Page 32 of Unlovable Player

AUSTIN

Iwait until everyone’s in the locker room to make an announcement.

“We need to talk about what’s been going on in this team, and it can’t wait. If we go out there tonight the way we’ve been going on, then we won’t be doing justice to the school colors.”

My teammates look at me like I’ve lost my mind. I try to ignore the confused faces and go on.

“We’re a team. And if we’re gonna be a real team, we need to support each other, even when someone’s playing better than we are. We need to put the team before our own personal needs. If you don’t wanna do that, then go and play tennis or gymnastics or some shit. And if you wanna play hockey, and you can’t handle constructive criticism from your coach, or decisions you don’t like that are for the greater good of the team, then you don’t have what it takes to play pro and you never will.”

A couple of the guys bristle, Hayes especially, but I’m not backing down. I mean what I’m saying, and they need to hear it.

“I don’t know if I’m gonna get signed by the start of next season, but I wouldn’t be worthy if I blamed everyone but myself. When you’re down, you need to use it as inspiration to improve, not sulk and try to change everything around you. You don't have the power to do that, no one does. So right now, you think about the team,Ithink about the team. This is my team, right now, and I’m gonna bust my balls to make it the best team it can be, even if that means I’m not fit to be the captain, or to play on the first line, or even do anything but warm the bench. If that’s what my team needs, then that’s what I’m gonna give it, and I’m gonna give it one hundred percent while I’m at it.”

I don’t expect a round of applause, but the awkward silence that follows as I take my place at my cubby is cold.

Coach makes us all jump as he pushes through the door.

“Well said Captain Donoghue. Now, do we have any objections to that?”

Coach looks around at a room of shaking heads.

“Good, let’s go out there and kick Dartmouth’s butts.”

The game ends 2-2.Sebastian scores the leveler and whether it’s forced or not, the team congratulate him in the locker room.

I’m heading out in my hoody with my bag over my shoulder when he comes jogging beside me to catch up.

“Hey, thanks.”

“What for?”

“You know what for.”

“It wasn’t for you,” I say. Realizing how hard my tone sounds, I soften it. “I wasn’t doing my job as captain. I should have never let them try to bully you out.”That’s already happened to him once before, I can’t let it happen again.“And we’ve got a deal, remember?”

He nods. “Hey, what are you doing now?”

“Right now? Eating pizza and falling asleep in front of the TV.”

“Wanna come back to my place and playNHL 25?”

I hesitate. This guy definitely needs a friend, but that doesn’t mean it has to be me. I look around and don’t find anyone else volunteering for the job. We made a deal right? He stops being a dickhead and I go to bat for him. I didn’t consider it spreading off the ice, but…

“Sure.”

I try not to catch that flicker of a smile before he hides it.

He drivesus to some nice apartment complex off campus. Inside, it’s small, with a couch at the end of a double bed and a TV fixed to the wall with a PS5 and a coffee table. A little kitchen along one wall.

“It’s just a studio,” he says.

“It’s nice. I guess you grew up in a mansion right?”

He shrugs as he throws his bag down and makes his way to the fridge. “Meh, I mostly lived in the pool house.”

He’s not even fucking joking about the pool house.

“Want one?” He turns with a bottle of Corona in hand.

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