Page 92 of Unlovable Player

“Well, you have time to decide. Better go suit up.”

“Yes Coach.”

When I getinto the locker room, I take a deep breath and ask for everyone’s attention. A couple of guys ignore me while they get changed, but Austin whistles and they all look up.

“I uh, just wanted to say how much of an honour it is playing on this team. I know I haven’t made the best impression, and well… I can only apologize. I guess I was worried what you guys would think of me and so I just made sure you’d hate me regardless so I didn’t have to wait for it to happen naturally. So, if I pissed anyone off or insulted them, I’m sorry. I’ll try and be better in future, and you can tell me if I’m being an obnoxious asshole.”

Austin has been watching with wide-eyes, holding his breath. He lets it out with a snort and I relax.

Gray breaks away from the group and puts his arm around my shoulders.

“Where were you last practise?”

“I was… um-”

“He was sick,” Austin says. “Hurry up Hunty, everyone’s waiting for you.” He grins.

I grin back at him. “Aye Aye Captain.”

When we get onto the ice, I sniff in the artificially refrigerated air and the whiff of hockey gear and I know there is no place on earth I’d rather be, (well, except in bed with Austin). Hayes and I switch out a couple of times, and one time, Coach places us together and we’re linemates on the second line, coming at our defense with everything we’ve got.

He slaps my hand after practise and tells me I did a good job.

“You too.”

“You can have my spot by the way,” he says.

“Pardon?”

He laughs and shakes his head. “I’ve been signed to a team.”

“Oh, congrats.”

“Yeah, in the AHL.” He rubs the back of his neck before slipping out of his jersey. “In Vancouver.”

“No shit, I’m moving to Vancouver.”

His face clouds. “You’re not having my spot Yale.”

“Hunty!” Gray corrects him.

“Don’t worry, I’m not playing.”

“What? Why not?”

“I don’t know, maybe one day, but, to be honest, I’ll just be happy being around hockey. I’ve got an internship with the Canucks.”

Gray whistles.

“Hey, you’d better put in a good word for me,” Hayes practically growls.

Austin smiles at me over Gray’s head and waits until we’re outside to ask if I was being serious.

“Yeah.”

“What are you gonna tell your dad?”

“To stick his job up his… no, I won’t do that.”

---