Page 67 of Unrecognizable Player

He’s up, on me, but I’ve won the puck, and I’m off, until something rams into my side and the next minute I’m on the ice. Everything going black.

When I wake up,I’m still on the ice. A lot of faces way too close. I’m already disoriented enough, but from this angle, everyone’s eyes look funny. I let the ref and one of my teammates pull me up, but my legs are too wobbly to walk.

They manage to get me off the ice, and instead of sitting me on the bench, I’m being carried off the ice.

“Where are you taking me? I have to play the rest of the game.”

A vaguely familiar voice says. “No you don’t. Game’s over for you Captain.”

17

STEFANOS

The last name I expect to see flashing up on my phone is Alexei.

Ever since the kiss, he’s been weird and distant with me, so I’ve tried to stay out of his way. But even before that, he never called me. We saw enough of each other at home.

“Hello?” I ask, expecting to discover I’ve been butt-dialed.

“Hey, sorry for calling you like this.”

His voice sounds weird. Like his mouth has been stuffed with cotton wool.

“I’ve got a concussion.”

“Oh my god, are you okay? Where are you?”

“I’m in the hospital, they’re letting me go, but… I need someone to watch me overnight, otherwise they won’t discharge me. I could ask one of my teammates but-”

“No, of course I will, I’m here anyway right?”

“Right, that’s what I thought.”

It’s quiet on the line and I guess he’s waiting for me to make the next move.

“So do you want me to come and get you or-”

He sounds sheepish when he answers. “Alice is here actually, she’s gonna give me a ride.”

Did Alice tell him to call me? Or did he make that decision himself?

When he hangs up, I remind myself that he’s concussed and he needs his roommate to watch him and make sure he doesn’t die, or whatever you need to do with someone who has a concussion. It doesn’t mean anything.

Then I worry I’m not up to the job of watching someone with a serious medical issue. What if I fall asleep and he passes out and dies? I’ll have to set an alarm and put my phone on super loud so that doesn’t happen. I’m not going to let anything happen to Alexei on my watch. He’s protected me enough since I moved in here. Now it’s my turn to pay him back.

I tidy up a little and make a sort of sitting-up bed on the couch with some cushions and a pillow from my room.

The second I hear his key turning in the door, my insides turn to mush and I have to rearrange my face into something less creepy.

“Hey!” I say, too loudly by the way he winces.

Alice looks like she’s trying to hold him up, but luckily he doesn’t need her to because she’s doing a terrible job of it. It doesn’t help that he’s probably a whole foot taller than her.

“Thanks Alice.” He says as she guides him inside and over to the couch.

“No problem. Stef, the doctor said to keep an eye on him and check him every three hours throughout the night and ask him questions like who the president is.”

“Won’t that stress him out?”

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