Page 60 of Rewind It Back

We do a quick huddle and cheer before my teammates and I skate across the ice to the opening of the rink that’ll take us to our locker room.

I’m nearing the end of my sophomore year of high school and somehow, someway, I’m playing for our school’s varsity hockey team. After barely making the freshman team last year, I worked my ass off, earned some muscle and thankfully some height. I skated extra hours, focused on my balance and speed, and now I’m here, playing varsity hockey as a sophomore and already getting looked at by college recruits.

I fall in line behind my teammates as they exit the ice, letting the juniors and seniors hit the showers first. Partly because I’m the youngest on the team and need to wait for my turn when the water is no longer hot, but mostly because I know Hallie is here somewhere, waiting for me, and I’d much rather see her post-game than anything else.

As I step off the ice, I find her standing with a huddle of her friends but looking at me, wearing a big smile and my away jersey over one of my stolen hoodies.

I think it’s my favorite part of game days, knowing she’ll be waiting for me afterward. Hallie has yet to miss one of my high school games, home or away. And sure, I see her plenty with our families being so close and her living next door, but there’s something different about game days. I view them as a chance to impress her.

She peels away from her friends, headed towards me. “Nice game, eighty-three.”

I nod towards her shirt. “Nice jersey, birthday girl.”

Hallie steps into me, and with my helmet and stick in hand, I wrap my arms around her shoulders, placing a quick kiss to the top of her head. I tower over her now with my new height and added inches from the skates.

Arms around my middle, she rests her chin on my chest and looks up at me. “You’re sweaty.”

I chuckle. “Sorry.”

“I don’t mind.”

Her eyes are all sparkly as she looks up at me, and I take it in. There’s nothing I crave more than these moments when she has her attention on me.

Unsurprisingly, when Hallie got to high school this year, she was instantly well-liked. Yes, she’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen and equal parts confident and outgoing. But more than anything, she’s kind. To everyone. Popular or unpopular, she will become your friend if you let her. So yeah, plenty of other guys at school have their eye on her, which makes the times Hallie has her eye onmeall that more satisfying.

“Nice win, DeLuca!” Luke hollers.

His voice has me and his sister instantly breaking away from each other and when I look up, I find him and all four of our parents headed down the bleachers in our direction.

Hallie creates more distance by stepping back.

“Thanks, man,” I say. “I didn’t think you were coming.”

“Lacrosse practice got out early.”

Their dad knocks his fist with me. “Heck of a game, Rio. You’re looking strong. The way you were beating some of their guys to the puck?” He shakes his head. “You’ve gotten so fast on those skates.”

“Thank you, sir.”

I’ve always liked Mr. Hart. He’s been like a second dad to me, and he and Hallie are really close. He’s close with Luke too, of course, but Luke would rather go out with his friends than stay home with his family, whereas Hallie will cancel plans if her dad wants to spend time with her.

I meet my mom with a kiss on the cheek.

“Proud of you,Tesoro,” she says.

“Thanks, Ma.”

“That’s my boy.” My dad throws his arm over my shoulder, but he has to reach up to do it. I’m officially taller than him now, both on and off the skates.

“Great game, Rio,” Hallie’s mom says, standing next to her husband.

“Thank you, Mrs. Hart. You didn’t all have to come.”

“We wanted to come see you play.” Mr. Hart tucks Hallie under his arm. “And it’s what the birthday girl wanted to do for her special day.”

Hallie’s cheeks go a shade of pink.

“Hallie,” her mom begins. “Are you sure you don’t want to do a birthday dinner tonight? We can change our reservation from four people to seven.”

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