Page 63 of Puck'n Bully
They seem so dejected and exhausted, that none of them bother to even glance at me. I search for Hayden among them but he’s nowhere to be found.
“Uh, hi,” I say, cringing at the nervousness in my voice. “Do you guys know where I can find Hayden?”
A few heads turn toward me.
“Who’s asking?” A bare-chested guy with rippling muscles asks me.
“I—” I hesitate, realizing how weird my appearance must seem to them. I’m just a random guy from the Physics department showing up to ask for their star forward.
Another guy, a tall blond with several cuts on his forehead and cheeks, smirks at me and walks toward me. As he gets closer, I recognize him as one of the defensemen who was closely following Hayden through the game.
“You’re Mitchikov, right?” I say.
An amused grin comes on his bruised face as he turns to look at his teammates. They all chuckle and shake their heads, sharing some secret joke between them.
“Are you a fan or something, kid?”
Kid?I straighten my spine as I face Mitchikov. “I’m Liam Meyers. I...I’m Hayden’s tutor.”
A look of realization flashes in his eyes. “Ohh, you’re the tutor guy.” Stepping closer, he looks at me curiously. “Hayden’s already left with his dad.”
Was the stranger who stood with the coach during the game Hayden’s dad? Hayden should’ve had a warmer reaction to his appearance. Why did he look like he’d just seen the devil?
“Do you know where they went?” I ask as my desperation rises.
Mitchikov looks toward his teammates. Some shrug while others shake their heads.
Mitchikov frowns as he turns back to me. “Anything else we can help you with?”
“No,” I mutter, my anxiety rising.
“Hey, you good, man?”
I don’t answer him. Turning around, I walk out of the locker room.
A deep intuition tells me to keep looking for Hayden. Even though I have no idea where to look for him, I head outside the stadium. Some fans are still hanging around the gates but I don’t see Hayden anywhere.
A chilly breeze blows by, making me shove my hands deep into my jacket pockets. Should I even be so worried if Hayden’s with his dad?
Maybe I should just call him?
With that idea in mind, I take my phone out and call him.
My pulse roars in my ears as I wait for him to pick up my call. His phone continues to ring and goes to voicemail.
I call him several more times and it’s the same thing over and over again. His phone rings but he doesn’t pick up.
Where could he have gone with his dad?I wonder, walking away from the crowd. My feet carry me aimlessly through the more deserted areas of the grounds while I continue dialing his number.
I know I’m acting crazy but it’s impossible to ignore this horrible, gut-wrenching fear curling in my chest. The cold wind hits my face as I desperately search for my Pirate.
Suddenly, I come to a halt at the sound of a hoarse male voice.
Looking into the distance, I come across a scene that has me rooted to the spot.
The man I’d seen earlier grabs Hayden’s hair and pulls him closer angrily.
I expect Hayden to fight back but he’s surprisingly pliant, shifting on his feet, letting his dad get all up in his face.
