The Cocky Hockey Captain

Chapter 31 ● Son Of A Gun

Somehow I'd known that something catastrophic was going to happen tonight. All the signs had been there. Things had been going too well. Dad and I were starting to break the ice. The company was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. People in town were not so hostile to us anymore. I had friends. I had my second kiss, this time with a boy who seemed to like me.

The life of Carlota Bernal Solis always seemed to careen out of control when things started going well. I'd learned that hard lesson when I was an elementary school kid.

Dean was not moving.

A cry tore off my throat as I jumped over the barrier. More joined. For the first time I was not interested in going after the bullies. I just wanted to make sure that he was okay. That everything was going to be okay.

I slid to my knees once I reached him. "Dean?"

"Don't touch him!" someone barked to my left. I was violently shoved aside by Gauthier as he led two men toward Dean. I recognized them as the same that carried me away when I broke my nose, and they came prepared with the sling.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

Someone else pulled me away by the shoulders, this time less forcefully. I glanced back to see that it was Pace. He grabbed my shoulders in a firm grip that wasn't going to let me go if I decided to go berserk. He needn't have worried, I was frozen with fear.

The three adults and the referees crowded around Dean. The pulse of my blood in my ears sounded like the drums of war, a symphony to the battle that was already waging inside of me. I desperately clung to the hope that he was just passed out, that he'd react soon and turn his brilliant eyes into a glare directed at the Eagles. And then as soon as that happened my gloves would come off and I didn't care if I tore my knuckles open, I was going to rearrange some faces tonight. I was through with seeing the people I cared about be hurt in front of me. I was strong now. I could protect them and myself.

Except he'd been fallen like a tree log right before my eyes and I hadn't done shit to prevent it. I'd been too far from him. I shouldn't have obeyed Coach when he called me in. I should have stayed by Dean.

An icy hand wrapped itself around my throat and made it harder to breathe. For the first time in years I prayed.

And then Dean stirred with a groan.

I wasn't the only one who leaned closer. We all wanted to know if our friend would be fine.

"Hyde, tell me where you are," Gauthier demanded and Dean complied. He sounded as though he'd just woken up from a long nap, but that had to be better than nothing, right?

"What just happened?" I heard him ask, clear as day. Dean put his hands under him and hauled himself up on all fours. He staggered, but he didn't fall as he lifted his head up.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, putting my hands over my mouth to hold back another scream. The entire arena burst into applause.

He was fine.

Dean was fine.

"Gracias, Diocito," I said in my mother tongue.

Gauthier directed the two men to ease Dean into the sling, and I heard them instruct him to remain still in case of a concussion.

Weren't concussions a big deal?

I caught a big commotion in the audience from the corner of my eye as someone burst out of the packed bleachers. It was no other than Peter Hyde, Dean's father. He jumped two stairs at a time as he made it downstairs to meet the men carrying his son. I turned my body to follow as well, but Pace's vice grip stopped me. I'd forgotten about him.