"Francesca, what are you doing? We need to go!" Maya is pacing the apartment while Tristian, Parker, Luna and a few of our other teammates have drinks in the kitchen.
"I am grading papers," I tell her, flashing her one of the math quizzes I am working on. It is my job to grade the weekly quizzes for the math class I TA for and I like to have them done before Sunday so I can relax.
"Give them all an A and let's go!" Maya has been ready since 4:30 and was in complete dismay when we informed her we wouldn't be leaving until 5:30 the earliest. It is 5:25 now and she is already hounding us to go. The rest of us are way less eager to sit in the cold arena to watch the game but with football season over it is nice to have another excuse to tailgate and cheer in the student section.
"What are you wearing," I ask as I neatly stack the quizzes to finish grading later.
"Oh, Pman said he couldn't let me come to his game without proper hockey attire." Maya is in a Michigan hockey jersey, that is way too big for her with kinda a weird smell to it, cute jeans, and some booties. In my opinion, she looks way too hot for some sweaty dude who called her Molly on the phone this morning.
"What is proper hockey attire," Parker yells from the kitchen, already slurring his words. I wish I was rolling up to the game already drunk but I offered to drive so Tristian could drink since I was grading papers anyways.
"Not what all of you are wearing," she screeches in frustration. The effort was minimal from all of us to say the least. We are all wearing some combination of jeans and random UofM sweaters we have. Parker tried to wear his figure skating jacket but Maya literally assaulted him to physically removed the jacket from his body. "Can we please go?"
"We are going Molly relax," Luna teases as everyone finishes their drinks.
"Wait Maya, do we still have brownies?"
"You can have one tonight when we get home Francesca. Now let's go," she hisses, shooting me a death glare.
"Chill, it is for Ryder not me."
"Ryder? Why Ryder? Oh my god he is going to eat one of my brownies? Why didn't you tell me he wanted one? I would have made him a fresh batch for himself! Francesca you are ruining my life."
"Is she always this dramatic," Heather, one of the freshmen on the team, whispers and we all silently nod. Maya is now frantically cutting a perfect little square brownie trying to decide if Ryder is a corner, edge, or middle kind of guy.
"Maya it doesn't matter, he only gets it if he scores and honestly Wisconsin is having a great season, it will be tight especially coming off a loss."
"Stop, you are jinxing them," she whines, pointing her knife at me.
I ignore her, push her to the side and shoving a middle piece into a small ziplock bag. Middles are my favorite and I can't trust anyone who doesn't agree. My roommates all do, which I actually took into consideration before we all moved in together.
As soon as the brownie is secured in my small cross body, Maya shoves us all out of the apartment, locks the door then leads us downstairs like a parents leading their kids. Parker and a few of the others are already gone and Maya is practically shaking because she is so nervous. Being me I text Ryder a little good luck text as we all get into the car and Tristian helps some people climb into the third row.
Me: Don't embarrass me in front of my friend's hockey boy.
I don't expect him to answer but he does almost instantly.
Ryder: Did you bring the goods?
I snap a picture of the brownie in my bag, sending it to him quickly knowing he likely will only answer for a couple more minutes.
Me: Goods on route, better hold up your end.
Ryder: Don't doubt me, ice princess. I will risk life and limb for this so-called life changing brownie.
Me: As you should.
Ryder: Game time, see you after when you deliver me my brownie.
Me: yeah yeah good luck you bitch.
I tuck my phone in my jacket pocket before driving Maya and the car full of drunks to the arena. It is packed when we arrive 3 minutes before the game. Maya is cursing us all that we will have bad seats now. We all walk behind her as she basically sprints, while we move at a more leisurely pace. It is clear that Maya is the only one who wants to be here but none of us burst her bubble. Besides it is nice to all hang out together and do something different, even if all of us detest hockey with every fiber of our being.
Actually detest may be a strong word. I grew up in a hockey family. All three of my brothers played and we often went to Islanders games growing up. My dad is a die hard Islanders fan so he raised his kids to be as well. I enjoyed Islanders games growing up more for the family memories than the games but I know my way around a hockey game. Though I never flex my knowledge I know hockey almost as well as I know figure skating. And while I don't actually follow our hockey team closely, the family group chat always keeps me up on the team, usually more than I would like but I know I caught Ryder off guard the other day, knowing who he was playing.
