Page 61 of Playing the Neutral Zone

I hadn’t seen him coming, but that was because I hadn’t been paying attention to the game.

“Look, I hate to admit it, but I thought I saw Scarlett in the crowd.It screwed me up.”

Knox gave me a sympathetic look.While I’d convinced them all I was okay with the breakup, it had been a lie.Ever since I’d returned from my parents’ after running into her I’d second-guessed myself, wondering if I should have given her a chance to explain things to me.

“Look, we know you’ve been having a hard time with this.We don’t blame you, we know how much these women can fuck us up.”

“Thanks, man.”

“Remember earlier tonight when I wanted you to read that article?”

I nodded.

“I think you should read it.”

I looked at him, alarm filling me.

“Is there something written about me?”

Knox nodded.“Before you fly off the handle, because I know you hate the media, it’s not written about you in a bad way, but it is something I feel you need to read.The other guys think so as well, but they didn’t feel it should be read before the game.In fact, Dylan gave me shit for trying to get you to read it.”

“What the fuck does it say?”I questioned, now worried that it was something horrific like before.

“Just read it when you get home tonight, not before,” Knox said, placing his hand on my shoulder.“Trust me.”

I’d driven home,quickly showered and crawled into bed, grabbing my phone and opening Sports Hub.I’d done what Knox had suggested, waiting until I’d gotten home.I navigated over to his message, clicking the link he’d sent me directing me to the article.

I stared at the title, swallowing hard.

Players Who Own Our Hearts written by Scarlett Green

Each one of us has a player that we long to watch long after the game is over.They are the ones that have us tuning in each game to see their next play and watching the after-game interviews to see what it is they are going to say.I’ve even spoken to fans who have learned to love the sport because of these players.

They are literally the magic behind the game, and if you are lucky enough to have one of them in your life, they are the magic behind that as well.

I first fell in love with the game as a young child.My brother played when he was younger, and me, being the youngest, was often forced to go with my parents to watch.At the time I hated the sport of hockey, but soon, I found myself lost in the sports world.A world I never left.

I was so close with my brother growing up, and I was often found attached to his hip.In fact, I often enjoyed hanging out with his friends more than my own.

That was where I met the man who owns my heart.I first met him at one of their college games, shortly after my brother got hurt, that injury ending his career.At first, I worried that I’d now be forced to end my love for the sport and this player since we wouldn’t be at the games anymore.Only I soon learned that once you are in this hockey family, you stay there.He stayed, staying close to my brother and our family, eventually becoming one of my very best friends.

The one thing that taught me was that not only are these players the magic behind the team, but they are loyal to the ones who welcome them into their lives.It is probably my most favorite quality about them, that and the fact that you can rely on them whenever you need them.

Unfortunately, over the past few years, I’ve learned a hard lesson.That while these players are loyal and reliable, once you hurt them, you are no longer part of their circle.Being shut out is the most devastating feeling in the world.

The past six months have been the hardest six months of my life.I’ve moved from New York to Vancouver to take another new job, and then back to New York, taking another new job, and I’ve lost, for the last time, the one person who meant the world to me.Levi Anderson was that person.

See, I’d been coerced into writing an article and reporting on him by my boss at the last publication I’d worked for.She wanted one type of article, and while I knew that this would harm him, I quietly refused, turning in an article that was the opposite of what she wanted.I figured I’d done the right thing, that he’d be proud of what I’d written, only the joke was on me.What I should have done was stand up to her and refuse.Instead, she went behind my back sneaking into my own private files from interviews she booked for me using my name, rewrote the article, then published all the dirt under my name.

I can still remember the look on his face when he read it, the look he held when he told me never to talk to him again.I soon realized that my love for the game diminished, because I no longer could hold or feel that magic.He was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I’m hoping to find that magic again, hoping to see his face once again look at me with the same smile and love that he once did.Whether it happens or it doesn’t isn’t for me to decide, so with that I sign off, encourage you to find the magic, and if you are lucky enough to have one of them in your life, then make sure you hold on to it because once the magic is gone, the world just doesn’t seem to shine as bright as it once did.

I stared at my screen,noticing the words blurring.I put the phone down and wiped my eyes, immediately wanting to message her.Instead, I got up from the bed, making my way to the kitchen to get a drink of water to stop the ache that was there when my phone pinged.

DYLAN: Are you doing, okay?

I looked at my phone,how the hell did they always know to message.

---