One of the Boys

Chapter 26

Christopher

It's been a few weeks since Delaney met my dad and Morgan. She met my mom last night when my mom stopped by my place for a visit and turns out that her and Des have a few things in common. When Delaney left last night, my mom told me that she loved Delaney and she's definitely the one for me.

Now we're playing our last regular season game tonight before playoffs start and of course we got stuck playing the Chicago Wolves tonight. Warm ups were done a few minutes ago and now we were in the dressing room as coach gave us a pep talk. "Alright gentlemen and Delaney, this is our last regular season game so let's go out with a bang before heading off on the road to playoffs. Work hard, play hard and never give up!" Mike says as the room erupts in cheer.

I look over at Dels who's sitting next to me quietly while playing with the string of her pants. Something isn't right, I can feel it. "Hey, look at me." I say lifting her chin up so she can look at me. "What's wrong bubs?" I ask giving her a look of concern. "I- I just..." she begins to say as I look at her before looking at Jason and Casey who caught on that something was going on with Dels.

"You just what Dels? Talk to me love." I say taking both her hands in mine. She turns to Jason and gives him a look. "You can tell us Dels, we're here to support you. What's going on?" He says as she lets out a shaky breath before looking down at our hands.

"I just... I feel like something bad is gonna happen out there tonight." She says. "What makes you say that Laney?" Casey asks. "I just have a guy feeling you know? Like there's a pit in my stomach." She replies. Jason puts his hand in her shoulder and says. "Hey, whatever happens out there tonight, we've all got your back okay?" She looks over at him with a sad smile and nods before we get up to go down the tunnel and onto the ice to play.

When we step onto the ice, we skate a lap around our side before everyone goes to the bench. "Jones, Santiago and Lee, your line starts. Young and Rose, you start on D." Coach says before the five of us and Jack skate over to the blue line for the national anthems.

After the playing of the national anthem, the lights came on and we got into position to start the game. The ref and I exchange some words before I turn and nod at Casey and Jason. I then turn and nod at Riley and Delaney before turning back towards the centre. I get low into face off position when my eyes meet my opponent.

You've got to be kidding me. You've really got to be fucking kidding me right now! Out of all the centre men on the team, their coach just had to put this scum bag on to start the game.

Before the puck drops, I give him a death stare as he stares right back at me with an evil look in his eye as he laughs. "Little girl better watch her back." He smirks as the puck falls between us and I scoop it back to Riley.

This guy's really starting to get on my nerves and the game literally just started. But now that I think of it, when Dels told me she had a bad feeling about the game, it must have been about this asshole in front of me. He just told me she better watch her back and now I feel on edge about all of this too.

"Dude, we've got to keep an eye on 43, I think he's up to no good." I say to Riley and Casey. "What makes you say that?" Riley asks before quickly glancing out on the ice. "Before puck drop, he gave me an evil stare and said little girl better watch her back." I reply. "Sounds like he's definitely planning something." Casey said. "We'll keep an eye on him when we're out there with Dels." Riley said.

******

We're in the second period and down by 2. I hop back out onto the ice and into the play when I see 43 hop over the boards. I look back at the blue line and spot Dels who's got the puck. She whips it across the ice and the puck lands in Riley's stick. He passes it across to Casey and Casey carries it to the net before winding up to take a shot. The shot gets stopped by the goalie and whipped over into the left corner. I watch as Delaney moves in to pick it up before scanning the ice to find 43.

Shit! He's heading right for her. Jason skates into the corner to try and help Dels out. When she loses sight of the piece of rubber, she begins to scramble around in search for it. Once she finds it and gets it onto her stick, she gets in position to make a pass to Casey, her back to 43.

"Dels, heads up!" I shout from across the ice as she looks up in fear. 43 rams her head first into the boards and soon, Casey is throwing hands with the prick as I race over and drop the gloves to help him out.

"You son of a bitch! What the hell is wrong with you?" I spit while grabbing the guy by the collar of his jersey. He lets out an evil chuckle before replying. "She can't take the heat then maybe she should get out of the kitchen. She not in the right league." He says in his thick accent which pushes me over the edge.

I drop him down to the ice and start throwing even more punches as the refs attempt to break up the fight. "You fucking asshole! She's a way better player than you'll ever be. So go pick on someone your own size or get the fuck out of here!" I spit out before the refs pull us apart.

I stand up and shake my hand from punching the guy then bring it to my face where I'm bleeding from my lip. "Alright Santiago, go get cleaned up!" The ref said leading me towards the bench. I stop and look over to where 43 had checked Delaney from behind. She's got Jason at one side and the trainer on the other but she still isn't moving.

"Come on Chris, let's go stitch you up buddy." One of  our backup trainers says as I stay frozen in front of the bench. "No, no... I can't I have to make sure she's okay. She has to be okay right?" I begin to freak out. "Hey, calm down Chris, she's in good hands Alright." Jack says from next to me.

Jason skates over to the bench, a sad and worried look on his face. "Is she awake? Is she okay? Tell me she's okay, please." I begin to panic. "She took a pretty rough hit man. She wasn't answering us at first but she's awake now and an ambulance is going to take her to the hospital." Jason said before getting off the ice.

The paramedics arrive on the scene a couple seconds later and get her on the stretcher. As they roll her off the ice, tears begin to fill my eyes. My girl, my poor girl has to be taken away on a stretcher because that jackass made a dirty hit. He just had to throw a nasty one on her like that.

******

We lost that game 4-2. 43 got kicked out for his nasty hit and fighting and I played like absolute shit after they took Delaney away on the stretcher.

"Alright, listen up boys." Coach says coming into the very silent dressing room. "Now I know this wasn't the outcome we had hoped for in our last regular season game but I'm proud of each and every single one of you. You worked your asses off and played hard." He finished as his eyes land on me. "Any updates on Delaney coach?" Jack asks.

"Doctors tell me she's doing well but has a minor concussion and won't be in the line up for a few weeks." He replies.