Page 13 of The Puck Daddy

Of course, Guy would have a fake ID, he wouldn’t have been able to drink at the bar without a wristband. Fishing through his wallet while I hold the poor kid up, he finally passes the piece of plastic to his dad. Coach wraps his arm around his son and takes him from my arms. With a pout, Guy rolls his eyes and gives me a little wave.

Fuck. He looks so damn young. How did I not realize the kid was barely an adult? Coach shuffles his son through the front door, and I offer to help, but Coach shrugs me off. Instead, I just stand there awkwardly, waiting for Coach to say something.

“My office. Ten a.m. Monday.”

Internally, I groan. Monday morning, I have a finance quiz across campus. Even if I sprinted from class the second it ended, I would likely still be late for our meeting. “But sir…”

“I said ten a.m., DeLuca.” And with that, Coach holds up his son and kicks the front door closed, slamming it in my face.

Fuck. Coach is going to take this out on my ass during practice, if he doesn’t kill me first.

Monday morning, with the sun barely risen, I skip the early morning free skate and head over to the library to study for my exam. I spend my time flipping through flashcards and taking the practice test online. Once I feel confident enough, I figure that’s as much cramming as I’m able to do. I walk across campus to my favorite coffee shop. I always love to treat myself to a mocha for good luck if I have time.

Even this early in the morning, the college is buzzing with students chatting and walking to class. Stunning brick buildings nestled amongst lush green trees showcase Brynn U’s beautiful, modern architecture. Every once in a while, the sight of theimpressive campus catches me off guard, and today is one of those days.

Ever since I was a teen, I imagined what it would be like to attend this school. Brynn U might be in my hometown, but the school is like its own mini village, complete with on-campus housing, restaurants, and shops.

After all those years of wishing, I’m finally here, chasing my dreams and making them a reality. It’s moments like this I think of Mom and Dad, knowing they’d be damn proud.

“Hey there, Adrian,” the barista greets as soon as I enter Keeper’s Brew. Recognizing the girl from last semester’s accounting class, I give her a little wave. She’s in her early twenties, like me, and loves hockey. Unlike the puck bunnies I usually have to dodge, Sandy has a real love for the sport, and I remember chatting about the games with her before class.

“Hey Sandy, can I get an iced mocha for the road? I have an exam coming up in Professor Higgens’ class soon.”

“Oh, crap.” She nods as she rings me up and takes my money. “I have to take that quiz tomorrow. How do you feel about it?”

“Good, actually. Make sure you take the practice quiz on Higgens’ website. I usually do that, then make flashcards on the answers I get wrong.”

“I keep forgetting about the practice tests.” I’m guessing by the panicked look on her face, she isn’t as prepared as I am. Somepeople might be shocked that I’m able to juggle my business classes, hockey, and a social life, but it’s never been much of an issue. At least not until this semester.

Delfy House is getting a bad rap for being a party house—this is nothing new, particularly over the weekends. However, the frequency of these parties is increasing; they’re nearly daily now. It’s like the graduating seniors, myself included, are celebrating harder than ever, not wanting to miss out on the fun before going out into the big, wide world of true adulthood. Classic behavior of FOMO and YOLO all mixed into one.

Checking my watch, I note that it’s almost eight-thirty a.m. I wish Sandy good luck and make the trek toward Woodsen Hall. This is the third business class I’ve taken with Professor Higgens, and I have to admit, he’s my favorite professor here on campus. He’s a huge hockey fan and doesn’t mind if I sometimes skip class and sneak into one of his other lectures. As long as I keep my grades up, turn in my homework on time, and show up for exam days, I’m good to go.

I’m embarrassed to admit, I’ve only shown up to my assigned time slot for this particular class twice, always sneaking in the back and staying out of sight. Today is similar; most of my classmates are already here, chatting with each other or reading their textbooks while they wait for the professor. When I take an empty seat in the back, I decide to text my brother.

Adrian: Hey.

The dots immediately start moving, indicating that Felix is typing. Of course, he would be up at this time. Although now that I think about it, I can’t remember if he has a class on Monday mornings.

Felix: Uh oh. What did you do?

I bark out a laugh.

Adrian: What? Can’t I just say good morning to my baby brother?

Felix: You can, but you didn’t. You said, ‘Hey.’

Adrian: LOL. What’s wrong with the word ‘hey?’ And why you gotta assume I did something?

Felix: *Laughing Emoji* Because that ‘hey’ reeks of guilt. So, I’ll only ask one more time. What did you do?

Adrian: I think I fucked up. Coach is gonna have my ass.

Felix: Is he still on you about those videos that went viral? Can’t you sit him down and explain that the media is exaggerating things?

Felix: It’s such a load of crap. You’re focused on hockey and nothing like how they describe you in their wannabe tabloids. You don’t get drunk or randomly hook up with strangers.

Felix: If anything, you are out half the night saving their asses.

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