Sitting up, I decide I need to find some way to convince someone to give me the $20,000 that my budget is now short. But who has that kind of money and is willing to hand it over? They’ll want something in exchange, but what have I to give them?
Getting to my feet, I grab my bag and leave my office, locking the door behind me. So I don’t have to go by the field again, I take the long way to the staff parking lot. However, this brings me past the hockey arena.
I pause outside, eyes narrowed. Is he really that big of a deal? So what that he used to play hockey? He doesn’t anymore. That should be enough of a reason that he doesn’t get so much of my budget.
Glancing around to see who might be near and witness me walking into the arena, I stroll over to the door. It’s unlocked, which means someone’s there. They don’t leave any building unlocked if it’s after hours and they’re empty.
When I open the door, I can hear the distant sound of stick slaps and scrapes.
Looking around, I find the lobby is empty. It’s wide. There are offices or whatever these doors with dark windows open up to, and three sets of double doors, with the center set propped open.
I can’t believe I just stepped foot in here! Gross.
Settling my bag more comfortably on my shoulder, I move toward the door and peek inside. As I do, I realize that I’ve never been in an arena like this. Ever. The seats look more comfortable than those that I have in the football stadium, which immediately makes me bristle. Now I need money to upgrade them.Hockeycannot outdo us!
They don’t fold like ours do with the bottom lifting toward the back so there’s room to move. In fact, I think there’s more legroom here than I’ve ever seen. That’s annoying.
They’re padded too. I choose a seat in the top row and sit, immediately hating that they’re not uncomfortable. At least the seats are super close together. Just like mine are. That hasn’t changed.
“Nice save, Seth!”
I turn my attention to the ice and stare down. Not going to lie, I’m much too far away to see anything from here. Including their stupid little black disk. How does anyone keep track of that?! Impossible. Especially from up here!
Pulling out my tablet, I turn on the camera and zoom in on the action down on the ice. Half the team is sitting in their little dugout while the other half is doing something. Moving in circles and slapping the ice. I have to assume that they’re hitting the puck.
Ohh. I didn’t even know I knew what it was called. Go, me!
Ah! And there it is. Of course, I lose it almost immediately after I spotted it. It moves so quickly.
A loudcrackmakes me jump and I look up, trying to figure out what it was. But no one else seems phased at all so… that was part of the sport? Background noise?
Looking back into the screen, I finally spot whom I assume is this famous hockey player and… wow. He’s… stunning. I can’t even… Wow.
“Wow,” I murmur out loud, since it’s the only word that I can seem to form. I’ve turned dumb. My mind has completely shut down except for looking at this guy in a hoodie as he points with his stick.
Then he smiles and I swear, I nearly swallow my tongue. Men like that should not smile. It has the ability to incapacitate people.
“Too bad I hate you,” I murmur as I stare into the screen, keeping it trained on him. “Too bad you’re the enemy who stole my money for this ridiculous sport.”
However, I don’t move. I can’t. All I seem to be able to do is stare at this man with a strange mix of loathing and desire.
My sister says I instantly become infatuated with men. I argue that’s not true, but if I didn’t hate him so much, I think that with this man, it might be true. Iwould havefallen for him—or at the very least, lusted over him—had he not been a bitter rival. Why did he have to come here and just fuck up everything? I had a good thing going. I produce pro athletes!
Why did he have to mess up the status quo?
I watch for a while longer. When it appears that he’s wrapping up, I sneak out and quickly head to my car. I’d really love it if he just… went away. How can I make that happen so I can get my career back to the cushy job it was?
CHAPTER 4
HANSLEY
It’s been a long time since I was on a college campus and I can honestly say this one feels like a completely different environment than I remember. There’s your typical student body making up the majority of the populous and these kids, man! They’re dressed to kill. I’m actually surprised there isn’t a fashion program here.
What I think I’ve loved the most since the semester started is the energy. You see commercials for college and all the smiles and diverse friend groups as everyone justgets itbut you know that’s staged. You know it’s all a bunch of actors.
But… it feels real here. There’s a huge, diverse cast of people—every color, every ethnicity. Unlike so many other places I’ve been, there isn’t a big division where ‘like’ people gravitate together. I mean, sometimes they do, but there’s almost always a handful of those who look vastly different.
I’m struck by the idea that this is what the world would look like without hatred. Without stereotypes and prejudices. Without societal expectations, political involvement, religious doctrine. This truly is freedom.
