Page 75 of Passing the Red Line
“Okay, then start getting ready. Because he arrives at the arena tomorrow morning.”
I hear my dad’s words and all I’m able to do is nod and hope that this is the end of Kalen blackmailing me with those pictures.
He’s already a Knight, what more can he possibly want?
I’m too scared to ask.
CHAPTERTWENTY
Christian
Something is up with Eliana.She’s been off since we got off the plane in Detroit last night and it continued well after we got home at three in the morning.
I noticed it when we got on the bus to head to the Detroit arena, but I didn’t question it. I just thought that she was just keeping everything professional.
But when we got back to Chicago, I started to question her quietness, especially when she got into my car even though there were still team employees around us.
When we got to the house, said she was tired and went straight into the shower and was in there for a good twenty minutes. By the time that I went to the bedroom, she was laying on her side of the bed, pretending to be asleep.
So, I got into bed and just laid there, hearing as her breathing evened out and she truly fell asleep.
When I got up at five to get a work in before morning skate, I debated waking her up but decided against it and let her sleep in.
Now morning skate is here, and I see her walking around the rink taking pictures, and I want to stop what I’m doing and go here but I can’t. And because all I want to do is go to my girlfriend, my skate has been absolute shit.
“You’re extra grumpy today,” Blake says to me as he skates by, stealing the puck that was just resting against my stick.
I don’t even argue with him because he’s right. I am extra grumpy today and it’s all because I have no idea what is happening with Eliana.
I’m not the only one that is acting as if they don’t want to be here, Coach Anderson is acting the same way. So, something has to be going with the both of them for them to be acting this way. I need fucking answers and I need them soon.
Thankfully coach calls it about twenty minutes later and the second I step off the ice, I’m both relieved and frustrated. Relieved because I get to go home and possibly corner Eliana and hope that she tells me what the hell is going on and frustrated, because even though the season hasn’t officially started, I still was shit on the ice.
We all head to the locker room in our practice facility and the second that we are all in and situated in our designated areas, the doors close and Anderson stands in the middle of the room getting ready to say something.
I swear, if he gives us a speech about how we aren’t performing like we were a few months ago during the playoffs, I’m going to strangle him. It’s preseason, training camp, this is where we are supposed to weed out all the bad vibes.
“We are doing good out there. There are a few tweaks that we can make before the season opener, but that’s all. Every single one of you is on top of your game and if everything goes well and how we want it, we can get a repeat.” Anderson says to the room, and everyone nods at his statement.
Anderson takes a pause as he looks around the room, as if he is looking for something. He must not find it because eventually he lets out a sigh and continues talking.
“This off season wasn't very eventful for the Knights. We didn’t lose players and we gained a few, but we also had an injury during our first exhibition game of the season. Stalinski is out on LTIR until cleared by the team doc.”
Damn. Long term injury reserve is not what a player wants to hear, especially if you are just coming from a winning season.
“Because we are down a player, the front of the house has decided to trade for a new defenseman. Today, I would like to welcome Kalen Bradford to the Chicago Dark Knights.”
As soon as I hear the name, everything clicks.
No fucking way.
Everyone in the room looks over to the door and it’s like that shit in the movies. As soon as Anderson says Bradford’s name, the locker room doors open, and the asshole appears as if he is royalty or some shit.
The second I see the fucker’s smirk, I’m fucking pissed and feel like wringing out his neck. This fucker doesn’t belong here.
Anderson goes into the spiel on our new addition, not sounding so happy about this trade himself.
The little ceremony to welcome Kalen to the Knights lasted a whole five minutes. The asshole even goes around the room to introduce himself to all of his new teammates, a smile always on his face.
