The Hockey Girl

Chapter 6

I took a quick and deep breath as I finally dislodged the puck from the corner and turned to face a face of extreme anger skating directly toward me – on a collision path. Instead of making a move to skate around him, I skated directly toward Asshat One – acting as if I was yet to notice his hulk of a body pounding the ice to get to me.

“It appears Kinkaid is yet to notice Volumes, oh but wait, she ducks low just as Volumes is on her! And he goes flying over Kinkaid’s ducked form in a very nice move by the Wolves’ shooter! Oh and down goes number 54 to the mass of Riordan Night, a large Wolves enforcer.”

“Kinkaid back behind the net, ducks under another check. Moves around it. It’s a wraparound. Score! Alara Kinkaid for the Wolves just as the buzzer sounds, ending the game nine to two in the Wolves favour.”

I grinned slightly, okay I grinned broadly as I took my helmet off. Not exactly my shot but hey, it was a goal nonetheless.

My smile only broadened when I was encompassed in a triumphant hug by Riaz and I frowned slightly when Riordan joined in on the hug. I could no longer breathe.

“Let her go, Baboons.” Drew reprimanded our two best enforcers and they dropped me quickly, allowing me to breathe once more. Sweet relief.

“Nice shot Kinkaid, not your signature move but a nice shot nevertheless.” Drew praised and I grinned, even allowing the kid to ruffle my hair – which was in its messy post-game state.

“You took a big hit Bennett, you alright?” My voice leaked concern.

He chuckled, “I took twenty less hits than you this game, are you alright?”

I shrugged. “Let’s just say that the treadmill tomorrow is going to kill, not to mention tonight’s ice bath.” I physically shuddered at the thought.

“I feel your pain.”

I glanced around then, taking in the cheering crowd and my team skating toward me.

We all embraced and cheered – our post-game win ritual.

“Nice work Alara, you played brilliantly.” Nate commended. He hadn’t played in the last period but he’d scored two in the first – one of which was unassisted.

I grinned and shouldered him lightly, “Nice work yourself. C’mon, let’s go shake their hands.”

Nate grimaced at that suggested, as did my team.

“Their captain is that idiot who mistreated you the other day. I am not shaking his hand.” Alexei complained as he shook his handsome yet sweat covered head.

I shot him a look. “I realise that, but the rest of his team didn’t act that way and they played well.”

Someone coughed, calling my bullshit for what it was.

“Okay, so they all purposely gunned for me and they’re a team of thugs but, we’re better than that and we will shake their hands – a little too strongly.”

The team chuckled at that but still made no move.

I sighed, “Back me up here Tai. We’re a team with respect and values and I know your mothers raised all of you correctly, so be gentlemen and shake the hands of the team we just thrashed.”

The reminder of the thrashing seemed to lighten the mood, that and Tai’s begrudging agreement to my argument.

Vasic threw his thickly muscled arm over my shoulders as the team skated over to the Seaford Highlanders’ bench, squeezing my shoulder as I extended my hand out to Asshat One or – as his parents had named him – Dave Volumes.