AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Derek moved seats in Environmental Science today. He didn’t even look at me once. Although, I’d prefer it that way, honestly. It’s Friday and the first home game of the season for the St. Paul Royals. Everyone is showing their team support. Everyone but me. I meet Stephanie and Olive inside today for lunch and they are both wearing Levi jerseys with his number and last name on them.
“I’m so excited,” Olive chirps, “Taylor, aren’t you so excited?”
“Very,” I say with a heavy layer of sarcasm. I’m excited to wear my Warriors shirt to the front row to cheer Elijah on. That’ll be fun. It’s hanging up in my room right now.
They follow me home today and we get ready together. Stephanie shows me how to do the perfect winged eyeliner and false lashes. When I look in the mirror my hazel eyes look huge, especially under my glasses. I put my long black hair up into two high pig tails to debut the Warriors jersey to the girls.
They both gasp and pretend to faint as they see me walk out of my closet with it on.
“How could you?” Stephanie says, covering her mouth with her stiletto-tipped nails.
“Oh, is this not the right team?” I say, pulling on the stretchy fabric.
“No!” Olive says, “but you’re wearing the hell out of it.”
“You really are,” Stephanie agrees with a laugh. They finish their look by applying the school colors on their faces and cleavage.
“We still have some time before the game, so we were thinking we could go to Bibio before, if you want to, Taylor?”
“Korean food? There’s absolutely nowhere else I’d rather go.”
We all carpool in Stephanie’s SUV to the restaurant. It’s pretty busy for a Friday night, but the three of us manage to find a high-top table in the back of the restaurant. Stephanie and Olive order beers, and I order a bottle of Korean soju. I’m pleased to see it comes in the classic ice-cold green bottle.
We order mandu for the appetizer and each get our own dish. I’m too excited to notice what they order. When the steaming pile of spicy onion tteokbokki comes, my stomach growls loud enough for the girls to hear. Olive is drunk after her first light beer, but that doesn’t surprise me. She really is a wispy petite girl, and it suits her well. I wonder if Levi is really into either of them, though. I’ve honestly questioned whether he’s even into girls, but I don’t say that out loud. He’s eons friendlier than the other guys, which surprises me why Elijah likes him so much.
When the server comes, we split the bill three ways and Stephanie drives us to campus. It’s weird being here after dark, but oddly pretty. The lamp posts are more like old-England style with a soft hue instead of the obnoxious white lights you see on the road. And there are glowing blue emergency buttons around about every half mile for girls or vulnerable people walking alone. The silent night comes to an end as we approach the ice rink from behind. We walk in through the ‘section, flashing our IDs to the ticket booth and making our way to the front. Music blares from the speakers and the jumbotron shows flashes of the player’s faces. Stephanie kicks a pair of guys sitting in the front row to the second row and offers us their seats.
Olive takes Stephanies hand as she sits close to her, throwing her leg over Stephanie’s lap. Stephanie releases the hold and rubs the top of Olive’s thigh. I can tell I’m getting some harsh looks from the jersey I’ve chosen to wear, but I don’t regret it a bit. I just hope that I can get close enough to the plexiglass for Elijah to see.
9
ELIJAH HAYES
Imake it a tradition to be the first one in the locker room to welcome the guys to the first home game of the season as captain. While waiting, I grab my pill bottle from my bag and pop Xanax. For nerves. And luck. I know I shouldn’t be taking them unless I’m about to go on a flight or have another panic attack, but they always calm me down and keep me focused. That is exactly what I need today playing against the notorious Warriors.
I can already hear the cheering fans filtering in through the stadium and the music roaring on the screen. A couple minutes later, the rest of the St. Paul Royals are rushing into the locker room with wide grins on their faces. I’m happy to see it.
We change into our gear and huddle together with Coach by the door. He gives us his usual pep talk and list of incidents to avoid. I don’t plan on getting in the penalty box today. Fuck what anyone says, this game is mine.
As the ref meets both centers in the middle, I feel the Xanax enter my bloodstream and get a jolt of hyper focused energy. The Warrior’s center glares at me from behind his helmet. I remember this douche from last season. He thought he could get away with tripping, but I’ll make sure to do the ref’s duty at the same time while I’m at it.
The puck lands in the middle of the center zone and, by a split second, I am faster than the opponent. Levi is at my right side, already skating to the meter before the red line, waiting for my call. I look over at Braylon. He is wide open by the penalty box, going against the scrawny Warriors’ right wing. I look at Levi but pass to Braylon who skirts around the opponent using the wall and slides the puck across the red line.
What the fuck? Levi mouths to Braylon.
Braylon slaps the stick on the ice and screams.
The ref resets the teams and Braylon is now ready for a faceoff on the Royals’ side of the rink. As both teams set up, I take a look in the crowd of yellow and black Royals jerseys. There is one outlier wearing a Warrior’s jersey. Fucking Taylor.
She stands up against the plexiglass cheering them on. She presses her tits to the glass and waves to me. I grind my teeth. I can’t deal with this right now.
“Elijah!” Levi shouts. I realize the faceoff has finished and the Warrior’s center just skated past me. Shit. I reach out with my stick, tripping the center and putting myself in the penalty box immediately.
The timer for two minutes starts, and I feel Taylor’s evil grin behind me. I try my best to ignore her but she’s all I hear screaming in my ear. I turn around and pound on the glass, startling her. She sits back in her seat next to Olive and Stephanie and laughs. I can’t believe I’m letting her get into my head like this.
After the two-minute mark, I skate back on the ice like a demon and swoop the puck from the left wing who’s been pushing on our side hard since my penalty. I bounce it off the wall, feeling my adrenaline surging as I legally pass the red line and aim for the net. I psych the goalie out, going left but hit right and the puck crosses the goalie line and slaps the back of the net. The goalie falls to his knees and lets out an animalistic growl.
The buzzer goes off above me. First point for the Royals.
