Page 114 of Off The Rush
“Hey,” I say, walking over to her and placing my hands on her shoulders. “You have nothing to feel guilty about, Emma. This is a win for all of us.”
“Exactly,” JD adds, pushing himself up from the floor and dusting off his jeans. “Besides, we’ll figure out a way to get back on the team.”
Emma gives a small, appreciative smile, but I can still sense the worry lurking beneath the surface. As much as we try to reassure her, she can’t shake the feeling that things worked out for her and not for us.
“Look,” Luka says suddenly, his gray eyes serious. “We all know how important hockey is to us, and we also know how much Emma means to us. We’ll find a way to make this work, for all of us.”
“Right,” I agree, nodding at Luka. “We’re a family, in every sense of the word. We’ll get through this together.”
Emma’s eyes well up with tears, and she quickly hugs each of us in turn. “Thank you,” she whispers, her voice choked with emotion. “I just want everything to work out.”
“Trust us, Emma,” JD says, his arm wrapped around her as she sniffles into his shoulder. “It will.”
As I’m about to respond to JD, a sudden knock at the door startles us all. We exchange puzzled glances before I stride across the living room and swing the door open. To my surprise, a good portion of our hockey team stands there, their expressions determined.
“Hey, guys,” I say, my voice betraying my confusion. “What’s up?”
“Can we come in?” Liam asks, shifting his weight from one foot to another. I nod, stepping aside to let them all stream into our house. Luka, JD, and Emma watch in equal bewilderment as our teammates fill the room.
“Emma might have an idea of why we are here,” one of the guys says, looking at her with a knowing smile.
She nods and offers a sheepish grin in our direction.
“Ran into Liam, Miles, and Reed on campus,” she explains, tucking a strand of her wavy brown hair behind her ear. “We talked for a bit.”
“About what?” Luka asks, his gray eyes narrowed slightly.
“About you guys,” Miles answers, looking at each of us intently. “And your suspension.”
JD’s eyebrows shoot up, and he exchanges a look with Luka and me. “What about it?”
The team members glance at each other before Reed steps forward, his expression serious. “We’ve been talking, and we’re not okay with what happened. We’re standing by you guys.”
“Standing by us how?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to decipher their intentions.
“By boycotting the next game,” another teammate chimes in. “Unless your suspensions are lifted, none of us are playing.”
“Whoa,” JD breathes, his warm brown eyes wide. “You can’t do that. You’ll all get in trouble, too.”
“Maybe,” Liam replies, crossing his arms over his chest. “But we’ve talked it over, and we’re not backing down. We’re a team, on and off the ice. And we know how important Emma is to you guys.”
I’m speechless, touched by their loyalty and support.
Luka steps forward, his voice thick with emotion. “Thank you,” he says simply.
“Seriously, thank you,” JD echoes.
“Guys, you don’t have to do this,” I manage to choke out. “We’ll find another way.”
“No,” Miles says firmly, his gaze steady. “We’re doing this because we believe in you, and we’re not letting Coach tear us apart.”
The room falls silent for a moment, the weight of their decision settling over us all. As I look around at my teammates, I realize just how lucky I am to be a part of this group – a group that’s willing to fight for one another, no matter the cost.
“Look,” Reed starts, his gaze shifting between me, Luka, and JD, “we know how much you guys care about Emma, and we’re not gonna let Coach dictate your personal lives. You all deserve happiness, and if being with Emma makes you happy, then so be it.”
“Besides,” Miles chimes in, “you three are the backbone of this team. Without you, our chances of winning any games are slim to none. We’ve got your backs, no matter what.”
Their unwavering support injects a newfound energy into me, and I can see it reflected in JD’s and Luka’s expressions as well. I glance at Emma, whose eyes sparkle with excitement and hope. She gives me an encouraging smile that sends warmth radiating through my chest.
