Tripping

Chapter 27: Nathan's POV

Nathan

I've never been so fucking tired in my whole life, but tonight we're making fucking history.

The last few months our team has been working our asses off trying to land a spot in the playoffs. Mia has been so supportive through it all. Cooking me the best meals and saying the right words when I need to hear them the most. Good thing we got all of our wedding stuff in check because she's been busy with work. And I've been spending all my free time at the gym or with Mia.

Not only did the Leafs finish third in our division snagging a spot in the playoffs. But we managed to sweep Montreal in the first round, now we're about to start a series against Vegas trying to snag a spot in the semi-finals. I've been at the arena since lunchtime with Sully. We decided to come early to prepare ourselves for our first game. We're all getting geared up listening to coach spit out our game plan. Buddy throws in a few words saying how proud he is of how far we've come. He's always calm but serious as fuck. I don't know how but he always just knows what to say.

Once we are all ready to head out to our warmup no one says a word, all in our own state of game mode. The atmosphere in the arena is fucking crazy. When they announce my name everyone screams and cheers and it's one of the greatest feelings in the whole damn world. But it only adds more pressure on me. After skating a few laps getting my legs warmed up I head over by our bench dropping down to the ice to do some more stretches. As I'm stretching I take a peek up at our family box to check out if Mia is there. My dad, Mason, Mia's parents, Joe, Helen, and Jules with Alex are all there. But no Mia. Where the hell is she?

My attention comes back to the ice when I see Sully stop beside me. I get up finishing with my stretches and stand beside him. "She's probably stuck in traffic. Jules just got in and Mia had to work too, right?" He's right. I hate not being able to drive here with her knowing she hates driving on busy game nights. And the streets are going to be packed today and she drives slow trying to be extra cautious.

"Yeah bro she will be here soon. Let's go," I say to him as we go shoot some pucks warming up our goalie. The buzzer goes, letting us know it's game time. I skate over to the bench taking one last look at our box still not seeing Mia. I take a seat on the bench squirting some water in my mouth. I got this. She will be here. She always is.

The puck drops and the game starts. You can tell both teams came to fucking win. Players are being bodied left and right. Every player is skating with their whole heart. My lines up and I'm off. Flying down the ice using my speed that I'm known for. We break out of our end and the pucks passed to me. I pick it up easily and skate until I pass the red line. Just as I'm about to dump it in I feel a stick hook my foot sending me flying forward. I quickly collect myself getting up and looking to see if the ref has his hand up for the tripping call. Luckily he does.

The play stops as the Vegas player goes to the box. I can't stop the sense of déjà vu that hits me remembering how I was tripped when I injured Ricky. I quickly push those thoughts back and go up for the face off. One of Vegas' players comes up beside me on the wing lining up for the puck drop.

"Well at least you didn't fuck up his career," he says, putting his stick on top of mine.

I try to swallow his shit and not say anything but now he's practically hooking my stick and leaning in on me before the puck has even dropped.

I move my stick out from under his stick, shutting my mouth waiting for the ref. He finally drops the puck and I skate away trying to get in position for us to run our power play. The puck comes to me and I fake a shot and feed it to the defense instead as I skate towards the net to screen their goalie. Our defense man fires a slap shot and it goes straight past me and the goalie into the mesh. Goal. The crowd roars as everyone goes over to shake hands. As I'm moving away from their net I catch sight of the player who was talking shit at me and send him a wink as I huddle in with my guys.