As the celebrations and cheering continued, they skated back to the rest of the team and their coach, who all cheered with them.
“On fire, Lajoie!” Coach praised.
The rest of the game was intense as the Swedish players became much more aggressive trying to score, but the Canadianplayers stopped them. With only a minute and a half left, one player tussled with Charlie for the puck. She had Charlie pinned against the glass as she swiped for the puck. Charlie blocked her with her elbows, and she could feel her temper rising.
“You bitch,” the Swede said as one of her teammates appeared on Charlie’s other side and tried to swipe at the puck.
“No need for that,” Charlie tried to call, but it was too late, and another one of her teammates came to defend her.
One thing led to another, and Charlie may have thrown a hit or two. By the time the refs came to break it up, Charlie knew she was done in the game. At least there was not too much time left, and she was confident that the Swedish team would not be able to recover enough to score a goal—even at four-on-four, with herself and one of their players off the ice.
The ref led Charlie to the penalty box, and she accepted it with grace, skating and nodding to the attendant there. They handed Charlie a water bottle, which she guzzled. At least now she could watch the game in peace.
“Charlie!!” Charlie heard her name being yelled behind her, and she swore it was Olive’s voice. Charlie turned around, and her eyes widened as she realized itwasactually Olive. She was watching the game from three rows behind the penalty box, and Charlie could see her and everyone around her standing up to cheer for Team Canada. The people around her were focused on the game, but Olive clearly only had eyes for Charlie as she waved at her.
Charlie should not have found it as cute as she did, but she waved back slightly before turning her attention back to the ice. Just in time too, as the buzzer above announced the end of the game.
Holy shit, we did it.
They had won their first Olympics game.
“Fuck yeah!!!” Charlie yelled, and she felt the attendant next to her flinch.
“Sorry,” Charlie said as she turned to her and winked. “Didn’t mean to be so loud, but it’s the Olympics, after all.”
The attendant shook her head, and Charlie ignored it as she skated back to the ice to celebrate with her team. It was a cheering for the ages, and she knew she would be riding this emotional high for many days to come. Charlie just had to do this all over again a few more times and she’d be an Olympic champion.
Charlie could hardly wait.
In the locker room, the mood was jubilant.
“You coming out to celebrate with us tonight?” Campbell, the goalie, asked as they changed next to each other.
“Maybe. I need to see what Blake’s up to,” Charlie replied.
“Oh yes, you and your bestie.”
Charlie nodded. “That’s the one.”
“Make sure you take some time to yourself and actually celebrate, eh? We’ll be back to this tomorrow, but we need to remember our wins to keep them going.”
“Trust me, there will be no shortage of celebrating tonight,” Charlie said. It was unusually forward of her, and when she finally pulled her street clothes on, Campbell had turned to her with an incredulous expression on her face.
“Woah, what is this?” Campbell said when Charlie wasn’t forthcoming.
“I know,” Heather piped in from where she was changing on the other side of Campbell. “Something’s been going on with Lajoie. I think she’s seeing someone.”
Charlie didn’t bother to correct the assumption, as it was true. “Speaking of… Plaker, can I have the room tonight?”
Heather nodded but crinkled her forehead. “Gross. I don’t even want to think about what you want it for.”
“Aww, Plaker doesn’t know anything about sex,” Campbell teased her. “Why don’t you come find out in my room tonight?”
“You’re incorrigible,” Plaker said, and Charlie promptly tuned out the rest of the conversation.
With privacy secured, Charlie pulled out her phone to text Olive.
how would you like to see the Olympic Village?
