Page 46 of Ice Mechanic

FOURTEEN

CHANCE

The press conferencestarts on time and moves briskly. With Max fielding questions, the vultures—ahem—journalists don’t swarm or pick at me like I’m the deer carcass I passed driving to practice yesterday.

I discuss my expectations for the season and Max shares his grand plans for the Lucky Strikers. No one interrupts or butts in to take the conversation in another direction. Whether it’s Max’s intimidating size or the security team’s shakedown, the reporters behave respectfully.

“How is it that you and April are trending more than the press conference?” Max complains after the reporters leave.

We’re running down the hallway to the lockers since I’m ten minutes late for our in-house scrimmage.

I shrug. “Same thing happened when I was in the league. The media put my dating life under a giant microscope.”

“Really? I didn’t hear much about your dating life back then.”

“Because you weren’t paying attention. Sports fans stick to the games and the stats. The general population wants detailson our personal lives and they’re the bigger audience, sotheycontrol what trends.”

The invasion of privacy used to bother me. Ionlywanted people to care about how I did in the game, not what I was driving or who was in my passenger seat. But now, I can harness the power of the general audience to bring me back to where I belong.

Max sighs heavily. “I have to hand it to your fans. They’re creative.”

“Huh?”

“Look at this.” He shows me a short video. Someone took the clips from me and April at the burger joint and compiled them with the footage taken of us today.

In the video, I’m smiling at April and tilting my head back in the middle of a laugh. She’s staring up at me, eyes sparkling.

“Does she look at me like that?” I ask, pointing to the phone.

“Don’t get excited, Chance. Everything looks more romantic when you slow down the speed.”

I scowl and return the phone to Max.

He groans loudly.

“What did the internet do now?” I grumble.

“They gave you a couple name. It’s ‘chapril’?”

“I think it’s pronounced ‘chay-pril’. And what’s wrong with that?”

“They’re using your couple hashtag along with the Lucky Strikers hashtag. Now my team will forever be linked to your relationship.” He covers his face with his hands.

“They should have put her name first. ApeChance… oh. That sounded better in my head.”

“Bro, do you hear me? You and April are now linked with the Lucky Strikers.”

I slip out of my shirt and remove my jersey from the hanger. Seeing my last name and number on the back reminds me of April wearing my hoodie and I smile.

Then I frown.

Being in the spotlight comes with perks but it also comes with lots of bullying. I need to make preparations so I can protect April online.

“Since you’re on there, make sure to report anyone you see talking trash about April.”

His eyes bug. “You think I have nothing better to do than report trolls on your behalf?”

“Then send me a screenshot. I don’t mind if they come for me, but I won’t let them talk badly about her.”

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