Page 4

Greyson

The cold air of the rink bites at my cheeks as I adjust my pads, trying to shake off the frustration from the last few missed saves. Practice was going terrible, and I could feel the eyes of my teammates on me, glaring into my soul, and judging me for how awful I’ve been playing.

I’d woken up this morning in a good mood, but then everything went downhill the minute I stepped into the locker room and Coach announced we’d be staying at a Blaine Heights hotel in November when we have our away game against Victron Cat’s, and as soon as the hotel name left his mouth, my whole body froze.

Blaine heights is owned by my sperm donor, Sebastian Blaine. The one person on earth I hated more than Theresa Montgomery, my egg donor.

Long story cut incredibly short…Theresa was a drug addict who cared more about finding her next high than looking after me. At the age of three she left me in our apartment—if you could even call it th at—alone for days. If the neighbors hadn’t called in a welfare check when they did, the cops would’ve found my dead body instead of a barely alive one.

Fast forward to being in the hospital, they did a DNA test to see if my father was in the system because my mom was nowhere to be located—eighteen years later she’s still missing, probably dead, who knows, and who cares. Anyway, shock horror on the DNA test…Sebastian was in the system, but what did he do when he found out about me? He signed his rights away, wanting nothing to do with me.

Which then resulted in me spending my childhood bouncing around from foster home to foster home, wondering why I was never good enough for anyone. Some homes were nice, and others not so much. I was fifteen when my social worker decided to shove me into a group home, which to me was a nonverbal way of saying she couldn’t be bothered with me anymore.

The only constant thing I had in my life was hockey, and I focused my whole being on that. Especially in senior year of high school when scouts visited.

My one goal in life was making it into the NHL, and I would’ve done everything in my power to get there. And luck seemed to be on my side for once, because when a scout from Riverside State came to a game, he offered me a full ride hockey scholarship—board, room, and everything else included. I couldn’t believe that my luck had finally taken a turn.

Everything was going great, I loved being a Riverside Dragon and playing on a team with so many potential future NHL stars. But I still felt this uneasy feeling of not belonging and wanting to know more about who I was as a person.

Which then had me looking into my files when I was drunk one night in freshman year, and that’s how I found out about Sebastian. Of course, that then led to me searching him up on the internet. Millionaire with several hotel chains scattered around the country, forty-three years old, single—but was married for many years, the reason for the divorce with his now ex-wife wasn’t specified, but what was specified was the two sons they shared together.

But this is where the story gets hilarious, the oldest, which is technically his middle child, was born the day after me. Imagine my surprise when I found that out. So not only was Sebastian a cheat, but when he found out about me, he chose to throw one three-year-old to the wolves while the other lived a life of luxury and stability—guess who pulled the short straw on that one.

The day after, a very hungover, and still very seething Greyson stupidly decided to go to one of his hotels and demanded to see him. Luckily—if you could even call it that—he was there. I stared at him for what felt like hours realizing I got his nose, eyes, and even his cheek bones.

I was fuming, pissed even. I remember standing up from the chair in his office to walk away, I don’t even know why I was there in the first place. Maybe to take a look at the face of the man who decided I wasn’t worth it.

But then my name on his lips stopped me in my tracks. I turned around so fast that I got whiplash, turns out he knew who I was, and apparently, he’d been “taking care” of me for years. The allowance I got in the group home, that was actually his money. He said he felt bad when he found out that I was jumping from foster home to foster home, so he decided to be a “father” and give money. Because that’s what rich folks do, isn’t it? Just give a check and hope everything will be okay.

Ha. Fuck off .

He knew I was jumping from home to home, yet he did nothing to get me out of the situation. Instead choosing to throw money in my direction, hoping I’d be fine.

And for the most part, I was fine.

I am fine .

I didn’t want his “guilty” money, so I ended up bringing my wallet out and slamming bills down on the table and telling him he’d get the rest soon before storming out of there more pissed than I was when I arrived.

And now we’re all caught up, for the most part anyway.

“Grey?” Chase, one of my best friends and the one I lean on the most knocks me from my thoughts as he skates up to me.

