Chapter 21
"This place is huge!" Georgia exclaimed gaping at the size of the rink the tournament would be hosted at. I laughed, though it wasn't my first time seeing this place the size still amazed me.
People from the previous game we leaving and some lingered talking to friends and other hockey players. I moved closer to Georgia making sure I didn't lose the group in the crowd. I bumped into various people on accident but only one made me stumble back. The guy was clearly a hockey player and he had his teammates behind him. He looked oddly familiar but I could't place him. "Oops my bad." He said with a wry grin.
I stayed where I was a few feet away from him, my shoulder still being able to feel the bump I'd just received. Glancing away from the guy I saw Georgia, Paisley, and Skyler waiting for me at the door to our seat section.
"It's um okay..." I muttered walking quickly away from the guy not giving him a second glance.
"Who was that guy?" Georgia asked. I shrugged having no clue myself.
I thought about taking another look at the group of guys but thought against it. It didn't matter who those guys were it was just a random bump into. Georgia eyed me suspiciously then shook it off and led me down to where the other girls were.
"Be glad Jack wasn't here because with that look that guy gave you he would've flipped shit." She giggled taking the last step to reach the bottom row.
I couldn't help but blush. "Whatever, let's just hope no one flips shit anytime soon."
*****
It was getting close to their game time and the stands were half empty. The parts that were filled were filled with other hockey teams checking out the competition and the fans of the team we would be playing. There were a few parents I knew from our team, but besides that it was only us and the other team's girlfriends here to support them.
"Look, that's the Mighty Bears." Paisley pointed over to a group of guys sitting a couple of sections away from us. Most were decked out in green Mighty Bear t-shirts and sweats. "They won state last year, but we almost beat them too." She explained. I already knew this, of course, but I let her continue acting as if I didn't, trying to avoid seeming like a hockey creep.
"They look so intimidating and mean." Georgia piped in. "A smile wouldn't hurt, boys." She teased softly at them even though they weren't paying any attention to her.
A tap on my right arm made me jerk my head to the right to where Skyler pointed out another team. "Those are the Forest Hill Wolves." She says. "Insanely hot team, but little hockey skill. We don't have to worry about those guys."
I smiled, it was fun checking out the competition. Seeing purple out of the corner of my eye I looked across the rink and saw a group of boys wearing Harland Hockey T-shirts. They were the group with the guy who had bumped into me. He still looked so familiar and the one sitting next to him was recognizable as well. "What about them?" I asked.
The girls turned their heads to look at the team I pointed out. Paisley was the first to answer. "That's the Harland Raiders. They're a local team back home. Jack used to play with them freshman year before he committed himself to the high school team." I nodded listening. Paisley squinted trying to get a better look at the two guys who I recognized. "Also, I believe that is Carter Mckinley and Brendan Shoals, old friends of Jack."
My eyes widened. Wait... It couldn't be. I remembered the day at Dot's café when we had run into some "old friends" of Jack's. One's name was Carter. It all clicked.
Those were the boys from the café, the ones Jack hated and wanted me to stay away from. The ones who bumped into me earlier and gave me a creepy look. I shuddered.
"They're bad news, so I don't even want to waste my time talking about them plus the boys are about to come out." Paisley grinned as Cole found her and waved from the pit they were standing in.
We were sitting so close to where they were coming out we didn't even have to get up to get their attention. I watched as the hockey players waved up at their girlfriends or their family members before they skated on the ice to warm-up. Jack was the last to surface and when he did he instantly caught my eyes.
"Kick some ass." I mouthed daringly. Jack smiled widely and chuckled. He nodded, winked, then with a shake of his head he glided onto the ice.
Glancing back over to the Harland team I watched as Carter and Brendan stared at Jack before they turned to look at me. Even from across the rink I felt their icy glares. Looking back at the rink I focused on the game and Jack. I tried to find a way to ignore the stares but it wasn't until the game actually started when I finally forgot the Harland Raiders were even there.
