"Talk about awkward." I mutter to no one other than myself. I sigh and skate some laps to warm up. Obviously I don't like Chase like that he's just a friend. Plus he knows I have a boyfriend now so we should be good. But...it feels good to have someone in the audience playing special attention to me other than my family. I look around for the scouts and see them sitting with clipboards. I try not to think about them. This is gonna be a long game.
The puck drops from the face off and I pass it back to the forwards. We skate up and take some shots on net. We miss and re group. The other team skates into our end and scores. I sigh and skate to the bench. "Nice job stupid." Thea hits my shin pads with her stick. I roll my eyes, "Try to do better then." Benny taps my helmet, "Good hustle." I roll my eyes at that and watch.
Second period hits and the score stands 1-0. I hop over the boards and take a glance at the scouts. Most of them are staring at me about to take the face off while others copy down notes. I take a deep breath and win the face off once again.
This time when I pass it's intercepted but I manage to get the puck off her and skate up. I take a shot and...score! Yess! I calmly skate to the bench listening to the horns and sirens going off. "Fantastic goal champ!" Coach says and gives me a reassuring head nod. I can't help but smile. Benny may not be the best coach but he always believed in me from the start. I still do blame him for being on Thea's side. But I guess he didn't have much of a choice. Whatever.
"Your on Sage." Benny taps my jersey. "Sorry." I say and hop on the ice. I receive a pass and theres an opponent coming after me so I pass it again and get checked to the boards. I shake it off and go after her. I see a chance for a one time goal. "Hey, pass over there!" I yell at my teammate. She surprisingly does and Melly one times it into the net. "Yea!" I scream but no one comes up to me to celebrate. I sigh and make my way to the bench.
Melly sits beside me and bumps my shoulder. "Don't think the scouts didn't know you helped on that." She says. I smile to her, "Ya think so?" She nods, "It was a good play captain." I tilt my head and look confused. "Why'd you say that?" She shrugs, "Lil secret...we all thought you were for sure gonna be cap this year. Everyone was disappointed Thea bullshited her way in but no one did anything about it." She shakes her head, "I'm sorry Sage. You don't deserve this." And just like that she hops onto the ice for her shift. I squirt water into my mouth and try to make sense of what she said.
Third period starts us leading 3-1. Thea actually scored and wasn't afraid to rub it in everyone's face. It was only then I realized our teams face expressions when she bragged. No one seemed to really cheer her on, even Tory. Hummm...How come no one told me? I get on the ice and have to play defense for a bit while our other defense-men was playing right-wing. I blocked a few shots the other team did and gained the puck in the process.
I skate up with it and pass it to Melly who dekes a player and passes it back to me. I shot and...score! "Wooo!" I yell and Melly hugs me along the boards. This is the first celebration I've ever had with this team. "That was amazing Sage!" She squeals. "Not as amazing as your pass!" I squeal back. We skate up to the bench and Melly high fives everyone. I don't bother cause I know I'll just end up embarrassing myself.
"Hey, you did great." Tory smiles at me. I stare at her waiting for her to say she's kidding. "I'm not playing Sage. I'm sorry for treating you like I have been. I really am." I smile at her and we fist bump. Why is everyone being so nice?
I hop on for my last shift the score tied 4-4 now. Everyone seems nervous. I receive the face off pass and look behind me to see Benny took out our goalie. No pressure at all I mentally roll my eyes. I keep the puck close to me as my team makes a line change. Shit timing. I pass to Melly who passes to Thea. She tries to shoot but fails by far. She gets frustrated and slams her stick on the ice.
I collect the failed shot and aim high, just above the goalies glove and...score!! "Ahhhh!" I scream. Melly tackles me into a hug and Thea gives me side glances as she skates away. "Hat trick!" Melly squeals. Then of course, people start throwing hats on the ice. I look up and see Chase waving at me. I smile and wave back. Then we skate to the bench where everyone high fives me. "Amazing!" Benny says. "Thanks." I say calmly but inside I'm exploding.
After the workers pick up the hats, the game resumes with ten seconds left in third. When the buzzer goes we all get on the ice and cheer. I get hugs from almost everyone and we head to the dressing room.
"That was unreal team! You ladies did great!" Benny says, "Now I have a few letters to hand out to some of you from the scouts." He holds up three envelopes and my heart starts pounding. He gives one to a girl I don't really talk to and another to Melly. "Congrats!" I whisper to her. She hugs me, "Thanks!" "And last but not least...Sage, this one's for you." I feel tears sting my eyes. "What?!" Thea screams. "Calm down Thea." Benny says. "No, I'm the captain! How could I not get one?!" Everyone just stares at her. "Ugh!" She screams and walks out.
"Aren't you gonna open it?" Melly asks me. I shrug, "I want to open it in front of my family." She nods and gestures to the door, "You mean them?" I look up and see Will, Mitch, and Steph walk through the door.