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I launch to my feet as the ref clears out the area around them.
“Oh shit,” Caro says, though her voice barely registers.
I hate when he fights. Enforcers are mostly on their way out of league play, but they exist for a reason. They’re the most loved players, the heart and soul of the team, who keeps his teammates safe on the ice. They’re also the most prone to serious, lasting injury.
Zeke is an enforcer. And his gloves are off.
“What do we do?” Aly says as Zeke’s fist connects with the defender’s jaw.
His head snaps right, and his mouth guard goes flying. Another player tries to swing at Zeke, but Pasha knocks him away as the Denver defender grabs Zeke by the collar and punches at his cheek.
I gasp as the crowd in the stadium jeers, shouts, and pounds fists against the plexiglass. Zeke takes one more swing, and it’s enough to knock them both off their skates. I hold my breath until the refs clear the ice, sending them to their respective penalty boxes.
“He’s okay, Fayebug,” Aly says. I realize they’re flanking me, each holding one of my hands. I stare up at the jumbotron and take in the closeup of a fast bleeding cut on the side of his jaw. But it doesn’t look too bad. He doesn’t look dazed, and he doesn’t even look winded.
I let out a shaky breath and Caro rubs my back.
“‘My head is harder than his fist, baby.’” Caro-Zeke is back, and both Aly and I laugh.
“Oh, wow,” Aly says, returning to her seat on the other side of Caro’s.
“What?” I ask.
She’s holding up an empty plastic cup. “I can’t believe I drank my beer that fast.”
“Want another one?” Caro asks as the period buzzer blasts.
I nod as I pull out my phone and rattle off a text to Zeke. He may or may not check his phone in the locker room, but I can’t help myself.
“I can’t believe I finished that! I barely even feel tipsy!” Aly says, staring at her empty cup with the same wonder as she did her foam finger.
“Faye? IPA?” Caro asks.
I tuck my phone beneath my hands in my lap and nod.
Caro ruffles my hair and gives me a little squeeze.
“He’s okay, Faye.”
“I know.”
She doesn’t say anything else as she and Aly slink down the aisle toward the concessions. My phone buzzes and I nearly jump.
ZEKE: I’m okay. Promise.
My heart squeezes and I let out a sigh.
ME: Stay that way?
ZEKE: Only for you
I press my phone to my chest and take a deep breath.
This is not healthy.
This is not how a friend behaves.
I mean, of course, friends care about each other. But if Pasha got thrown into the boards, I wouldn’t be this upset.
