𝔟𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔞𝔩 | 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗻

fourteen: "watch her alright"

"Callahan!"

I looked up from my spot on the ice to see Fulton skating towards me. It was a few minutes into the game and our first change-up. I nodded as I passed the boy and headed towards our bench. Once I was over the wall, I took a seat next to Kenny and watched the game continue.

We cheered as Goldberg made a stick save and passed the puck to Dean behind the goal. I grimaced as Crew checked him into the boards, causing him to take a hard fall to the ground.

"Portman isn't going to like that," Adam said from beside me and I nodded.

"Definitely not."

Iceland took the puck and rounded our goal with it. One of the players tripped Goldberg while another shot it in. We all groaned as the alarm sounded and the scoreboard changed to 0-1.

"It's alright, we'll get it back." Coach encouraged. "Callahan, Banks, get out there."

I smiled at Adam and pulled my face mask down. I skated behind the net near Goldberg, just as he was approached by the Iceland player who had made the goal. He was very tall and had bleach blonde hair.

"Too slow big boy!" He laughed and skated away.

Goldberg lunged after him and Dwayne and I rushed to push him back. "Come on Goldie, don't listen to him," I said, pushing back the goalie's shoulder.

"And besides that guy'll kill you!" Dwayne warned.

"At least hold me back like I'm gonna kill him." Goldberg began to struggle as Dwayne and I held him back. He yelled out some taunts until the ref blew the whistle to start play again. I looked over to see Russ at the face-off.

"Shooter!" Stansson yelled from the bench.

Russ wound up for his knuckle puck but before he could hit it, an Iceland player dove in front, causing the puck to slide away.  Russ tried anyways and ended up on the ground. I sucked in a breath and went over to help the boy up.

"Aw man, I messed up," Russ said as I pulled him to his feet.

"Yeah, but that's okay." I patted the boy on the back with a small smile and skated away towards the action.

I came up next to Dean who was eyeing the puck, currently being passed between Crew and John. "You got John?" Dean asked and I nodded. We both split off towards the boys, attempting to get in between their game of pass the puck.

John paid no attention to me as I crouched in front of him, following his every move. Crew must've had the puck at that time and wasn't able to pass it back. Then without warning, John floored me with his stick, taking my feet right from under me. My chin slammed into the ice and I groaned.

Dean skated up beside me as Iceland took the puck down towards Goldberg. He held out his hand and pulled me up. "Hey, at least you'll have a gnarly bruise." He smiled a bit as I rubbed my chin, still throbbing.

"You're funny." I shook my head we both looked down the ice just in time to see another goal by Iceland. Dean and I both sighed as the score changed again.

"Portman!" Adam skated up to us and tagged out Dean.

Before he left, Dean tapped Adam's shoulder with his stick. "Watch her, alright?" Adam nodded and the enforcer left us.

I rolled my eyes and Adam leaned over. "What am I watching you for exactly?"

"Don't worry about it pretty boy. You just watch that wrist of yours."

The game started back up again and I was right in telling Adam to watch his arm. The Iceland players clearly knew about his injury and showed no sportsmanship while repeatedly hitting his arm as he took the puck down the ice. Then in one final blow, as Adam skated around to score, Iceland whacked his wrist causing him to fall to the ground in pain.