Page 87 of Off The Rush
“Thanks,” Coach says, waving me away with his hand. “Now go get ready for the game. We need you on top of your game tonight.”
“Will do, Coach,” I say.
I make my way to the locker room, mentally preparing for the game ahead. As I walk in, the familiar scent of sweat fills my nostrils. My teammates are scattered around the room, some lacing up their skates, others listening to music in an attempt to get in the zone. JD, ever the superstitious one, is performing his pregame ritual – a routine so intricate that it’s best not to disturb him.
“Hey, Luka,” I say, approaching my blond-haired friend who’s sitting on a bench tying his skates. His intense gray eyes glance up at me, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
“Ready for the game?” he asks, effortlessly pulling the laces tight.
“Definitely,” I reply, feeling a surge of confidence. “Coach seemed pretty happy with my progress.”
“Nice work, man,” Luka says, giving me a nod of approval.
“Thanks,” I respond, grinning. Just as I’m about to ask Luka about his plans for after the game, another teammate pulls me aside, his expression serious.
“Hey, Alec, can I talk to you for a second?” Liam asks, his voice hushed.
“Sure, what’s up?” I inquire, trying to read his face.
“Uh, well…” he stammers, clearly uncomfortable. “I’m not sure I should do this before the game but it has been eating at my conscience. I saw JD with Emma the other day and they were… cozy together.”
My heart skips a beat, but I quickly suppress the urge to laugh. Of course, our little arrangement isn’t exactly public knowledge so it makes sense Liam would be concerned.
It’s nice he has my back.
“Look,” I say, keeping my voice steady despite the amusement bubbling inside me. “JD and Emma are close friends. Luka too. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Really?” he asks, still appearing uncertain.
“Absolutely,” I assure him, clapping him on the shoulder. “We’re all good here.”
“Okay,” he says, finally relaxing. “I just thought you should know, man.”
“Thanks for looking out for me,” I reply, smiling genuinely. “Now let’s focus on the game. We’ve got this.”
Shaking my head in amusement, I walk back over to Luka. “You’ll never believe what that was about,” I say, grinning.
“Try me,” Luka replies, smirking in anticipation.
“Apparently, our love life is the hot gossip of the locker room,” I explain, chuckling. “He saw JD out with Emma the other night and thought he was doing me a favor by letting me know.”
We share a knowing smirk.
Luka laughs, his gray eyes crinkling at the corners. “Well, I guess we should be flattered that our personal lives are so interesting.”
“Definitely,” I agree, still chuckling. “Now let’s go out there and give them something else to talk about – like winning this game.”
I’ll have to tell JD about it later. I won’t be interrupting his routine.
With renewed focus, Luka and I join the rest of the team as we exit the locker room and hit the ice. The smell of cold air and the sound of skates cutting through the rink invigorate me, helping me push our recent conversation to the back of my mind.
Throughout the game, our team works seamlessly together. Passes are smooth, shots are precise, and our defense is impenetrable. I can feel the energy coursing through my veins, driving me to play harder, faster, better.
In the final moments of the game, I find myself in possession of the puck, racing towards the goal. My heart pounds in my chest as I calculate angles and mentally prepare for the shot. I release the puck with one swift movement, and it sails into the net just as the buzzer sounds.
We’ve won.
We are one step closer to the playoffs.
