𝔰𝔬𝔫𝔤𝔟𝔦𝔯𝔡 [1]

23

It was the day of the final game. 

I was still sleeping long after everyone had gotten up, they couldn't stay asleep much longer because they had nerves. I was worn out from actually being out on the ice for once. Before we had fallen asleep I had told Connie and Julie that I didn't know how they managed to do it. They just laughed at me. 

When I did wake up, there was about two hours before the game would start and everyone was antsy. Connie, Guy, Julie, and Averman were in my room as I pulled a sweatshirt over my head, "Anyone wanna head down to the cafeteria and get some food with me? Or are you going to throw up the second anything touches your stomach?"

"I'm not hungry." Connie answered.

"Yeah, me too." Averman added. 

I rolled my eyes at Averman as I bent down to tie my shoes, "Averman, you're always hungry." 

He shook his head dramatically at me, "Not this time." 

"Whatever, I'll see you guys later." 

I left the room as someone else was closing their door, it was Adam and we smiled at each other as I passed him. I heard him laugh so I turned around, "Nice sweatshirt." He smiled softly at me.

I looked down at my sweatshirt to see Hawks Hockey printed on the front, recognizing it as Adam's sweatshirt, "Oh, shit. I forgot that I had it. I just grabbed the nearest sweatshirt." 

"All good."

"I'll give it back." 

Adam shrugged, "Nah, it's all good. Doesn't fit me anymore anyways. So, where are you heading to?" 

"Cafeteria. I just woke up so I wanted to eat something." 

"Want me to come with you?" He offered me. 

I smiled at him, "I would love if you came with me." I turned away and Adam joined me at my side, keeping pace with me. "You nervous?"

"Well, I can't play," He lifted up his arm, "Still injured, I guess. It doesn't hurt anymore, but I just shouldn't take any chances, you know." 

I pushed a button on the elevator as we got in, "I mean, if it doesn't hurt just go back to the doctor and see what they say. Maybe you can play again if they clear you." 

Adam sighed, "I don't know. I've kind of enjoyed the time off." 

I raised my eyebrows, "Oh? Have you?" 

He smiled, "Yeah, I mean, I'm not working myself as hard anymore to be perfect. Not as stressed out, it's kind of nice." 

"That's really good, actually. I'm proud of you." 

Adam snorted at me, "Proud of me for not being perfect?"

"No, dumbass. Proud of you for letting yourself take a break. It's always difficult to take one when you work so hard for things. I think they're important, and I think that everyone deserves a break now and again." 

We stepped out of the elevator and made our way to the cafeteria, "Easy for you to say."

"And why's that?" I opened the door, letting Adam walk in first. 

"Ok, that sounded rude, I'll admit it. I just mean, you seem so relaxed all the time. Like everything just comes so easy to you; it makes me jealous." 

I shake my head at him, "It's because I gave up. Didn't have anything that I loved anymore so I just stopped trying," We passed by an empty table and I stopped, "Save this table for me, will you?" 

"Alright." Adam sat down and I walked away to go and get myself some food. 

When I came back, Adam seemed lost in his thoughts, I set my smoothie and bowl of fruit down as I sat down next to him, "Penny for your thoughts?" 

Adam glanced up at me, "You really don't have anything that you love anymore?"

I took a sip of my drink, "Well, I love my friends. But that's not an activity. I used to do volleyball but I was shit at it so I stopped playing. Didn't like it anyways, it kinda bored me. But no, I don't have anything that I really strive for perfection in." 

"Nothing?" 

"Nothing." 

"Wren, that's kind of sad." Adam frowned at me. 

"How so?" 

"I don't know. It just, well, hm, I don't know what I would do without hockey. So, I guess, seeing someone who doesn't have something like that is kind of sad to me." 

I cleared my throat, "Well I'm not you star boy. I don't need to have something that pushes me. I'm fine just the way I am." 

Adam smiled and gave me a little laugh, "Yeah, I know." 

We kept talking as I ate, neither of us paying attention to the person who was walking up to our table until they interrupted our conversation, "Wren, can I talk to you?" 

Gunnar stood over me as I looked up, I looked over at Adam who was trying to keep his cool, still stuck in his rivalry with him, "We're talking now, aren't we?" 

"No, I mean...can we talk, like alone." 

I take another drink out of my smoothie, almost finishing it, "Just sit down, man." 

Gunnar looks at Adam and then sits down reluctantly, pushing his lips together, "I'm sorry for what happened yesterday." 

I raised my eyebrows and smiled, not out of happiness but a oh fuck you're serious kind of smile, "Oh, are you now? But, hm, to me it looked like you weren't sorry when your shit head coach hurt my fucking brother. Oh wait no, I get it. You're only sorry cause your little buddies aren't here. And you don't have to play tough guy." 

"Wren, that's not it-" 

"Oh! Ok, then. Let me take another guess, you just don't want your friends to know we're friends. I'm gonna guess you probably didn't tell them you kissed me." 

Gunnar sighed and lightly slammed his hand on the table, wasn't loud but it still made me flinch, "Wren, please. Listen. Do you know how much shit I'd be in if Stansson knew we were friends? My teammates know I'm your friend, and yes, they know I kissed you. They don't care because you're not the one that we play against. But Stansson would probably kick me off the team. And I am sorry, I didn't know that Bombay would get hurt, I didn't know Stansson would do that. Please, I'm sorry." 

I closed my eyes and pinched my nose, "Alright, yeah. I'm sorry, I'm being overly emotional. Stansson just pisses me off and I didn't like your reaction to the situation. But, right now I would prefer if you just walked away and we didn't see each other till the game. I'll be fine then." 

"Wren, I-"

"She told you to go away." Adam interrupted, "And I'd listen." 

Gunnar glared at Adam and then blinked, looking back to me, "Ok." And then he walked away. 

"You good?" Adam asked me.

"Annoyed." I stood up to throw my stuff away and Adam followed me. Then we left and went back to our hallway.