*****
"Go, go, go!" I shouted aloud as I watched Jack take the puck from the Shark's left winger and tore off down the ice towards the goal. He was almost in scoring position when a guy came up behind him and roughly ran into him. Jack lost the puck and then unable to gain balance fell down onto the ice.
I stood up angrily, and yelled, "C'mon ref that's a penalty!" Clearly the player needed to be penalized for checking from behind but the ref never made the call. I groaned in aggravation. It was almost the end of the 2nd period and I was about to lose it.
Jack managed to catch my eye as he stood up. He looked angry and determined to make up for that stolen goal. Getting his back in the game he tore his eyes away from mine and followed the ref to endzone for the puck drop after the time out.
"Woah, Rosie. I've never seen you so pumped up and livid at a hockey game before..." Georgia mentions bumping her shoulder with mine. I glanced over to her blushing.
I admit, this was unusual for me to be cheering along with the crowd and yelling at the refs. Something has me fired up and I really don't want the team to lose their first game in the tournament. I'm guessing the other girls with us felt the same too as they cheered along with me.
"I'm just really excited, that's all." I say shrugging. "Are you blind ref? He just crossed checked him!" I shout through the glass as Kylar was bouncing back from the hit. The boys were frustrated, that much was clear and as the buzzer sounded to end the 2nd period their faces dropped.
We watched as each skated sluggishly off the ice and into the locker room area. Each passed us without looking up, even Jack. I wanted to give them a pep talk to lift their spirits, but with Talon on the team I'd get teased and mocked. I really don't know what I did to that guy to get him to dislike me, but maybe he just hates everyone.
"You coming?" Jess, Kane's girlfriend, nudged my arm motioning for me to follow her. The girls had already made
an escape to the concession stand, leaving me and Jess behind.
"Oh, um yeah." I mumbled following her out.
More people had arrived and there was a decently long line for the concessions. Not really wanting anything Jess and I hung back near the windowed walls to wait for the rest of the girls.
I noticed Georgia seemed to be enjoying herself. She was having an animated conversation with Skyler that involved lots of hand motions and laughter. I smiled watching her talk.
"So you and Kane? How's that?" I ask Jess trying to strike up a conversation.
"Good... We've been dating for almost a year now. He's the longest guy I've dated, and I don't know how I've stuck around through all this." She motioned to the complex around us. "Sometimes it all gets a bit much, but Kane's worth it." She says.
I nod agreeing. "Kane's a pretty good guy."
"So is Jack, once you get past the whole 'I'm a dick' thing he tries to pull off." Jess says. She winks at me but I don't get a chance to respond before the rest of the girlfriend group and Georgia came back over to us.
Popcorn in hand, Georgia motioned back to our section. "The 3rd period is about to start. We better get back before anyone has a meltdown for missing it.
*****
"I can't watch." I say covering my face with my hands but still managed to see what was happening on the rink.
Cole had the puck and was skating down the ice to meet the Portland Shark's goalie. There was 20 seconds left of the game, and the score was tied. We had to score now or risk losing in overtime.
I'm sure everyone was holding their breath as Cole lined up his shot and drove his stick forward before being checked into the side wall. Watching everything despite my plea that I wouldn't, I watched the puck fly through the air. Somehow it passed the goalie and hit the back of the net. The team and the few fans here to support them erupted into cheers as the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game.
Happier than I've seen the team in a while they all joined in for a group hug around Cole. I glanced over to Paisley gauging her reaction.
She was beaming down at her boyfriend on the rink as he received praise from his teammates. Her pride for his achievements made my heart flutter from their cuteness. I continued to watch them two exchange looks and air kisses before I tore my eyes away to find Jack. He was following behind Kylar to get off the rink.
He had a huge smile on his face and when he looked up to me before walking completely out of view his eyes were shining. I chuckled as he pumped his fist in the air at me before he turned to follow the boys into the locker room.
"One game down, four more to go." I said to myself following the girls out to wait for the boys to get changed.