Page 9 of The Game

“Fuck off, rookie.”

I turn away, focusing on the puck. Dev snatched it from Grant, and he’s playing keep-away with the rest of his side, while we’re distracted. At least they seem to have gotten the point of the exercise.

I skate a tight circle, coming up behind Dev, while he’s focused on Grant, and snatch it from between his legs.

I’m about to pass it to the rookie because he’s in the clear, when he skates toward me.

“That’s not quite what your sister said last night.” He laughs, and I can see it in his narrowed eyes. Idiot is going to try to steal the puck from me even though we’re on the same team. I catch sight of Charlene over his shoulder, and rage consumes me. I shoot it off wildly toward the goal and lean down shoulder first, slamming into him.

He was moving too fast and not expecting the hit, so we both end up flying. My head snaps back, slamming into the ice, and I land on hard on my arm, pain wrenching my wrist.

Bauer blows the whistle, and chaos erupts in our immediate vicinity. We’re surrounded. The team medic is in my face. Bauer and Coach are yelling, and Beau is just standing there looking disappointed as I push myself up, wincing as I head off the ice.

Can’t believe I let that jerk-off get to me. This is not the way I was supposed to start this year off.

After getting checked for a concussion, I slink off to the dressing room, hoping I’ll be able to avoid a second scolding by our team captain. Coach laid into me hard enough for one day. No such luck. Beau is sprawled out on the bench when I push through the locker room door. When did he even slip off the ice? Crafty bastard.

“We need to chat.”

“I don’t want to.” The words sound like those of a petulant child, but that’s kind of what I feel like in this situation. Getting called into the office by the team captain. Especially after I’ve already been reamed out by our coaches.

“You’re not getting out that way.” He crosses his arms over his chest, having caught me glancing over my shoulder.

“It’s nothing.”

He snorts out a laugh. “That was not nothing. Listen Cole. This year. There’s a lot riding on it. We’ve lost some of our best players, but that means this is our chance to prove ourselves. Or more specifically, you. I’ve done plenty to prove myself.” He looks smug and concerned at the same time. I don’t even know how he can manage both of those emotions at the same time.

“It’s fine. I’ll handle it.”

“Handle what, Cole?” He leans toward me as I hover by the door, still half in and half out of this conversation. “We’ve given you space. I know some shit went down on your old team, but I don’t know what it was. And since you keep all the details hoarded away in that head of yours, I can only assume the worstat this point. Especially after that show out there. Where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re a loose cannon. You got kicked off your last team for beating up a teammate. That’s some scary shit. That’s not what we’re about here. Now I’ve let it slide because you’ve done nothing like that since you joined the Lightning.” He leans back again, pausing. “Until now. So now you owe me an explanation. Who is that girl? And what was that all about? You’re a fantastic player, but that means shit all if you’re a terrible person. Prove me wrong. I don’t want to recommend Coach take you off the first line.”

Panic grips me, squeezing the air out of my lungs. He can’t. He wouldn’t. If she causes me to lose my spot, my chance. Fuck no. Not after everything she’s already stolen from me.

He gives me a little space after he drops that bomb. I’m shifting from one skate to the other, staring at the blue line on the wall above his head.

“She was my girlfriend.” I have to force the words through my teeth at first, but then they start to flow a little easier. “For a long time. I thought she was the one. You know. Like, forever. Stupid. And then I found out she’d...” I swallow hard to compose myself. I haven’t said these words in a long time, “been cheating on me. With my best friend on the team. Fucking asshole. I fucking caught them.” Acid is burning my throat again at the unwanted picture that pops into my head, seared into my brain for all of eternity. Maybe beyond.

His eyes soften, but his brows are pinched together in confusion. “And then you got into a fight. Understandable. WhatI don’t get is why you were kicked off the team? And what is she doing here?”

The padding softens the blow as I slam my fist into my thigh. “I have no clue why she’s suddenly appeared back in my life. Maybe he dumped her. I don’t know and I don’t care. She transferred to Lakeview. And now she’s threatening to come to games and practices. And I don’t think I can handle that. Seeing her face everywhere.”

“Wow. That’s big. Ok. Well, you need a game plan. Some way to keep her at arm’s length. I’m sure we can arrange for her to be persona non grata at practices, but there’s not much I can do or Coach can do to keep her away from you at games or the rest of campus. What else can we do for you?”

There’s a shift in my shoulders. A tiny one. I’ve been keeping these guys at arm’s length since I got here. Maybe more like the length of a giant’s arm, but who’s counting? And even after that, Beau believes me and is all in for helping with my problem. My shoulders tense up again. Of course he’s trying to help you. He doesn’t want you screwing up at games. That would look bad on him and on the entire rest of the team. I can’t let myself rely on him or anyone else. There are lots of people I’ve trusted over the years and in the end, the only ones I can really count on are myself, my dad, and my sisters. I’ll accept his help, but I think I’ve reached my limit for sharing for the day, or year.

“Thanks.” I give him a curt nod. “I don’t need anything else from you.”

His smile is as smooth as one of his game day suits. “Listen. I’m not going to spill your secrets to the rest of the team, but I think it might help if you talked to someone else. At least to our roommates.” He winces. “Or just Dev. I’m not sure why I let those other two clowns move in with us. Even if you just let the rest of the team know that she’s not someone you have any interest in seeing around. You don’t have to share all the details.”

My back stiffens again. “I’ll think about it.”

His blue eyes drill into me as if can spot the lie lurking under mine. “You do that. Also, I think you need to work through your issues with the rookie. Yes, he’s a loudmouth, but he’s still your teammate. It’s not your job to take him down. You need to learn to work with your team, not against them. This isn’t a solo project.”

I sigh, running a hand through my still damp hair. All I want is to take a shower and disappear into my reading. This day is sucking the life out of me.

“You’re going to work with him.”

My soul leaves my body at those words. “What?” He can’t have meant that. That’s like lighting a grenade, tossing it on the ice and hoping for the best. I really don’t want to be responsible for blowing up the team, much less my own career.

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