“Huh?” I blink, glancing around to make sure I haven’t missed anything important while I spaced out.

He scrunches his eyebrows together, searching my face. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I nod, to which he gives me a pointed look letting me know he doesn’t believe me. “Just a lot on my mind.”

“Is this about that away game?” He asks, glancing around the rink.

Yes . “No, it’s nothing.” I shake my head.

“You know I’m here for you, right?” He leans against the goal.

“Uh-huh.” I nod.

“And you also know that I know you inside out, right? ” He cocks a brow.

Of course he does. Out of my three best friends, he’s the one I lean on the most. I don’t know why I gravitate toward him, maybe it’s because he’s always been there for me—for all of us—and maybe it’s because he has no issue sitting down and listening to any of us rant for hours on end about our problems.

He’ll sit there, listen, and give the best fucking advice ever. How he does it? I don’t know. I always joke with him that he should be a therapist if hockey doesn’t work out for him because he’d be a good one.

“Yes, it’s about the away game.” I finally give in.

There’s no point lying to Chase, he always gets the truth out eventually.

He gives a soft smile. “We’ll all be there, okay? If shit happens, I’ve got your back,” he glances over to where our friends, who are pushing each other around the ice. “We all do.”

I give a weak smile. “I appreciate it.”

“Great practice guys!” Coach shouts from the side.

“Let’s go, Montgomery.” Chase lightly smacks my shoulder before skating away.

Letting out a heavy breath, I push off and skate toward the others, thankful that practice is finally over. Showering and taking a nap are next on my agenda for today, and I really couldn’t wait for the latter.

“Fucks sake,” Theo, one of my other best friends whines as he skates beside me. “Is that Lakelyn?”

Turning my head in the direction he’s looking, there is Lakelyn, attempting to flirt with Matteo…well, good luck there .

Hunter, the last of my best friends chuckles. “Oh, you’re not going to like this.”

“What?” I ask.

“I’m not saying a thing.” He brings his fingers toward his lips, pretends to zip and lock them before throwing away the imaginary key.

“Right, gather around.” Coach shouts, making sure everyone hears him.

I give a questionable look as I step off the ice. Usually if Coach has something to say, he says it in the locker room, so I’m curious as to why he’s gathering us around the entrance of the rink.

“What’s up, Coach?” Keegan, a freshman, asks as he takes his helmet off and places it between his arms.

At that moment I see a flash of blonde in my peripheral vision. I look up to see a familiar looking girl clutching at the sleeves of her sweater as she goes to stand beside Lakelyn and Coach, her eyes not once looking in our direction.

Beautiful .

That’s the first word that comes to mind when I look at her.

Absolutely fucking beautiful.

“Some of you already know this,” Coach knocks my attention away from her to him. “The journalism students are writing articles, and the top two will be selected to have their piece in the Riverside Gazette at the end of the semester.”

“I’m confused, Coach.” Keegan scrunches his eyebrows together.

Coach gives him a pointed look. “Maybe if you didn’t just interrupt me, then you wouldn’t be so confused.”

“Ooo, burn.” Logan, another freshman snickers in Keegan’s direction, covering it up with a cough when Coach shoots him a glare.

“This is Lakelyn Forest and Lilly Jackson.” He gestures with his hand toward them.

“Hey, isn’t that your girls’ friend?” Theo asks Hunter as he tilts his head, looking at Lilly.

“Uh-huh.” Hunter nods.

Glancing at Lilly again, I realize that’s how I recognize her. She was with Nina—the girl hunter has a crush on—at Jinx, the other week. Hunter practically dragged me along in case he got rejected, but when I saw how nervous he looked, I grinned and slipped away from him, drawing my phone out to take a video of the awkward interaction with the intention of blackmailing him with it at some point in the future.

“Lakelyn and Lilly are writing an article on the hockey team,” Coach announces. “They’ll be conducting interviews with some of you as the weeks go on, sitting in on practice, and coming to games to get as much information as they need.”

“What does that mean?” Theo questions.

