Jonathan's POV
I was back at school for the first time all week, here to watch the game. It'd be starting soon, but I wanted to see, and talk to, Coach.
I walked throughout the halls, planning to first check his office, then the changeroom. I didn't have to go far, though, because I spotted him right outside his office.
"Hey, Coach." I said. His eyes shot up, softening when they saw me.
"We've missed you, Jon. How are you doing?" He asks, greeting me.
"I'm not bad. I'm just not medically cleared yet to play. I go back to the doctor's tomorrow, though." I tell him. I really hope my doctor would tell me everything was all right when I went to my appointment tomorrow. I've been taking my medication, and doing what I'm supposed to be doing to get better... kinda.
"I hope everything's alright, I really do." Coach says.
"Yeah, me too." I sigh. He starts walking, gesturing for me to walk with him.
"You're here to watch the game?" He asks me.
"Yeah." I reply. "I'm just gonna say hi to everyone in the room." I tell Coach. We were almost there now, so he nods, walking the other way.
I step inside, the loud pre-game chatters evident. God, I missed this so much. I missed skating, and it's only been a week.
I round the corner, and suddenly everyone's seen me. A chorus of "Jon!"s surface throughout the room.
"Good luck, guys. I'll be rooting for you." I tell them. "Uh, be hard on the forecheck. That's how we beat the Jags last year. They aren't that good." I say.
"Thanks Captain." Noah says, giving me a smile.
I leave the room then, about to walk out the door when I hear my name being called. I turn, Maria's standing just behind me.
"Good luck babe." I say, giving her a quick peck. She puts her hands around my neck, giving me another.
"Thank you." She chuckles.
She lets go, so I grab the door handle. "I'll see you after the game." I say. She blows me a kiss as I leave. I walk into the ice rink, the bleachers already filled. As I'm climbing up, looking for a spot, I hear my name being called.
"Jonathan!" I look again, mentally cursing. Taylor? There was an open seat beside her. Fuck, I just looked at her, there's no walking past her now. So much for distance. I was so bad at this.
"Hey." I mumble, as she moves her crutches for me to sit.
"Oh my god," She says, and I turn my head to her. "Have you been putting anything on your cheek? It looks bad, Jon." She mumbles, using one of her hands to examine my face.
Fuck. Could she 1. please stop touching my face, and 2. please stop looking at my face, and 3. please back up? I crossed my hands over the hem of my pants, hoping to cover anything evident.
"No, I haven't used anything." I say, turning the other way. Her hand falls. If she noticed my cheek so quickly... I wonder what Coach thought.
"How are you feeling?" She asks.
"I'm fine, you don't have to keep asking every time you see me." I let out a chuckle.
"It's been four days." She counters. "I just want you to get better." Why does she always say stuff like that? It was so much easier ignoring her before the both of us got hurt, but I think this whole situation brought us closer, in a bittersweet way.
"So. How'd you conquer your boredom at home?" She asks.
"Maria's been over." I answer quickly. "Like, all day, everyday." I was acting so weird.
"Oh," she says. "That's nice."
I hated this. I knew that saying it out loud to Tom would make it all true, and because of that, I was acting so goddamn nervous around her. Maybe the nerves weren't all her, though. Hopefully some of the nerves were from this game.
"So, have you met the new guys?" She asks me. Why the hell won't she stop talking? How am I supposed to go through a whole game in this weird, nervous phase I was feeling?
"No, I haven't. Have you?" I ask. The two teams come out now, thankfully halting our conversation. The whole bleachers erupt into cheers, Taylor might even be one of the loudest.
"I've talked to Cameron a few times." Taylor leans into me so her voice can be heard even when everyone's yelling. "He is so nice. He needs my help in math, though, because his marks aren't good enough yet to be on any extra curriculars." There she is again, volunteering her time just to help others. But, wait... They've talked a few times? Tom didn't tell me that.
"Do you guys, like... hang out?" I ask awkwardly.
"We haven't, yet. Just at lunch and stuff." She says.
The game's about to start. I take a deep breath. "Remember how I was right about Braden?" I ask. She nods, but a sad look immediately overcomes her face. "He's friends with this guy. And when I say Cam's bad news, I'm not joking, Taylor." I tell her, looking over at her.
"I'm not,..." She starts. "No, no, I'm not into this guy." She assures me. Phewph. "But thanks for telling me. I'll, uh, try my hardest to stay neutral."
Puck drops. "See, we both play right wing, so it makes it kinda hard on the team to adjust." I tell Taylor, pointing down. "Notice how Maria's playing on the right? She usually plays on the left with Tom and me, but... Wait, Sweeney's with them? What the hell?" I'm shocked that this new kid, who just joined the team this week, is already on the first line. Replacing me.
