Page 12 of Match Penalty

Three, he has a nickname for every player on the team. Reed-man for Hunter Reed, Popeye for Luka Popovich, Hart for Trey Hartley. The list continues. Monty is the only name he calls me.

Eh. I've been called worse.

“You believe this guy?” Hunter snorts, turning to me.

“Actually,” I say, biting back a grin, “he’s not wrong. There’s a study about surgeons who game. Better precision, fewer mistakes.”

Aleksi points at me without lifting his eyes from the controller. “See? Even Monty knows. Science.”

Hunter groans, raking a hand through his hair. “Whatever. I still don’t trust anyone with suspicious facts he got from some dude in his makeshift podcast studio in his musty basement.”

Aleksi finally looks up, lips twitching. “Careful, Reed–man. It's scrimmage tomorrow and we play against each other. You don't want me to beat you at your own game, do you?"

Hunter grins, grabbing a bottle of water from the counter. “You mean you’ll beat me on the ice? Or on that prehistoric game console that Dumont's got?”

"Hey, watch it. She's a classic," I say, feigning insult.

“Both,” Aleksi replies smoothly.

Hunter laughs, shaking his head. These two can go rounds and often do. “You’re all talk, Mäkelä. But I’m too tired to deal with this Finnish brainwashing tonight.” He tosses his empty water bottle into the trash and heads for the door. “Good luck setting up your grandma's PlayStation, Dumont. Night, boys.”

“Night,” I call as the door swings closed.

He's kidding. A hundred bucks says he's over here tomorrow night playing against Aleksi in the new NHL game that I just got after preordering it months ago.

Aleksi doesn’t say anything. He’s too absorbed in arranging the wires on my coffee table like it’s a sacred ritual. I don’t stop him. I’m too tired to argue and, honestly, I’m half-tempted to play a round just to clear my head.

Aleksi’s phone rings, cutting through the quiet. He glances at the screen, his expression softening instantly. “Sisko,” he murmurs.

Sister.

He answers in rapid Finnish, his voice dropping an octave as he paces to the other side of the room. I catch only bits and pieces—nothing I can decipher—but his tone is gentle. Protective. After a couple of minutes, he hangs up, tucking his phone into his back pocket.

“Everything okay?” I ask, even though it’s none of my business.

He nods, but there’s a faint crease between his brows. “Yeah. She needed to talk about something. Nothing serious.”

“You sure?”

Aleksi waves me off with a tight smile. “Family stuff. You know how it is.” He tucks his phone into his pocket and heads for the door. “I’m heading out as well. See you at practice, Monty. Don't open the new NHL game without me.”

I smirk. “I’ll try not to.”

He grins faintly, the door clicking shut behind him, and suddenly, the apartment is quiet. Too quiet.

The silence feels heavy once they’re gone, like the quiet is daring me to sit still with my thoughts. And that’s the last thing I want to do right now.

I drop onto the couch, grabbing the remote to turn on the TV and then crack my neck from side to side as the screen comes to life. Quickly I find the sports channel and stop when I see the Hawkeyes logo in the top right corner of the screen—they're talking about my team. I stare at the few boxes stacked against the wall. Unpacking can wait.

I turn up the volume and like I thought, they're talking about us. A banner runs across the bottom of the screen:HAWKEYES’ NEW SEASON BEGINS TOMORROW—ALL EYES ON DUMONT.

“Of course,” I mutter under my breath.

I used to live for being the center of attention before the Blue Devils let me go. But now, my name is never in the news for anything to be proud of.

I twist Cammy's neon green hair band around my wrist absentmindedly. The elastic is starting to stretch out now. It’s the same one I’ve worn every day since that night with her. No one knows why I wear it, and I don’t explain it. It’s just a piece of her, a reminder of everything I’m trying to fix—my game, my reputation, myself.

"In other Hawkeyes news," the TV anchor's voice cuts through my thoughts, "controversial new PTO signing of Jon Paul Dumont in Seattle, ahead of tomorrow's first official practice of the season."

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