Hockey Towns Favorite Girl

41| Go Ahead and Crush My Dreams, Its Fine

A wide smile came across her face as Conner laid on the ice in defeat.

"Yes Hazel!" Killian Shouted skating up fast and hugging her.

The team in the bleachers were impressed and everyone's faces showed it, except Zachs. He looked towards Conner and Killian with some sort of disgust.

Conner got up from the ice and patted Hazel on top of the helmet.

"And Hockey town is back." He said with a large smile.

Dave and Ryan slowly walked over to Hazel with a smile on their faces excited by what they'd seen.

"Whatdja think?" Hazel asked with a large smile on her face.

She was back and she knew it.

"I think you look amazing Kiddo." Ryan responded.

"I definitely think you're back at 100 percent." Dave added on.

Hazel's smile was so wide that dimples were forming.

"So when do you think I can come back, be on the team again?" She asked eager to go back home and leave behind Rice Creek after what happened yesterday.

In her mind it was the only option for escape.

But that plan changed as soon as Hazel saw Ryans face.

"Kiddo, I was going to tell you sooner." He started but seeing Hazel's face turn from happy to a confused sad almost made him stop. "Hazel it's too late in the season to have you come back, the board won't allow it."

The team in the bleachers didn't hear the comment Ryan made but rather watched as Hazel looked between Ryan and Dave.

The word "what?" could be read from her lips but it was too quiet to hear.

They watched as she shook her head in disbelief before turning to Conner who said.

"Hazel..." He felt stuck.

But Hazel couldn't see that, the only thing she saw was that she could have hockey again, like it was being ripped from her grasp.

How could she make the Olympics if she couldn't play?

How could she escape the reality of her and Zach if she couldn't play?

"You fucker you knew and didnt tell me!?" She shouted at Conner shoving him down onto the ice.

Killian quickly grabbed Hazel from behind, holding her tight to his chest.

"You knew that all I wanted was to play and you didn't tell me!" She shouted again, her voice cracking slightly.

"Hazel he-" Killian started trying to reason with Hazel but she fought out of his grasp.

"Let go of me!" She shouted, feeling as though everything was falling apart again.

Her eyes landed on the team in the bleachers, seeing their shocked faces she felt stunned. But when her eyes landed on Zach's face who held no emotion she was reminded of how much she had hurt herself.

In anger she rushed off the Ice, slamming the ice door behind her and rushing into the locker room.

Killian helped Conner up and he took off his goalie mask, realizing the crowd for the first time.

"Hey you alright?" Killian asked.

"Yeah, you know Hazel would never actually try to hurt me. I was just caught off guard." He explained.

They skated off the ice watching as the team in the bleachers came towards them.

Dave and Ryan on the other hand stayed on the ice talking... planning.

Zach's P.O.V

I walked with Zane towards Conner and Killian. It was weird seeing Hazel in hockey gear, it was also weird seeing Conner in goalie gear.

"Hey guys, I'm Zane." He said being polite and holding his hand out for a fist bump.

"Conner."

"Killian."

Zane went to say more until he noticed that Conner was staring me down, which was even more intimidating when he was wearing pads and I had none on.

Killian looked between me and Conner before scuffing slightly and shouldering Conner.

"Dude, protective older brother much?" Kiliian said

That caught me off guard. I knew, from Hazel's mom, that Conner and Hazel called each other siblings but I wasn't aware others did.

"You're not actually her brother." I said about Killians comment, suddenly feeling brave.

Conner now had a light smile on his face and nodded his head as he spoke.

"Oh yeah? You wanna fuck around and find out?" Conner instigated but Killian put a hand on his chest.

"Dude, tu eres estupido" He said, pulling out Spanish from nowhere.

Conner just rolled his eyes pushing Killian away.

"I'm chill alright?" He said reassuring Killian, yet for some reason I felt as if he wasn't quite chill.

"Look, I'm not defending Hazel. She dug her own grave, that's fine she knew she was doing it. She has to be a big girl and fix her own mistakes." Conner stated with absolutely no remorse behind his voice. "But she won't speak if she feels like you won't listen."

And with that he walked off, looking like he had to calm down. Killian just stood there awkwardly.

"I'm assuming you're Zach." He said, and in that moment I realized he was essentially the puerto rican version of Mick.

I just nodded my head, and he nodded back. He looked around for a second before looking back at us.

"Look I don't know about you guys but I was promised Pizza if I told you stories about Hazel, I know she's not around but I have access to her venmo... so, stories or no stories?" Killian asked with a smirk on his face.

His attempt to lighten the mood worked on everyone but me. Watching Hazel play seemed to remind me of the way she had lied. But I couldn't help but listen to Killian as he talked about Hazel.

"One time when she and Conner were little he dared her to ride her bike on the pool cover, you know those ones that are supposed to hold an elephant..." And as Killian told funny stories about Hazel that were completely not hockey related I realized that that was the Hazel I got to know.

The non hockey Hazel.

Though I wish I would have also gotten to know the Hazel that was out there skating today. With Fire behind her eyes and determination. The look of joy when she scored the goal.

I didn't just want to know the non hockey Hazel, I wanted to know all about Hazel. The good and the bad.

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