Page 65 of Offside Attraction
“Just keep going, Dakota! You’re almost there!”
I can’t shake the unease brewing inside me, the way he’s so casual with his directions. I hesitate, biting my lip as I reconsider my next move, but Hayes’s enthusiasm pulls me back in. I leaninto his command, forcing myself to trust him even though the weight of our history looms heavily between us.
“Faster! You’ve got this!” Hayes’s voice crackles with excitement, and I push harder, feeling the speed rush through me.
And that’s when it happens. “Right again!” he shouts, and I can feel the panic rising in my throat as I realize I’ve veered too far. “No, left!”
“What? No!” I scream, my heart dropping as my instincts scream that something is wrong. I try to stop, hastily removing the blindfold, but it’s too late. My skate catches on the edge of the boards, and before I can even register the impact, I’m flying forward, arms flailing.
The world spins as I collide with the unforgiving barrier, the sound of the boards cracking against my body ringing in my ears. I hit hard, pain radiating through my shoulder and back, the impact jarring. I crash to the ice, stunned and breathless, the cold seeping through my clothes.
“Dakota!” Hayes’s voice slices through the haze, but I’m still dazed, the breath knocked from my lungs.
Before I can gather my thoughts, I feel hands on my shoulders. “Dude, are you okay?” Lance’s voice is urgent as he and Zach rush over, their faces filled with concern.
I groan as I push myself up, wincing at the sharp pain in my shoulder. “What the hell was that?” I snap, my voice raw as I glare at Hayes, who’s standing there, a mixture of amusement and guilt etched across his features.
“I told you to turn left!” Hayes protests, stepping closer.
“You lied to me!” I shout back, my fury boiling over. “You wanted me to crash!”
“Maybe if you listened, this wouldn’t have happened!” Hayes shoots back, his tone matching my intensity.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Is this your sad excuse for an apology?” I take a step forward, fists clenched as I glare at Hayes who’s fucking amused by all of this. “You think this is funny? You think you can just toy with me like that?”
Hayes steps closer, his expression shifting from playful to furious. “You’re the one who accepted the dare. If you wanted to back down, you should have thought twice before running your fucking mouth!”
I can feel the heat rising in my chest, a mix of frustration, anger, and adrenaline propelling me forward. “You know what, I’m sick of your shit. You think you are better than everyone, huh?”
I notice the rest of the team are now gathered around us, waiting and watching to see what’s going to happen next. The only thought running through my mind right now is how I want to punch that smug look right off Hayes’s face.
This son of a bitch has done enough.
“Not to brag, Miller, but you know you can’t beat me, on and off the ice,” Hayes says, pointing his fingers at my face as we stare down at each other. “So maybe think about that before you open your fucking mouth.”
“Get your fingers off my face right now,” I growl, curling my fingers into a fist.
“Or what?” Hayes scoffs, taking a step forward so we’re breathing the same air. “What are you gonna do about it, Miller? Or should I remind you’re still the fucking bitch I used to hit.” Hayes drops his stance, ready to fight. The space between us crackles with tension, and I can see the spark of challenge igniting in his eyes.
I laugh, the sound foreign to my own ears, anger flashing through my eyes as I briefly glance around the rink.
“Guys, cut it out,” Lance says, coming in between us, as he gently pushes Hayes away.
“Dakota, let it go,” Zach says, putting his hand around my arm. I angrily snatch my hand away from his grip as I turn to walk away.
“Pussy,” I hear Hayes call out and in a flash, I connect my fist with Hayes’s jaw, punching the smug look off as our teammates try to stop us.
Hayes retaliates, landing a punch to my side. Pain shoots through me, but I push through it, throwing another wild punch that catches him off guard. We’re a mess of flailing limbs, shoving and grappling, the sound of our bodies crashing against each other echoing in the rink. We are throwing punches at each other, each hit fueled by years of pent-up resentment.
“Stop it! You’re going to hurt yourselves!” Lance shouts, but we barely hear him. I’m too consumed by the rush of adrenaline and rage, the fight pushing all my worries aside.
Hayes shoves me back, and I stumble but quickly regain my footing. “You think you can just mess with me and get away with it?” I snarl, anger lacing my words.
“You started this, Miller!” he growls, stepping forward to throw another punch.
But just as we’re about to throw another blow, Zach steps in, grabbing my arm to pull me away. “Enough! This is stupid!”
“Let go of me!” I shout, trying to break free, but Zach holds me back, his grip surprisingly strong.