Page 24 of Facing the Line

Warm brown eyes and curls I want to muss up flash in my mind. Why is the only one I can think of the one I can’t have?

Chapter

Ten

JONAS

Emma: How’s hockey?

Jonas: It’s good. How are you?

Emma: I’m okay. I wish you were at home.

Jonas: Maybe you guys can come visit soon? I’ll ask Mom.

Emma: Thanks.

Gripping my stick through my gloves, I watch my team on the ice and wait for the line change, when it will be time for me to hop over the boards and jump into the action. It’s the start of the third period and we trail Penn State three to two. Cooper and I each scored a goal earlier tonight, and it should make me feelsolid, elated, even, but all I can sense are eyes on me. The crowd doesn’t usually bother me, but tonight I can’t shake the pressure from the scouts sitting behind all the college bigwigs.

Hunter might be feeling the same way. He’s a great player, but he’s off his game tonight. It’s the big ceremony to rename the arena after his dad. Is it getting in his head? I don’t know all the particulars of their relationship, but they aren’t close. He’s making sloppy passes and skating a hair behind everyone else. I don’t want Coach Russell to put me in for him, but I’m also paying attention in case he decides to mix up the lines.

The puck drops, and Cooper wins the faceoff. He takes it down the ice, passing to Evan. Mateo tenses next to me as Evan circles behind the goalie and sends it back to Cooper, who sneaks it into the net. The red light spins, the siren wails, and the crowd goes wild. I exhale, relaxing a bit, and Mateo pounds me on the back. I love watching my team be successful.

On the next play, the Nittany Lions get the puck, but with a flick of his wrist, Evan snatches it away. He reverses direction and heads towards the goal. He shoots and?—

Shit, shit, shit. Hunter goes down on the ice, his leg wrenched behind him at an unnatural angle. My throat clogs with anxiety. Play stops, and the stadium goes silent as the trainers rush out to check on him.

“Kaminski!” Coach yells my name and snaps me out of my trance. I glance over at him and meet his worried gaze. “I need you on that line.”

Nodding, I try to pretend to be fine. But my palms sweat inside my gloves and my stomach roils as my friend leaves on a stretcher. Hunter is out of the game, maybe out for a while based on his leg. I couldn’t examine anything up close, but it didn’t seem like an injury he’d bounce back from quickly. I itch to be with the trainers, to help stabilize him, reassure him, fix his body and ease his pain.

Searching the stands, I find Hadley standing by Natalie, Hunter’s girl. They clutch hands and share matching expressions of panic and fear.

I crane my head and find Hunter and Hadley’s dad on the other side of the stadium, a frown on his face.

Coach squeezes my shoulder, I shake off all these distractions and hop out onto the ice with Cooper and Evan, taking Hunter’s place. It feels wrong to be playing a game when the medical staff is doing important work. I hate it, but what choice do I have?

After the game, I’m shocked the team administration doesn’t announce they are canceling the dedication party. Everyone should be rushing to the hospital to be there for Hunter—especially his dad—and instead we’re putting on suits and ties to celebrate.

The dedication gala is in the arena atrium, which works because this part of the building doesn’t look much like a hockey rink. The ceiling is high with skylights to let in natural light. They set up a bar at one end of the space and a stage on the other, to effectively define it. Tables are dotted between the two.

Before we hit the ice tonight, Coach gave his speech about how we need to remember we are representing the college, be on our best behavior, etcetera. I’ve heard it many times before. So all the players are here, standing awkwardly around the perimeter. College administrators, bigwigs, and donors are also in attendance, with Mr. Thompson in the middle of it all, grinning and shaking hands.

I tug on my collar as Evan walks up to me. “This sucks.”

“It really does, man.”

“Do you think Hunter will be okay?”

“Okay? Yes.” But I know he’s asking more than that. “But he might be out for a while.”

“Shit.” Evan shakes his head, and I know exactly how he feels. Hunter is our captain, friend, and the backbone of our team. We need him, but beyond that, I don’t want to do this without him.

Still clad in her Griffins hockey jersey, Hadley rushes to me and grabs my arm. Her blonde hair is piled haphazardly on top of her head. Tension coils in her body.

“Have you guys heard anything about Hunter’s condition? I’ve been trying to find out—I can’t get the team to tell me anything.”

Evan and I shake our heads, and her bright blue eyes fill with tears. She hurries to brush them away, but her voice is rough when she adds, “And my dad doesn’t care, he insists this show must go on. But I can’t stay here.”

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