Page 188 of Rebound
Before the game starts, I see the Titans huddle around each other. They do their normal pregame rituals, and I’m happy to see Roman is included this time. They bump their helmets against Kai's as they go take their positions, my brother in a face off against Josh.
The game hasn't even started yet, and the tension is palpable. As the puck drops, I clutch Jules’s hand. Both teams have something to prove tonight, and you can see it from the start. Drew steals the puck from Josh but it's not an easy victory. Josh has something to prove tonight and it's that he's the better player on the ice.
Halfway through the first period Josh tries to start a fight with Roman. Roman has the puck, Josh comes up from behindand shoves him. Roman spins around, ready to fight back until Drew shows up and pulls him away as the ref whistles.
There are more penalties than any other game and most of them are for chirping, cross-checking, and one unsportsmanlike conduct for Josh when he starts a fight with Ford.
“You get a penalty for talking shit?” Elena asks.
“It's called chirping, and yes you get time in the sin bin for it,” I explain. “It's a stupid thing to do. Why would you want to take a penalty?”
The second period is even more tense as we are tied one to one. The crowd is growing louder on both sides, and I’m sweating. Whenever Roman has the puck or he’s assisting I have my phone out and I’m recording the footage. I can feel Josh's gaze searching for me in the crowd and I refuse to look at him.
A Falcon purposefully trips Reese, and I bang on the boards.
“That’s a penalty!” I shout. “Come on, ref, are you biased?”
It's the first time I’ve ever yelled at a game while watching it in the arena. But this is getting ridiculous. The Falcons are out for blood.
The score is still tied one to one in the third period, and it looks like we’re going into overtime. I look at Coach Cross and can see the tension in his shoulders. As a player he’s won the Titans six Stanley Cups. After a long dry spell, he led the Titans to win the Stanley Cup in his first year as Coach.
I watch Roman intercept a pass. He's off like a shot down the right wing and I’m on my feet before he even crosses center ice. Josh comes out of nowhere and they collide on the blue line, a brutal hit which sends both falling on the ice with Josh on top of Roman.
My heart in my throat, I wait with bated breath for Roman to stand up. Around me the crowd goes wild. Before he went down, he passed the puck to Ford, and he’s scored a victory for the Titans.
“I have to go and get a handle on this,” Sage says. “I'm sorry, but this is going to be a PR nightmare. I'll find you girls later.”
The horn sounds like a gunshot announcing the victory. I watch as Roman pulls Josh off of him and punches him right in the face. Someone from the Falcons grabs Roman, which leads to Ford grabbing them and then they’re all fighting.
My heart stops beating as Josh hits back and Roman falls, his head cracking against the ice.
“Oh my god,” Elena gasps. My body feels weightless as I stare at Roman, lying unmoving on the ice. My legs feel like they can’t support me anymore and as I start to fall, I feel an arm wrap around me.
“He’s going to be fine,” Jules whispers in my ear.
Trainers are rushing in from both teams to get the players checked out. There’s blood everywhere. I can barely hear anything over the roar in my ears. Roman is shifted to a stretcher and carried out of the arena.
“I have to go with him,” I gasp through my tears.
I struggle through the crowds, blood roaring in my ears, until we’re in the hallway and walking towards the medical room.
“I don't think there's anything to worry about. Roman has a thick skull,” Elena says, trying to ease the tension. Normally, I’d agree. Just not when I feel like I'm about to die. I’ve never been this terrified in my whole life.
As we’re about to round the corner to the medical room someone steps in our way. Up close, he looks even more like Roman, and his face is even harsher.
“I hope you realize this is your fault,” he hisses, his voice venomous. “Roman was on his way to having a clean slate and then you came into his life and ruined everything.”
“I don't know how much you know about your son uncle Asher, but he was never going to have a clean slate,” Elena says, drily.
Mr. Maddox ignores her like she hasn't even spoken. “I have a reputation in this town, little girl. I didn't play second fiddle to your father for my son to do the same with your brother.”
I wipe the tears streaming down my face, anger mixing with the fear. Does he even care that Roman might be seriously injured right now?
“This isn’t about Roman. This is about you reliving your glory days and somehow besting my father after all these years. Roman isn’t a puppet you can use for your plans. He's one of the best players in the NHL and he doesn't need you messing with his career.”
“He wouldn’t have a career if it wasn’t for me!” Mr. Maddox shouts.
“Yes, he would!” I shout back. “Everything he’s done has been on his own merit, not yours.”
