Page 63 of The Game

I can’t help myselffrom constantly checking out the small crowd as I whiz by the glass during our warmup skate. There is still an abundance of empty seats, but people are continuously streaming in to fill the seats. This is an important game against North Chicago. Hopefully, it’ll be the one that turns everything around, giving us the momentum to climb the ranks. So far, we’re at two wins and two losses for the season. Not exactly a stellar record. But NCSU is at four wins and zero losses, so if we can pull it together and beat them, it’ll be the message in the sky that lets everyone know we’re coming for them. Our play during practices has been improving. We’re starting to mesh as a team, but we’ve still got our weaknesses, and I can’t afford to be one of them.

And I don’t want Hail fucking things up and making me look bad, either. We’ve had a few more sessions together and Ithink some of my wisdom, if that’s what you’d call it, is sinking into his thick skull, but he’s still fighting me at every turn.

I push up from my stretches, skating over where he’s taking shots on goal. His favorite pastime. Every now and again, he glances over at the crowd to make sure they’re watching him.

“Hey, Hail. Toss me the biscuit.”

“Get your own puck.” He doesn’t even bother to turn around as he shoots me down.

“Hail. I thought we were getting over this shit. This game means a lot, and I want to make sure we’re working together like I know we can.” Look at me being the advocate for teamwork. I never would have thought it, but then I wouldn’t be doing this if I hadn’t had my spot threatened by the captain. I hate to admit it, but I think the sessions might be doing me good as well. I’ve been finding spots easier and communicating on the ice with more accuracy. Look at me. I’ve always scanned the opposing team for their strengths and weaknesses but haven’t taken as much time to use that skill on my own teammates.

“I don’t need your advice, Schaeffer. Keep it to yourself. I’m sure you could use it.” He goes back to shooting pucks and I notice he’s gone back to his old habit of shooting toward his favorite spot in the top left corner. So much for progress.

“You keep shooting there and Grimes is going to read you like a book. He’ll be blocking your pucks without even straining a muscle.”

“Whatever,” he mutters, yanking his stick back again, but the next shot goes low and to the right. Look at that. He might never admit it, but he is listening to me.

“Toss me the puck.” I repeat my request, hoping I can convince him this time.

He whips it at me in with an angry swipe, but he’s clearly underestimating me if he thinks he’s going to make me chase it. I snag it, slapping it straight to the back of the net.

Skating over, I retrieve it and send it back his way.

“Four touches and then a shot,” I tell him, and we spend the remaining warm up time on the drill that has my muscles loose and vision sharp for the start of the game.

There are lightning bolts flashing across the ice now and the arena is probably about three quarters full. My eyes scan the crowd, skipping by Charlene. She’s standing near the glass, waving frantically at me. There’s no anger left in me for her anymore, which makes it much easier to ignore her desperate bid for my attention.

There’s only one person I really want to see out there. I’m still worried she won’t show, even though she said she’d come. But we’ve been texting again, and I managed to snag her for lunch a couple of days ago. Sure, all she wanted to talk about was her event that’s coming up next week, but I don’t mind. I know how important it is to her and how stressed out she’s been getting all the details in perfect order. I’m glad she wanted to share it with me.

We seem to be back on the friendship track we were on before the Halloween party. Before the incident with Darryl.The fake relationship is still on, which is a good thing. At least I keep trying to tell myself that even as I rub at the knots in my shoulders. They haven’t relaxed since she kicked me out of her place, and I lost my right to tell her how I’ve been feeling. And now every time I’m near her, there’s a tingle of awareness that I can’t tamp down no matter how hard I try.

It’s a constant presence that I’ve grown used to, but it’s nothing like the shock of lust that almost knocks me off my skates when I finally spot her. She came, and she’s got the rich purple fabric of my jersey draped over her stunning body. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see that comfortably. It hits me somewhere deep and primal. An urge to claim her. Take her as mine. Unfortunately, that’s precisely the attitude that scared her away.

The swish of our skates slicing across the rink soothes the ache a little as we race against each other to clear the ice for the last Zamboni run. I can’t help myself from stopping by the glass near her section and banging a glove on it. She looks down at me with a tentative wave, and her dark-haired friend giggles. Amira.

“Okay, boys, this is it. Our chance to show everyone out there that we’re more than a team struggling to get our shit together. I need to see you put everything on the line out there. We need this win. Especially you seniors. There could be scouts in the audience today or any day from now on.”

Like I need the pressure of that reminder. My entire future is on the line any time we hit the ice.

“No fucking around, no showboating.” He levels a glare at Hail. “And trust each other.” I get the brunt of his captain’s glare on that one. “So get out there and do this thing!” He shouts, pounding a fist in the air. I narrow my eyes, taking in the shaking hand he’s swiping through his blond hair. Is he okay?

The crowd is as worked up as us. I think they need the win just as much as we do. Prove that their faith in us is warranted. We’re going to do this for them.

I hit the ice on a smooth glide, skating a casual circle around the edge of the rink before settling into my position across from their extra tall winger. He’s gotta be six foot seven. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the tallest in the division, but I’m not scared of a little extra arm span. I can skate circles around him or anyone on this team. I’m not even being cocky. I’ve watched so much tape, I know I’m the fastest one in the division right now. But what I’ve been learning recently is being the fastest isn’t the be all and end all I once thought it was. I need to rely on my team just as much as they need to rely on me.

We snag the puck off the face off and work it down the ice. They’ve got an excellent defensive side and they’re blocking us at every turn. Not a chance of a shot.

We’ve been battling for every inch, every pass. Fighting this hard is mentally and physically draining. We’re better than this, and we’ve got objectively better players than NCSU, and still we’re struggling. The score is tied at one all when we have a line change up shortly after the beginning of the third period. The crowd is getting restless, stomping, and calling out tipsand insults. There are cheers too, but not quite enough to lift morale. I whip my helmet off, running a hand through the sweat-soaked strands dripping down my forehead. I gulp back some water before turning to Hail again. Not everything that’s been going on is his fault, but there were a couple of times when he could have passed it and chose not to.

“Hail. You need to be aware of when someone has a better shot than you and pass it. Grant could have snagged a goal on that last play.

He snorts. “But who’s saying he would have? I’ve got more precision.”

“Maybe so, but he had the better spot to take a shot.” Something is rumbling in my chest. Anger and frustration that the kid won’t fucking listen to me, no matter what I say. No matter what the proof is. Not to mention Beau’s promise that if I can’t get him in line, it’ll be my spot in jeopardy.

“Stop ragging on me. You missed a pass, too.” He turns to me, hostility in his blue eyes, knuckles white, they’re clutching his stick so hard.

“I’m aware of where I went wrong, Hail. That’s not what’s in question. All I want is for this team to succeed. I’m going to graduate next year and move on, but you’ll still be here and if you don’t get over this shitty attitude, you’re going to sink the team.”

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