Page 26 of Off The Rush
“Hey Luka, heads up!” JD yells, snapping me out of my reverie just in time to receive a pass. I give him a nod of appreciation before sending the puck back his way.
“Let’s get a scrimmage going!” Coach calls out after we finish the last drill. He divides us into teams, putting me with JD but against Alec. It’s like he knows something is up between us, even though there’s no way he could.
“Ready to kick some ass?” JD smirks, slapping me on the back before moving back to the goal as we line up for the face-off. I can see the tension in his eyes, too, and I know we’re both using this scrimmage as a distraction from the Emma situation.
“Always,” I reply confidently, even though my mind is racing.
The scrimmage starts off intense, with each team fighting for every inch of the ice. When Alec gets the puck, I see it as my opportunity to vent some of my frustration. I position myself between him and JD, calculating the perfect moment to strike. As Alec tries to slip past me, I channel my anger into one check, sending him into the boards.
It’s not bad, he won’t even feel it tomorrow but it was too hard for a scrimmage.
Even as guilt gnaws at me, there’s a twisted sense of satisfaction. For a brief moment, it feels like I’ve taken back some control in this messy situation.
“Watch it, Luka!” Alec snaps, scrambling to his feet and glaring at me. But before he can confront me, the whistle blows and the scrimmage continues.
As we play on, the tension between us only grows. Every time Alec and I cross paths on the ice, there’s an unspoken challenge in our eyes. I hit him again when the opportunity arises.
“Seriously, what the fuck is your problem, Luka?” Alec shouts at me, his blue eyes blazing with anger. I can’t bring myself to look him in the eye, so I just skate away without saying a word. As I pass JD, I give him a small smile and say, “I feel slightly better now. Too bad you’re stuck in goal.”
JD’s warm brown eyes meet mine for a brief second before he nods, the corners of his lips turning up in agreement. It’s clear that we both needed an outlet for our resentment.
A few plays later, Alec gets close to the goal again. This time, it’s JD who takes action. He comes out of the crease, leaving the net wide open, knocks into Alec, and sends the puck away. It’s not a normal play.
“JD, what the hell?” Alec yells as he picks himself up off the ice. “Why would you do that?”
Coach blows his whistle sharply, signaling an end to the practice. “Alright, that’s enough,” he says, his voice stern and commanding. “I don’t know what’s going on between you three, but keep your personal problems off the ice. Understood?”
“Understood, Coach,” we all mutter in unison, though inside I’m seething. How can I forget about Emma when every time I look at Alec, I’m reminded of what he has and what I want?
As we skate off the ice, I can feel the weight of our unresolved feelings hanging heavy in the air. One thing is certain: we can’t go on like this much longer. Something’s got to give, and soon.
The locker room buzzes with the sounds of excited teammates as they fist-bump each other, their eyes wide and curious.
“What was up out there?” Reed asks, but JD, Alec, and I don’t respond. Instead, we gather in front of our lockers, our faces tight and bodies tense.
Alec’s jaw clenches as he angrily starts stripping off his gear, throwing each piece to the floor with a huff. His piercing blue eyes dart between JD and me, demanding answers without words.
“Alright,” he finally snaps, unable to contain his frustration any longer. “Why were you two targeting me out there? What’s your problem?”
I exchange a glance with JD, silently urging him not to say anything. We can’t let this escalate further, not here, not now. But Alec isn’t so easily deterred. He crosses his arms, his gaze never leaving us.
“Come on, spill it,” he insists, and I feel my resolve start to crumble under the weight of his stare.
“Look, Alec,” I begin, trying to sound casual, “it’s nothing personal, alright? Just… forget about it.”
“Like hell I will!” he retorts, his voice rising. The other players turn their heads, and I can practically feel their curiosity growing. Tensions are mounting, and I know that something’s got to give.
I tug both of them around the corner and into an equipment room.
“Fine!” JD suddenly blurts out, his warm brown eyes flashing with anger. “You want to know what’s going on? It’s Emma! She’s the girl from my class that I told you about!”
The air in the closet seems to freeze. I’m holding my breath as if waiting for some kind of explosion. Alec’s face is a mixture of disbelief and confusion, his eyes widening at JD’s revelation but I’m not buying it. He’s not completely surprised.
“Looks like we’re all drawn in by the same girl, doesn’t it?” I mutter under my breath, feeling a strange mix of relief and dread washing over me. This secret’s out now, and there’s no going back.
We break apart and don’t talk for the next two days.
Chapter 12