As we all find an open spot in the student section I feel the hype around me, beginning to feed off of it. The entire arena holds over 5,000 people and tonight it is pretty packed; the most packed I have ever seen it, that is for sure. I am slightly jealous, ice skating rarely pulls crowds like this but the atmosphere is something I would love to feed off of. I now understand how Ryder can handle the demanding schedule they have, even if you were barely alive this crowd could get you energized.
As the team steps onto the ice the arena amplifies in energy; the sound is nearly deafening. I actually flinch as people scream and cheer and the band begins to play. I almost feel bad for the away team who will have to work against this intense crowd for the next three periods.
The first period is a nail biter and though I try to fringe disinterest I catch myself a few times cursing the ref or cheering with the crowd over another blocked shot. Ryder has not scored and I can't help but text him as the team heads into the locker room for the first intermission.
Me: This brownie looks so good, shame you will never get to try it.
Within seconds I already have a reply.
Ryder: Tsk tsk your lack of faith in me is alarming butt. Just wait, I love to build suspense.
I am not even shocked when he answers. I was hoping he would honestly. The whole point of the text was to bring out his competitive side. I know the more I push him the harder he will play which is what this team needs right now to end this scoreless game. It is dirty but I am not spending 2 and a half hours of my life at a hockey game to see my team lose.
The second period is much more eventful than the first with Wisconsin coming out and immediately scoring. Not even a full minute later Michigan is countering with their own goal scored by Pman, which makes Maya's night. I am sure he will dedicate the goal to her like the fucking cheese ball he is.
Parker, sobering up a little now, realizes his new nemesis Bray is in goal and nearly gets himself jumped when he begins to heckle him. I shut him up with food before continuing to watch the game.
Ryder's line hops on and my eyes gravitate to him even when he doesn't have the puck. He is easily the fastest on the ice and something about the way he moves with the puck almost seems inhuman. The stick is like an extension of him; his stick handling is so smooth and in tune with his skating. Unfortunately, as the second wines down,uÿ he is only able to get an assist but no goal.
Before I can even get my phone out it is vibrating in my pocket and I know Ryder has beat me to it. Sure enough as I retrieve my phone from my pocket, it is lit up with a notification from Ryder.
Ryder: Ladies and gentlemen this is about to be legen-
I wait for him to finish the text but as the intermission ends I realize he never had any intention of finishing it. He was serious when he said he likes to build suspense.
As the third gets underway I have fully become my dad. I am cheering, screaming and cursing with everyone else. My team looks both impressed by my knowledge and equally horrified I am a hockey fan. I have to admit I am enjoying the game way more than I thought I would. I chalk it up to the crowd's energy and not because maybe I am actually enjoying the game. If Ryder saw me right now,
I would never live it down.
A few minutes into the third there is a line change and Ryder makes use of his time on the ice. He manages to get the puck, do some fancy footwork and score a clean goal right past the goalie. "Fuck yeah, Ryder," I scream my voice going slightly horse from all my yelling.
I feel a sense of pride as he does his little celebration before continuing the game.
The rest of the period is intense with a lot of missed shots. I can see Ryder on the bench trying to keep his team up despite his own frustration. The refs are missing some obvious calls and the crowd is turning nasty for sure. Even I am getting irritated as another missed call leads to a tied game with only minutes left.
As what will likely be the final line change comes, Ryder takes the ice with the confidence only a captain could possess. The arena feeds off of him as he battles for the puck and breaks away. I am going insane with everyone else, even my own teammates as the clock ticks down, not even a minute left as Ryder speeds toward the goal.
"Please no overtime, please," I pray to the hockey gods. As fun as this is, my nerves are shot and I can't handle more of this.
As he lines up for a shot still surging forward, silence sweeps through the arena. The crack of the puck against his stick is the only sound heard for a moment until the goal horn blares and the entire arena breaks into complete hysterics. Ryder's team pours onto the ice as the game clock runs out and he takes a victory lap similar to the one he took Tuesday when I said his song was the best part of my weekend.
It takes awhile for the ice to clear and the stands to begin to clear out as well. We are meeting the guys outside the locker room so we hang back everyone still buzzing.
"Imagine if our competitions were like this," Luna says, still animated from the game. We all get sad looks because we know unless we make it to Team USA, we likely will never experience anything like this in our lives, not for ourselves anyways.
"Would be cool," Kelly says looking at the trashed arena full of pom poms and other things left behind from the exciting game.
