Shredding Ice

chapter seven

"It's going to be super fun."

No, it definitely isn't.

"It's going to be you, me, Amelia, Dottie and my new friend Elliot. You know Elliot, the one I told you about who fell down the stairs. He told me his name a couple days ago."

Harding was getting his gear on in the stadium seats. A few others were nearby, but a lot of his teammates moved away when Sunny started rambling about how sick he got after his competition in great detail. They were waiting for the zamboni to resurface the ice. Coach had demanded to have it done when they practically showed up to snow. Luckily, it was nearly done.

"So I'll see you at eight? On Friday? At Betty's Coffee House? On Main Street?" Sunny leaned over his shoulder from the row behind him. "Do you need an address? Here, take my number." He pushed a small slip of paper into Harding's view, numbers already scribbled down with a little heart next to Sunny's name.

Had he planned this? "I don't know if I can, Sunny."

"Well, that's why I'm telling you now. So you can make time and move around your schedule if you're busy. My mom says you should always give someone at least three business days to make time for plans."

"Uh, yeah, that's a good rule. I guess." Harding made eye contact with Felix, who had been staring at Sunny for a while. He was still feeling guilty. "But I don't know if I can change plans so soon." Harding didn't feel guilty enough to hang out with the kid outside of the one-sided conversations in the rink.

"Oh. Well what plans do you have? Maybe I can help you. Do you keep a calendar? Can I see it? I'll help you reschedule." Sunny stood and stepped over the seat so he could sit next to Harding. He slotted the paper into an open pocket on Harding's bag. "Is it on your phone? I keep mine on my phone."

The zamboni was getting off the ice. Harding tied his last lace and stood up. "Sorry. I have to get the goals ready." He stepped toward the rink entrance, ready to join the thread of hockey players getting ready to stream in. Then he grimaced and turned back.

Sunny was smiling. He was standing too, a few extra inches shorter than Harding without his skates on. The kid had this stupid, hopeful, friendly look on his face. He held out his hockey stick and helmet.

"Uh, thanks." He slid the helmet on. His lips pursed. His fingers fiddled with the tape at the top of his stick. "Bye." Then he turned and hurried over to help Coach Clarence drag the goals onto the ice.

"See you on Friday, Harding!" Sunny called. "Maybe sooner if you have practice this week. I have to go now, my bus is coming."

Harding skated back onto the ice. Sunny's voice was quieter the further he got. He set up the goal and lined it up with the painted lines before glancing back to the stadium seats.

Sunny was gone. Probably ran off to the bus.

He started to circle the rink with his teammates. Harding wasn't as fast with his pads on, but he was never lapped by anyone. If they were racing he probably would have been, but these were just warm ups.

"Is he not mad?" Felix asked. They fell into a nice rhythm while rounding one of the goals. "The figure skater?"

"No," Harding said. "He's nice. It's weird."

"Good. Good." Felix moved closer to Harding to let someone else pass. "So he didn't mention it at all? The puck?"

Harding shook his head when Coach blew his whistle, and they came to a stop at the lane line.

"Alright, boys, are you warm?"

A few responded aloud; Felix and Harding nodded.

"Okay. We had a good weekend, but that doesn't mean we can't improve. This week is going to be a lot tougher." It was only the second game of the season, but a lot of teams had already been ranked based on freshman recruits and returning players. Their next competitor was ranked in the top eight. "Today we're going to tighten up our defense."