But, being the way-too-good-of-a-friend to my sister, Hazel’s insisted that before we go any further with our ‘relationship’, she needs Ellie’s blessing.
I smile up the stands and wave. Ellie waves the massive pointing finger glove at me and bounces on the spot. I’m not waving at her, but she doesn’t know that. She doesn’t know anything yet, at least, I don’t think she does. Maybe Hazel has told her already, and Ellie really doesn’t care? I mean, why would she? We’re all adults, right?
I gulp down.
Beside Ellie, Hazel is smiling, but it’s twisted. I can feel her nervousness from here. She’s worried about me. She said she doesn’t want to be there to see me get hurt.
But I never get hurt. I’m Noah Edwards. MVP. And this ice is mine.
“Vi-kings! Vi-kings!”
The crowd screams and a rumble from the stands vibrates the safety glass that surrounds the rink. I line up, eyeballing my opposing man. I swish my stick in my hand, swapping from side to side as my lip twitches.
I can feel the excitement racing through my veins. The chanting of the crowd eggs me on and my brow narrows at the man opposite me. My entire world might be watching from the stands, and as soon as this game is finished, I can’t wait to be safely back in Hazel’s arms… But for the next two hours, I’m an angry Canadian again.
“And game!”
The puck slams to the ice and I push forward with the roar of the crowd, my eyes glued on my man. I don’t worry about the puck, that can wait. I own this ice, and I’m going to make damn sure these assholes know it.
Skating quickly as the bodies break into formation, I duck down, stiffen my shoulder and close in on my opposite number. With a snide smile and evil laugh behind my helmet, I wink at him and connect my shoulder against his chest, winding him instantly and sending him flying to the ice in the first play of the game.
“Hey, fucker!” His teammates are straight on me as he crashes to the ice. A group of yellow jerseys are shoving me with their sticks and throwing punches aimlessly at me.
A smile touches my lips, as a fist smacks around the back of my head, sending my helmet flying across the ice and a searing pain down my back. I live for this shit. A brawl breaks out before my eyes and when I look up at Hazel, she’s on her feet, her face red from screaming. She’s loving it and I’ve never been prouder. Beside her, Ellie’s arms pulse through the air, her clenched fists punching wildly with every flying body that collapses to the ice.
Another smack at the back of my head forces me to turn around.
A deep chuckle builds inside of me. The smallest guy on the ice stares up at me, his eyes wide with fear. He’s awoken the beast, and he should have picked on someone his own size.
“Oh… little man… You really shouldn’t have done that.”
I chase after the rookie and pull his jersey back. It yanks up over his helmet and I throw it over my shoulder. He slips on the ice and when I crouch down over him, I shake my head and smile down at his wide, petrified eyes.
“Fuck, I love hockey…”
SMACK.