson’s stare on me. Sweat trickles down my back, but it doesn’t matter. I’m here to prove to myself and everyone else that I deserve to be here.

We move into scrimmage drills, and I find myself matched up against Knox Sanchez. I haven’t spoken to him much since we arrived, but based on the stern look on his face, it’s like he hates everything about me. Good. I always enjoy having a challenge.

We face-off, and I win the puck, driving it down the ice. I can practically feel Knox on my ass, but I outmaneuver him, fakingleft before cutting right. I line up my shot and send the puck flying into the top corner of the net.

“Nice one, Bennett!”Coach Johnson calls out.

A small thrill runs through me at his praise, filling me with another burst of adrenaline. However, I know that one wonderful play means nothing. I need to keep this up.

As the scrimmage continues, I push myself harder, even though my lungs feel like they are on fire. Knox is relentless, and I’m growing to respect him on the ice. We clash again and again, neither of us willing to give an inch to the other. The stress of all of this disappears, and now it’s becoming exhilarating and fun. That is, until the whistle blows.

“Switch it up!”Coach Johnson says.“Bennett, you’re with Jamison. Sanchez, take the other side with Dalton.”

I skate over to Levi, who’s grinning despite the sweat pouring down his face.“I told you everything was going to be just fine. Ready to do this?”he asks, bumping his shoulder against mine.

“Let’s do it.”

Before long, we fall into an easy rhythm. This leads to us beginning to anticipate each other’s moves. We’re vibing, and I know that with time, it’ll seem as if we’ve been playing together for years.

I spot an opening and call out,“Jamison, cross!”

Without hesitation, he sends the puck sliding across the ice. I catch it on my stick, spin past Sanchez, and fire it into the net. The satisfying swoosh of the puck hitting the back of the net is music to my ears.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!”Coach Johnson’s approval echoes through the arena.“That’s the kind of teamwork we need!”

As we skate back to position, I catch a glimpse of movement in the stands. I do a double take when I spot a familiar face in thecrowd. Isla. And she’s holding a camera in her hands. Isla. She’s here, capturing every moment of our clinic.

For a split second, our eyes meet. I see a flash of recognition as her eyes widen, and every emotion I can think of crosses her features. Her face becomes pale, and I wonder if she’s about to faint before she ducks back behind her camera. The memory of our kiss floods back, threatening to derail my focus.

“Bennett!”Coach Johnson’s comment snaps me back to reality.

I shake off the distraction, forcing myself to concentrate on everything but her. But as the practice wears on, I can’t help but feel hyperaware of Isla being here and what it could mean.

By the time Coach Johnson blows the final whistle, my body has been drained all of its energy. However, I’m still happy because of a job well done. Or so I think. We gather around him to listen to what he needs to say before dismissing us.

“Good work today, gentlemen,”he says as he looks at each one of us. “Hit the showers. We’ll review the footage tomorrow morning.”

As we head off the ice, I catch up with Levi and whisper,“Think we all made a good impression?”

He turns his head to look back at Coach Johnson. I glance behind me and find the man in question, deep in conversation with his assistant coaches.“We should have, but I have nothing to base that on. The feedback he gave was constructive criticism, but it still felt pretty positive.”

I agree, but I don’t say anything as we head into the locker room. The hot shower helps ease some of the tension in my muscles, but my mind is still on the whirlwind I just experienced. As I’m drying off and putting on my boxers, I hear someone shout my name.

“Bennett, a word when you’re dressed.”

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