“That means be on your best behavior, Jenkins.” Coach glares at him.

Theo scoffs. “I’m always on my best behavior!” He protests, making the majority of us laugh.

Coach rolls his eyes. “I expect you all to treat the girls with respect.”

“Yes, Papa!” Theo grins.

Coach once again shoots him a glare. “And I expect you all to be welcoming.”

“Hi, I’m Felix.” The sophomore swipes his hand through his hair before extending it to the girls .

“Lakelyn.” She flutters her eyelashes at him.

“Uh, Lilly?” She questions her own name.

“And I’m Evan, this losers twin.” Evan grins, extending his hand toward them too.

“Thing one, thing two,” Coach scolds them. “Leave the girls alone.”

“We’re just introducing ourselves!” They say at the same time.

“And we totally don’t mind,” Lakelyn grins in Coach’s direction. “Afterall, how else will we get to know the players?”

Coach grunts, looking down at his clipboard. “Right, I’m gonna leave you all to introduce yourselves to the girls,” he says, sliding the lid onto his pen. “Then I want you showered and out of here, got it?”

“Yes, Coach.” We say in unison.

“Great,” he huffs out before turning to face the girls. “It was a pleasure meeting you both, and I look forward to having you around for the rest of the semester.”

“Thank you, Coach Gillingham.” Lilly smiles at him.

“See you in a few days, girls.” He nods before walking away.

Hanging back with Hunter, Theo, and Chase, the other guys start introducing themselves to the girls while the four of us talk among ourselves. And when Theo brings up our away game in November, my mood increases again. I know he’s not intentionally bringing it up, after all, we’re going to be near his hometown. But I just want to forget about it, at least for now.

There’s a high chance that I won’t even see Sebastian, he’s got several other hotels he owns now, but on the off chance that I do see him, what would I do ?

A throat clears beside me, shaking my head, I glance at where it came from to see Lilly smiling up at me. Looking around, I see my teammates all making their way toward the locker room. Theo looks back at me smirking, and I scowl at him.

“Hey.” Lilly smiles.

“Hi.” I give a nod.

“I watched your game on Saturday.” She says.

I knew this though, Hunter hadn’t stopped going on about inviting Nina to the game and how buzzed he was that she was coming. I swear I’ve never seen him so invested in a girl before, and it’s weird to witness the change in him.

“And how did you find it?” I find myself asking out of curiosity.

“I think you need to work on protecting the goal more,” she responds. “A few of those shots seemed like they could have been stopped.”

I blink and then blink again. Straightening up, I try to keep my cool. “You think so, huh?” I reply, my voice sharper than I intended it to be.

“Yeah, I do,” she nods. “From watching your previous game plays and then comparing them to Saturday…I know you’re capable of better,” she pulls on her sleeves. “Thought I’d just let you know.”

Clenching my jaw, I take a deep breath to keep me from snapping at her. “Look, Lilly,” I begin, pausing to try and find the right words to say. “I appreciate your input, but it’s not as easy as it looks,” I’d love to see her defending the goal, see if she still thinks I’m capable of better. “Maybe stick to the writing, and leave the coaching to coach, yeah?”

I see a flicker of guilt in her eyes, and I mentally scold myself. Fucks sake. It’s not my intention to be rude to her, but she just happened to catch me on a shitty day—not that it’s an excuse—but now I feel guilty for snapping at her.

She takes a step back. “I didn’t mean to offend you,” her voice shakes slightly. “I just…I wanted you and the—you know what, never mind.”

I sigh, the tension in my shoulders easing a little. “I get it, just…maybe next time, keep it to yourself.”

She nods, stepping back again. “Got it.” And then she turns, her ponytail swaying as she walks away.

I try to call her back to apologize, I really do. But the words just don’t escape my lips. As I watch her walk out of the door and slam it shut behind her, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of anger and embarrassment.

I knew she meant well, but her words still stung slightly. She’s right, I could’ve done better at our first game, but I didn’t. And now because I’m pissed about potentially bumping into my sperm donor next month, I’m taking that out on everyone around me.

Perfect, Greyson. Well done.