Page 13

Greyson

My mind isn’t focused, my head isn’t in the game. And I’ve got to get my head in the game. But I can’t, and that’s down to one person, and one person alone…Lilly Jackson.

The beautiful blonde whose been invading my mind since the moment I first saw her, and the same blonde who’s currently making my mind scramble.

“ Well, this doesn’t look like much of an imagination, does it ?” The words she’d spoken to her dick of an ex boyfriend have been repeating in my mind since she blurted them out yesterday.

Don’t get me wrong, I was pissed when she implied we were dating, but when she broke down in tears recounting how he cheated on her—multiple times, no less—I felt an overwhelming urge to track him down and make him pay for every tear that she shed.

I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve had to comfort a girl while she’s crying, and I was completely lost, unsure of how to console her, or how to make her feel better.

No joke, I debated ab out patting her gently on the back until she calmed down, but then I remembered that one, she isn’t a dog. And two, if I was crying, I wouldn’t want someone just patting my back, if anything, that would just make an awkward situation even more awkward.

And then as I was thinking of other ways to console her, she kissed me. The kiss was brief, only lasting a few seconds, but it left me in a state of complete and utter shock.

Her lips were off mine quicker than the countless times I got shuffled from foster home to foster home, leaving me sitting there stunned and breathless, trying to process what just happened.

She shut down, retreating to the far end of her seat, closer to the window and further from me. I wanted to tell her that I wasn’t angry, upset, or even annoyed that she kissed me.

I was just… surprised .

What she didn’t know however, was that it was the first time I’ve been kissed.

Although, is it classed as a kiss if I didn’t technically kiss her back?

Oh, and then she had the audacity to try and leave. That wasn’t happening. We didn’t speak at all when I drove her home, and when I pulled up outside of her house, I tried to talk to her, but she was in a hurry to get away, saying a quick thanks and sorry before slamming the car door shut which had me debating if I should've got out the car to make sure she was okay.

Suddenly a flash of red catches my eye. Number sixty was charging toward me, his skates slicing through the surface with precision. My heart pounds as I snap back into reality. Fuck. Coach is gon na be on my ass afterward for being distracted, and I’m not sure I was in the mood to deal with his wrath.

He was gaining on me, and fast. I dropped into my stance, eyes locked on the puck. He wound up for a shot, and time seemed to slow as I watched his every move. His eyes filled with pure determination sparkled as he smirked, clearly thinking he was going to get the puck past me.

Think again fucker.

In a split second, I push off with all my strength, my body stretching to cover the net. The puck flew toward me, a black blur against the white ice. I felt the impact as it hit my glove, the force sending a shot of vibrations up my arm.

The crowd erupted as I held the puck tight, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. Fuck. That was close, too close. I need to start focusing more on what’s happening on the ice, and less about what’s happening in my mind.

A “Fuck yes!” reaches my ears throughout the loud crowd, swiftly turning, my eyes lock onto Lilly as she and Nina jump up and down, celebrating my save. But I quickly divert my attention back to the ice, willing myself not to take a peek at her again.

I can’t let her become a distraction.

But she’s a pretty fucking distraction.

As the game carried on, I glanced toward the clock where the countdown is displayed in bold red letters before glancing to the ice again where I see Hunter skilfully maneuvering the puck with his stick, weaving in and out of the opposing players with determination.

Holding my breath, I glance toward the clock again .

Ten seconds remain.

Hunter winds back, and the puck smacks off his stick, heading straight toward the right corner of the net. My eyes zero in on the puck, and the moment it connects with the back of the net, it’s like music to my ears.

I can’t contain my excitement as I fist pump into the air. With only five seconds left on the clock, the game is basically over. Pulling my gloves off, I skate toward my teammates just as the horn blows.

We’d done it, we won!

My smile is wide as I reach the team, each of them smiling with gleam too as they celebrate our win. Gripping the back of Hunters jersey, I congratulate him. He grins, gripping my shoulder and he’s about to say something before the players that were benched skate over and pull us into a celebratory huddle.

We linger on the ice, soaking in the victory before skating toward the exit where Coach is stood, his face lit up like a Christmas tree as he praises each player that walks past.

Once we reach the locker room, it’s a whirlwind of activity. Helmets, gloves and sticks are tossed everywhere, and the air is filled with the sound of laughter and celebratory shouts. The song “put your records on” by Corinne Bailey Rae plays loudly on the overhead speaker, and it isn’t long before we’re all singing along.

“Are we still heading to Laroza’s?” Theo asks, throwing his jersey into the laundry hamper.

“I’ve been dreaming of their garlic bread since the minute I woke.” I confess, feeling my stomach rumble at just the thought.

“I invited Mia and Eloise, is that cool?” Theo leans down, unlacing his skates.

“More the merrier.” Chase shrugs.

“If that’s the case, can I invite Nina?” Hunter asks, his cheeks tinging red.

“ Can I invite Nina? ” Theo mocks in a sweet voice.

“Shut up.” Hunter growls at him, throwing his sweaty jersey in his face.

Grabbing his wash bag from his locker, Theo walks backward with a grin on his face. “ Ooo , look at me being all loved up.” He mocks, his grin widening as he teases Hunter.

Hunter grabs a handful of sweaty jerseys from the laundry hamper and aims them in Theo’s direction, who in return laughs like a maniac as he runs toward the shower before Hunter has the chance to throw them.

“He’s such a fucking child.” He grumbles under his breath, throwing the jerseys back into the laundry hamper with a huff.

“ He’s such a fucking child. ” Chase mocks, walking backward toward the shower too.

And to be annoying, I grin at Hunter as I too walk backward. “ He’s such a fucking child. ” I voice out.

“You’re all childish!” He shouts. “I live with childish fucking men!”