Page 18 of The Friend Zone

By the end of the second period, Tucker’s goal has been sieged. On paper the Rino Trojans shouldn’t be a match for us. I’m not trying to be a snob, but they’re a Division Two team,playing up to Division One and, judging by the countless hours of film I watched, that shows on the ice.

Apparently not tonight though.

The other team is faster and more accurate and that reflects in the percentage of puck possession and in the score. We’re humiliated to the point that when the third period rolls around, we keep looking at the clock in the hopes that this torture will be over soon.

When I finally manage an interception, I skate away from our goal at breakneck speed, looking around to locate our offense.

Corey skates past me but he has an opponent covering him pretty closely, so I don’t waste my time passing to him.

I spot Ryker further ahead trying to get rid of his own cover and signal to him.

He nods and by the time I’m within passing distance, he’s out skated the Rino D-man and is free to receive the puck.

Usually Ryker has a tremendous sense of position and he’ll find himself in the ideal spot to sink the puck into the other team’s goal. Not tonight.

He hesitates, disoriented, as if his mind was miles away from the game.

“Moore!” Coach Harrison bellows.

Ryker shakes his head as if he finally realized that he needs to shoot or pass the puck, but it takes him a few seconds too long to shake off the trance he seems to be under.

The defense man he dodged before is back with a vengeance and he brought reinforcements.

There’s no way he’ll be able to score with two opposing players doubling down on him and thankfully he realizes it too.

“Ryker!” Jagger has left his spot in front of Tucker’s goal to offer support to our offensive action.

He signals to Ryker to pass the puck, completely alone on the left side our center offensive.

My jaw hits the ice when Ryker ignores Jagger and decides to try his luck with a weak shot that slides right into the gloves of the Trojans’ goalie.

Things only get worse from then on. Despite Corey’s goal when there are two minutes left on the clock, there’s no way to rescue the embarrassing six-one the final score.

We skate out of the rink and walk back to the locker room in silence, ready to get our heads chewed off by Coach Harrison.

“Go home,” one of the assistant coaches comes to tell us. “Coach Harrison wants to see you all here tomorrow morning at six am sharp.”

“Aww fuck,” Corey throws his dirty uniform in the hamper by the door. “Coach must be too furious to even come to yell at us.”

I nod. “Yeah. I think the fact that he wants us here at six tomorrow morning should give us an idea of how mad he is.”

“Motherfucker,” Tucker groans. “I bet my left nut that he’s planning some horrible punishment. My fucking quads still hurt at the memory of last year’s bag skating.”

Matt, a second string defenseman, looks like he’s about to puke. “I have never felt so sick in my entire life. I hope it’s anything but bag skating.”

Jagger looks resigned to our fate. “Even if it is,” he bites out. “We deserve it. There’s no excuse for how badly we played tonight. So whatever punishment Coach decides to dish out, we should take it like men. We’re the team to beat, last year’s champions. We should do better than how we played tonight.”

I can’t help but agree with him. “Jagger is right. I couldn’t even recognize us tonight. It was like we forgot how to play hockey.” I include myself in the critique, I know my performance was one of the worst to date.

“Yeah,” Topher’s eyes go from me to Jagger. “For once, we’re on the same page, Marshall. But we all know that what we do on the ice isn’t the only deciding factor when it comes to winning orlosing. Has everyone done everything they are expected to do to keep our good ju-ju?”

His eyes settle on Jagger.

If I expected my best friend to squirm, or look uncomfortable, I’m surprised by the stony look he offers Topher.

“I did what I had to do, did you, Mumford?”

Our frat president doesn’t back down. “I sure did. Last time I checked, I wasn’t the problem when we got our asses kicked at the beginning of the season. So I’m going to ask you again. Didyoudo everything we expect from you to keep our luck in good standing?”

---