Antagonym

Chapter 32

The play isn't over until the whistle blows, though. That's why when I saw the puck escape between their bodies, I took the risk and left the crease to snatch the puck up before anyone could take it from me. My wrist flicked as the puck shot down the ice to Jonah just as the sound of the whistle rang in my ears. That's when my attention switched gears, going back to Beck as Seb and I skated over instantly to help him up.

I saw the deep crimson blood on the white jersey before I could even ask Beck in he was okay. The player beside him was helped up by his teammate, though the able bodied one was glaring at Beck a lot harder than the injured. I assumed the player he collided with was a friend and turned back to Beck while the referee made a call about Beck's injury.

"You alright man?" Sebastian asked when Beck was on his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Beck responded as one of the trainers and Coach walked out onto the ice. If there was blood players had to be taken off the ice and couldn't return until the blood soaked gear was changed. Beck lifted up the hem off the jersey to expose the six inch gash across his tanned abs, going from the left side of his torso, past his waist and towards his belly button.

"Sampson we got to put some antibacterial on it and stop the bleeding, then we can put you back in. I'm going to pull the first string and send in the second," Bradley waisted no time. Going back in was out of the question, it was how hockey worked. You get a little blood then you get back on the ice. Seb broke his nose last year and kept playing when the bleeding stopped. Hell, I played an entire game with a fractured radius three years ago. It was the way of the hockey player.

"No, replace me with Travis. We have two minutes left on Axel's penalty. We can't have the second sting out with one man down. It's too much strain on the goalie," Beck's jaw twitched as the trainer touched his open wound with a pair of gloves. It was too much strain on me, to be completely honest. No NHL goalie has ever started in every game in a season. While this was NCAA, it was very similar. I was the only goalie on this team because the front office thought of Seb as a back up and they snatched the opportunity to train another center instead of a defender. That left me to play goalie almost every game, the whole game. Four second string players against five first string players is a hell of a risk that Beck and myself would not take, especially when I was expected to start every other game of the season.

At least if we replaced Beck, we would still have Seb, Zeke, and Jonah for two minutes until we could put on the other four second sting players and pull Travis, replacing him with Beck. "Put Travis in for two minutes with the first string, then let me take his spot on the second string."

Bradley looked between Seb and I for approval, to which the assistant captain and myself nodded, causing Bradley to submit. "Okay. You have two minutes to get that patched up and put a new jersey on, Sampson. Let's make it speedy, there's a lot riding on this game."

It didn't take much for Beck to let his jersey drop back down and skate to the bench, already pulling off his jersey to reveal the pads underneath and black dry fit shirt under them. I pried my eyes away from his abs as he removed his clothing to look at Coach and the trainer following Beck across the ice, who was already stopping the bleeding with a white towel he found. I guess he's anxious to get back in.

"Not a game without an injury," Seb stated, watching as the player who cut Beck skated off the ice for confusion protocol. It was a saying between the two of us, one that hadn't been used since I dislocated my hip.

"Well, the plebeians in the audience seem to find it entertaining."

"That's because us patricians need to show them what a good game actually is," Seb quipped. I knew that line would get him going. Sebastian was hilarious, especially when it came to acting like a pompous asshole. "Let's go, Danielle. It's time to show these plebs how it's done."

I couldn't help but laugh as he skated away from me, chuckling as he got back into position. I shook my head with a smile, returning to the goal. Travis jumped over the side of the bench, landing on his skates and taking the center of the ice. My eyes wandered to Beck in the bench who was already looking at me and shaking his head with a smirk as he held up his shirt to get his wound dressed. We were both thinking the exact same thing; I wish Travis busted his ass because that would have been hilarious.

Before the two minutes was even up, Beck was already standing with his arms crossed, observing the game like a cynical father. He was an eager fuck and he couldn't stand not being on the ice when he was supposed to be. In all honesty, the two minutes was pretty uneventful which made me nervous. If no one was scoring right now, I wouldn't hold my breath for the second or third sting to score in the remainder of the third quarter. We'd probably end up waiting until last minute in the forth.

I guess that just means I have to play harder.

And play, I fucking would.