Page 77 of They All Puck Me

Her gaze shifts back to me, and she steps closer. My heart picks up its pace. “Ethan,” she says quietly, her green eyes searching mine. “Play your game. You’re unstoppable when you do.”

I swallow hard, feeling more motivated than ever. Her belief in me fuels something deep inside. “I will,” I promise.

She turns to Noah last, who’s been watching our exchange with an amused glint in his eye. “Noah,” she starts.

He cuts her off with a wink. “Don’t worry about me, Liv. I’ve got this.” He leans in conspiratorially. “Just keep an eye on Liam and Ethan for me, will ya?”

Olivia laughs again and nods, her dimples making an appearance that I’ve come to love seeing.

Coach Bergman’s voice booms from outside the locker room, signaling it’s time to head out.

“Alright, boys,” Liam says, clapping his hands together once more for emphasis. “Let’s do this.”

As we file out of the locker room and head towards the ice, I feel Olivia’s presence behind me like a protective shield against all doubts and fears. Her words echo in my mind: You’re unstoppable.

We step onto the ice for warm-ups, and I steal one last glance towards the stands where Olivia will be watching us closely tonight. Her faith in me – in us – gives me an edge I haven’t felt in a long time.

Tonight’s our night.

We’re ready to make it count.

The arena roars, the sound a visceral pulse in my veins as I skate hard, feeling the ice give beneath my blades. The game is neck and neck, each play a battle of wills. I can hear the crowd's energy surging with every move, their voices blending into a relentless wave of sound.

I glance over at Liam, who’s in his element, eyes sharp and focused. He barks out orders, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Noah, get to the left! Ethan, watch the center!"

"Got it!" Noah calls back, weaving through the opposing defense with his usual grace.

I take a deep breath, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline as I charge forward. The puck is loose, and I see my opening. I dive in, checking an opponent hard into the boards. He grunts as he hits the plexiglass, and I snag the puck with a quick flick of my stick.

"Nice hit," Noah quips as he skates by, his grin boyish despite the intensity of the game.

"Just keep your head in it," I reply, passing him the puck with precision.

Noah takes off like a shot, darting past defenders with lightning speed. The clock ticks down mercilessly – two minutes left. The score is tied 3-3. Every second feels like an eternity.

Liam intercepts a pass from the other team and shouts, "Ethan, right wing!" He sends the puck flying towards me.

I stretch out my stick and catch it on my blade. A defender barrels towards me, but I sidestep just in time. "Coming your way, Noah!"

Noah’s already positioned perfectly near their goal. He catches my pass effortlessly and makes a break for it. But their goalie is ready; he lunges and blocks Noah's shot at the last second.

"Damn it!" Noah curses under his breath.

"Shake it off!" Liam commands as he circles back around. "We've still got time."

The opposing team counters quickly; their forward charges down the ice with a determination that matches our own. Liam meets him head-on with a brutal check that sends both of them sprawling to the ice.

I’m there in an instant, scooping up the loose puck. My eyes dart around – we need an opening. My gaze locks onto Noah again. He’s back on his feet and ready.

With a powerful slapshot, I send the puck across to him just as he breaks free from another defender. The crowd's roar crescendos as Noah takes his shot...

The puck sails past their goalie and hits the net with a satisfying thud.

The arena explodes in cheers as we converge on Noah, whooping and hollering. "Hell yeah!" he shouts over the noise.

Liam claps me on the back hard enough to sting but it feels good – real good. "Great teamwork," he says gruffly but there's pride in his eyes.

We skate back to position for what’s sure to be an intense final minute of play. The pressure mounts but so does our resolve. This game is ours for the taking – together.

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