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“Sounds good.” He starts to leave, then pauses at the door.

“Hey, dad.” I smile, a genuine one this time. “Congrats on the win.”

He grins, the tension from earlier melting away. “Thanks, kiddo.”

As he walks away, I glance back at the soda can on my desk.

I can’t wait to see how well these two puck boys get along.

Chapter 16

The mascot uniform in my hands is a fucking joke. Cheap fabric, stiff as hell, probably hasn’t been washed in months. The oversized head grins up at me from the bench, like it knows this is a goddamn humiliation ritual.

Across the room, Eli holds his own uniform, his face unreadable. Not a single protest. Not even a flicker of irritation. Just that same calm acceptance that makes me want to put my fist through the wall.

Coach folds his arms. “With the way you two acted last game, you’re benched for the next one.”

My grip tightens. “This is peak season. You can’t bench me.”

Coach doesn’t blink. “You should’ve thought of that.”

The words sink into my skin, burning their way through muscle and bone. My stomach knots, tight and ugly. No. This isn’t happening.

“Coach. Come on. This is ridiculous.”

“You don’t have to like it,” Jacobs says, voice flat, unimpressed. “Put them on. Now.”

Silence. The entire locker room watches, waiting to see what I’ll do. I see the glances, the barely concealed smirks. I can’t believe this shit. I’m getting fucking benched and shoved into a mascot suit.

I breathe through my nose. Eli’s already pulling his hoodie off, not a single complaint. Of course he isn’t pissed. He doesn’t give a fuck about this team. He just landed here by accident.

I yank the suit on. It’s too hot, itchy, the fabric clings onto my skin. The second I shove the head over my own, the world goes dark, filtered through mesh eye holes.

Laughter ripples through the room.

Practice is hell.

Every move feels wrong. The suit makes it impossible to skate the way I need to. My legs burn, my stick feels foreign in my hands, and every single pass is off. The guys barely look at me. I’m not a threat. Not like this. I might as well not fucking exist.

By the time it’s over, I’m drenched in sweat, my muscles aching. Coach doesn’t even acknowledge me as he skates off. Like I’m not even worth the time.

I rip the fucking head off and toss it onto the bench.

Coach disappears into his office.

I follow.

He doesn’t look surprised when I step inside and shut the door.

I rake a hand through my hair, breathing hard. “Coach. This game matters. I’ll stay out of trouble. I’ll do whatever you want. But I can’t be benched.”

Jacobs leans against his desk. “You think I don’t know that?”

My teeth grind together. My father’s flying in for this game. If I’m sitting on the bench, he’ll…

I exhale sharply. “You don’t get it. My dad…”

Jacobs exhales through his nose. “You should’ve thought of that before getting into a fight with Eli.”