Page 48 of Puck and Prejudice

ChapterTwenty

IZZIE

What was supposed to be an awesome free trip to Vancouver turned into a nightmare of epic proportions, as if Jane wasn’t already stressed enough. Due to bad weather, our flight was delayed for hours, and we ended up missing our connection in Minneapolis. We were able to get on a later flight to Vancouver, but that meant we missed most of the game.

Jane didn’t want to wear her WAG jacket for obvious reasons, but we’re both wearing a Lions jersey with Chad’s number. By the time we make it to our seats a few rows up from the Lions bench, there are four minutes left in the third period, and the scoreboard isn’t in the Lions’ favor. They’re losing five to one. Son of a bitch.

Jane squints toward the Lions’ goal area and says, “Chad isn’t playing tonight.”

I follow her line of sight and see it’s indeed a different goalie in the crease. “Well… that’s a positive.”

She glowers. “How can you say that? The coach benched him because he wasn’t playing well.” She turns her attention to the Lions bench. “Oh, there he is.”

“Obviously Chad’s replacement isn’t doing much better.” I point at the Jumbotron with the score.

“That’s right, girlies. Both your goalies suck,” the drunk asshole sitting next to me blurts out.

I was planning on ignoring him, but Jane surprises me when she leans forward and replies, “If they suck, the Vikings players suck harder. You couldn’t even score in the first game!”

“You’re living in the past, blondie. Our time has come.” He stands up and bangs on his chest like a fucking caveman.

“Oh god,” I blurt out.

“Stupid ass moron,” Jane mutters under breath.

I’m all for standing up to jerks, but we’re in enemy territory, and there isn’t a single person near us wearing a Lions jersey.Thanks a lot, Darcy.

I can’t blame him, really. I’m sure these awesome seats weren’t cheap. Jane and I turn our attention to the game. The Vikings are on a power play, but they make a wrong pass, and one of the Kaminski twins intercepts the puck. Instead of clearing it out of the Lions’ zone, he decides to go on the attack. He accelerates, avoiding two Viking players. Jackson follows him on the other side.

Jane and I stand up to see the play better. People behind us complain, but I’m beyond caring at this point.

Kaminski feigns a shot at the goal but passes the puck at the last second to Jackson, who was already in position. He shoots... and he scores! Jane and I hug, jump, and scream at the top of our lungs.

“Your team still sucks!” the drunk asshole yells at us.

“Oh shut your face, jackass,” Jane retorts.

He jumps to his feet and steps into my personal space, since I’m closest to him. “Who are you calling a jackass, bitch?”

“Dude, take it easy,” an older man sitting in the row above us says, but the asshole in front of me doesn’t budge.

“Get away from me!” I shove him back, and he falls on top of the guy sitting next to him.

I realize that was a stupid move on my part when the guy gets back on his feet with murder shining in his eyes. I shuffle back, but Jane is behind me, and there’s really no place to go. He advances with a fist raised, but the old man gets between us and prevents me from getting sucker punched.

“You need to calm down,” he tells the drunk.

Now everyone in our area is invested in the commotion, but very few people are on our side.

“We need to get out of here,” I tell Jane.

In the background, the horn sounds, signaling the end of the game, which is the worst thing that could have happened, because now the Vikings fans in our section have nothing to distract them from kicking our asses.

Fuck me. We shouldn’t have worn the Lions jerseys.

* * *

JACKSON

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