"Anyways, just another reminder the cease fire is still in place and at any parties so play nice kiddies."
Parker grumbles something I don't quite make out but I assume it is something about Bray, who has wormed his way so deeply under Parker's skin I worry how we will dig him out. Either way a problem for another night as we all make our way to the locker room.
As we approach I feel my phone vibrate and without looking I already know it is Ryder finishing his text from earlier.
Ryder: Dary.
I just laugh and let him know I am outside the locker room waiting.
The area where people are waiting for the players is mobbed. There are some reporters, mostly students from the campus paper and family standing around along with some fans and of course the gorgeous puck bunnies, whose attention I would kill for. I secretly wonder which one is Maddie and if she is here tonight.
Pman is one of the first out of the locker room and Maya basically hurls herself into his arms praising him with some lines she picked up from my screaming during the last 2 plus hours. I don't even think he fully hears the words out of her mouth before they're making out in front of everyone. Most of our friends groan in disgust that she is all over this very sweaty smelly hockey player and announce they will be waiting by the doors. I acknowledge them while continuing to look for Ryder.
I know he has exited the locker room before I see him, as everyone surges forward yelling and trying to get his attention. I hang toward the back, next to Maya and Pman sucking face, and wait for him to do the rounds of thanking people that came out to support and answering questions.
I see his backwards Navy blue hat above the crowd as he easily towers over most people. This is the first time I have seen a repeat hat wear so I am guessing he has about 10 or so. I wonder if he washes them I have never noticed them smelling, unlike Pman, who smells like the inside of my 3 year old ice skate. I am trying not to gag as I wait patiently for the god himself to finish his little meet and greet.
"Ey what did I tell you," Ryder yells breaking through the crowd over to me. A few people follow close behind and I don't miss a couple dirty looks from fans and reporters alike for taking his attention.
"Suspense was definitely built," I laugh as he stands in front of me. I am scared to breathe in with him so close but when I do instead of the overwhelming smell of sweat I am met with a fresh clean smell. I take a little step closer and take another deep breath, enjoying the smell of his deodorant probably more than I should.
"I think two goals is really worthy of that brownie."
I nod and remove the perfect square from my bag. "I brought you the best part."
"An edge?"
"A middle," I gasp in horror. "Everyone knows the gooey middle pieces are the best Carson!"
"The middle? Butt that is offensive."
"Honestly never speak to me again. I can't believe you just said edges are better than middles! And I am keeping this middle since you clearly don't deserve him."
Ryder gasps as I pull the middle back to me protectively. I go to leave but he quickly grabs me and the two of us are now wrestling over a brownie in the middle of the arena with a crowd of people watching. "Butt let go, this is mine!"
"You aren't worthy Carson!"
We are both laughing as he wraps an arm around my chest pulling me against his while using his free arm to attempt to pry the brownie away. I am trying to go for my fool proof protection method and fold myself into a ball on the ground; it worked with my brothers so hopefully if I can break free it will work now.
The struggle does not go on for long and the brownie is sadly freed from my hands. I pout and stomp my foot as Ryder opens the baggie and breaks off a piece plopping it into his mouth. He reacts with a noise so sexual that I begin to blush just from hearing it but Mr. always confident seems unfazed by what he just did.
"Maya so good," he yells over to my roommate who finally breaks away from Pman and has literal hearts in her eyes at the compliment paid to her brownies. "Anyways, what the fuck are you wearing Beck?"
"Jeans and a sweater?"
"You stole Brays door, the least you could have done was steal a hockey shirt for tonight too!"
"I didn't steal it," I defend but Ryder just gives me a pointed look and I stand down. But I didn't steal it, I just helped my friends borrow it.
"Are you coming again tomorrow?"
"Yes," Maya answers for me, moving closer to us while her new boo holds her tightly, looking a little pissed off at his captain who has stolen her attention away.
"Perfect, I got you then. See you guys tomorrow and bring more of these brownies please. You were right Beck, totally life changing."
Ryder walks away and I give Maya a look that I am shocked doesn't kill her on the spot. Tonight was fun but is going to hockey games going to become a habit? Because I did not sign up for that.
_______________________________
Author's Note
Sorry for the late post today I was finally back in court after almost 2 years of virtual hearings and I got held up chatting with all the lawyers but anyways love you all hope you enjoyed the chapter!