“Perth is going down,” Blake grins.
“We beat them earlier this season. Let’s make the Hawks suffer again,” I reply.
Enter Sandman starts playing, and it’s our turn to skate onto the rink. We go out in our usual order, and the moment my skates hit the ice, I take a quick look around.
I spot Lisa, Tess, and Leo in our usual section, and beside them is my girl. Just seeing Gwen sends a shiver through me. It’s going to be hard to stay focused with her this close, but I will. Earlier today, she told me she was wearing orange lingerie to celebrate game day, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.
We complete our warm-up laps, and the Hawks are already on the ice as well. Their two star players, Perth and Johnson, are circling Blake.
“You think they’re going to bring trouble?” I ask Blake as we get into position.
“They can try,” he says confidently, “but they won’t succeed.”
Before long, the puck drops, and the game begins. The crowd erupts so loudly that it feels like the entire city has shown up.
Perth slams into me as I make my way toward the goal. He’s on the Hawks’ defense and is known for starting trouble. Coach warned us about him before the game and told us not to engage, no matter what. So I don’t.
Perth tries to shove me again, but I skate away and refocus as we regain possession.
Blake controls the puck and drives toward the goal. The crowd’s roar intensifies, nearly drowning out everything on the ice.
Perth and Johnson catch up to Blake and collide with him at the same time. The crowd reacts instantly and boos and shouts, filling the arena in protest.
Blake bends forward on the ice, and I quickly skate over to him.
“Are you alright?” I ask. He nods, still catching his breath.
“All good,” he pants, slowly straightening up and flashing me his signature player smile.
“Let’s do this,” I tell him, and he smirks.
We fall back into what we do best. Blake and I take control of the puck. I move forward while he blocks off a Hawks player. Their goalie stares at me with an intense, almost hostile expression, which only fuels my focus.
I take the shot, and just like that, it hits the net.
The crowd gets even louder, and I immediately look over at Gwen. She’s jumping up and down with joy, cheering loudly.
Holt and Blake jump me on the ice in celebration, knocking me off balance. I can’t help but laugh.
“Legend!” Holt yells while Blake helps me back up.
For the rest of the first half, we play more defensively. The Hawks barely get a chance to come near our goal, and by the time intermission arrives, they’re furious.
We quickly make our way to the locker room, where the team is waiting with water.
“They’re going to come for you,” Coach yells as we gather ourselves. His bald head is shiny, and that’s when we know it’s serious. Blake and I learned early on that when Coach is stressed, his head gets shinier. “They’ll go for Miller first. Protect Miller and pass to Saxon. Blake, stay ready,” he instructs.
“We got you,” Blake says, backing me up, and I nod. I know this is going to be rough, but I’m ready.
Intermission always goes by fast, and soon we’re back on the ice. The crowd is packed into the bleachers, making the entire stadium vibrate.
When the referee drops the puck, my focus sharpens, and the crowd fades into the background.
The puck comes my way, and I see Perth and Johnson moving toward me. I pass it to Blake, and as I do, I notice their other two players trailing him. It’s an unusual setup, and I don’t like it.
Perth and Johnson quickly turn and head toward Blake as well. Before we know it, all four players converge on him, and all I can hear is his shout. The stadium goes quiet, and in a split second, a fight breaks out.
Holt is fighting the goalie while I skate toward Blake. I manage to pull Johnson off him, but Perth keeps coming. The referees step in and separate the Hawks.