"Jon, Coach is probably just experimenting. Let it play out," Taylor says softly, her hand on my arm.
My eyes are on Maria, though, as she looks a little bit lost, maybe because she doesn't know how to play the right side. What I already notice about Sweeney, though, is that he is a complete puck hog. I already don't like him.
The first period is a nightmare. The Jags get a goal in the first minute, and then another two quick goals in the last two minutes. Our team looked completely out of order, and the other team... well they were completely dominating. Not the way to start the first period.
Everybody heads to the dressing room, and my head falls into my hands. "What a disaster." I mutter.
"It's only the first, Jon." Taylor says.
"Yeah, but... we played terribly." I groan, looking back up.
"They need you." Taylor says. I know she's right.
"Should I go down to the dressing room?" I ask.
Taylor shakes her head. "Just leave them."
Everyone comes back on for the second, but I notice Noah going to the bench. The other goalie, our backup, goes to stand in net. I don't even remember his name, but he wasn't good, that's for sure.
"Who is that?" I ask Taylor.
"Huh?"
"In net. What's his name?"
"That's James." She's looking at me weirdly.
"Oh."
"Did you just genuinely forget, or...?" She asks.
"I have no clue." The game starts.
"Jonathan... Is that a concussion symptom? Forgetting stuff?" She asks me.
"I don't know." I wish she would stop talking.
"Have you been doing that all week?" She asks. Her eyebrows are furrowed, she's frowning, she looks so worried.
"I don't know." I repeat, my eyes peeled on the game.
She lets out an over exaggerated sigh, not saying anything more.
At about ten minutes into the second period, I have my hands over my face, a small hole that I use to peek through and watch the game. The other team's been around our net for a good 30 seconds, something's got to be coming.
I hear a soft sound coming from my left, Taylor humming? I slowly turned my head to her, and she was moving her mouth, talking very lightly. "Are you singing?" I ask her, the biggest look of confusion on my face.
Her cheeks turn red. "Sorry."
"Why were you singing in the middle of a hockey game?"
"I was bored." She admits, laughing. Oh my god.
I shake my head, laughing too. The other team was finally out of our zone. "You drive me crazy." I say.
"What did I do?" She asks with an innocent pout on her face. I swear to god, this girl...
I can't help but laugh. "Nothing. Don't worry." I say. The whistle blows, and there's a bunch of cheering... I look down, noticing it's the other team's cheering.
"Fuck!" I groan. "I can't even watch this."
"I'm gonna go to the washroom." Taylor stands up.
"Yeah, I need to take a walk, too." I say, following her slow movements out of the bleachers area.
"Have you ever thought about getting a wheelchair?" I ask, running ahead to hold the door open for her. "And then you can hire someone to push you around."
She grins. "I would not do that, oh my god." She peers over the railing, at the set of washrooms after the flight of stairs. "This was a bad idea, I'll just go when the game ends." She says, turning around.
"Wait, seriously?" I ask, feeling bad. "I can, like, carry you? Or something?" Why do I always put myself in the worst situations? I was not going to carry her down the stairs.
"No, don't worry." She smiles. "I can wait."
We go back in, finding out that another goal was scored while were out. The rest of the long game goes by much the same way, the final score being 7-0.
I stood outside the change room with Taylor when the game was over. I'd spent way too much unnecessary time with her today. I probably should go home with Maria, or invite her over, or something.
People begin to make their way out, everyone looking upset. Why couldn't I remember any of the names of our younger guys? That wasn't a good sign.
Tom's one of the first ones out. He stops when he sees me standing with Taylor. "Distance, huh?" He says. I almost smack him.
"Nine goals, huh?" I retaliate.
"Seven." He corrects me. "Are you leaving now?"
"I'm gonna wait for Maria." I say.
"Oh." Tom says. "Don't do anything you'll regret."
"Shut up." I say, feeling even closer to wanting to smack him. "I'm going to."
Tom rolls his eyes, looking at Taylor. "Do you have a ride?" He asks her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiles.
Maria walks out then, thank god. "Hey." She smiles at me, standing by my side. She places a kiss on my cheek, the good one.
"I'm feeling a bit tense from that game, I need your help." I say quietly to her, and her face breaks into a knowing smile as she stands in front of me.
"I can help you." She whispers back, her hand on my cheek. "My house?" I nod.
"Bye guys." I say, giving a rude smirk to Tom. He just rolls his eyes. Taylor looks confused, but that's okay. This is how Maria and I should be, happy to be with each other, just the two of us, not having to worry about anyone else.
It was all easier said than done.
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