“You think Angie is coming to the game with Harper tonight?”
“She said she was.”
And it makes me want to play better for her.
“I think she likes you.”
I roll my eyes at him. “You sound like a high schooler.”
Marcus elbows me in the side. It does nothing since I’m wearing my gear. He pulls his shield down and steps out onto the ice. “Dude,you’reacting like a high schooler who likes someone but doesn’t want to admit it.”
“Am not!” I shout after him.
It’s no use. He’s off to our end of the rink to start warm-ups.
Fucker.
I like Angie. I know I do. It doesn’t make me a high schooler by wanting to hear that she likes me back.
Except…
Damn it.
It’s exactly how I feel. I invited Angie to the game tonight, and I honestly have no idea if she’ll come.
I skate through warm-ups without much thought. My muscles are loose as I shoot pucks toward the net. A few misses, but the vast majority of them go in.
It’s a sea of red as I take in the home crowd. It’s packed. Wall-to-wall people with the student section now cheering us on. Loudly. People are banging on the glass as we continue our warm-ups. Highlight reels play on the TVs that hang above the ice.
I love the energy our home crowd brings. It’s one of my favorite parts of the game. Sometimes, it gives me chills. I can’t believe I get to play the sport I love at this level.
And hopefully continue on to the pros.
Coach calls for us all to head into the locker room, and I fist-bump every guy as they skate off the ice.
The atmosphere in here is electric. The team is ready. Music is blasting from a speaker to pump the team up. Everyone is fired up and ready to get out there on the ice.
“Alright, men,” Coach Morris calls out to us. “Cal U hasn’t won a game yet, but it doesn’t mean we take this game any less seriously than others. I want you to go out there tonight and show them what Sand Shark hockey is all about. Play hard. Play strong and let’s go out there and take the win!”
“Sand Sharks on three! One, two three…” Randy trails off and we all echo him.
The entire team skates onto the ice as one. Lights are flashing as the crowd is screaming. I love the energy. I feed off it. It spurs me on to play better.
Both teams gather at their respective lines as the anthem starts to play. It’s one of the few times before the game that I can shut everything out and focus on the team we’re playing.
Cal U’s top scorer went out in their first game, and they’ve struggled finding their footing ever since. They have a weak defense, and I’m hoping I can take advantage of it tonight.
By the time I look up, we’re ready to start the game.
“Kick ass out there, Gladiator.”
Marcus holds his gloved fist out for me.
“Kick ass, Wizard.”
Skating to center ice, I’m ready for the puck drop. The kid standing across from me has a cocky grin on his face. I wonder if I looked like that back in the day. Now, I’m all business as I get ready for the game to start.
The whistle blows and the puck is dropped. I easily snatch the puck from the guy and send it flying across the ice to Marcus, who passes it to Randy before it gets shot back to me.
