Jack Hughes | Golden Boy

Chapter One | Invisible String

A torrent of cheers erupted from the stands as spectators awed at the scene.

The announcers cried notations as the players clammered for the puck, while the puck played fiddle with the ground.

The building shook as a player was engulfed by the barrier, but you could hardly recognize the motion over the vicious exclamations of the people seated amongst me.

~~~~~

I knew very little about sports.

Soccer, basketball, football, even hockey brought me no delight.

I always found the concepts boring, and would much rather remain at home, nose deep in a book.

I couldn't do that, though.

Not tonight.

Tonight was about my, soon-to-be married, best friend, Isabel.

The old saying, 'opposites attract', was surely the case in our curious pairing.

Isabel was outgoing, free, and might I say, incredibly glamorous.

Myself, on the other hand, was relatively introverted, quiet, and more on the mature side.

I wouldn't necessarily deny the thought that I was beautiful as well, however, I would hardly act on it, unlike Isabel.

My stream of thought was shortly broken with the clatter of hockey sticks banging against the frigid ice.

The New Jersey Devils, which Isabel had been watching expectantly over the past hour, were shouting in amazement.

The scoreboard above read an impressive 8-1 in favour of the Devils, which caused everyone, audience and announcers alike, to rise from their seats at the chime of the victory bell.

People were hopping in place, some crying visible tears.

All I could condone was a roll of my eyes at their foolishness.

They'd won a fucking hockey game.

They didn't cure cancer.

In spite of my disregard, I couldn't help but ignore the feeling of eyes gazing upon me, and in turning to find my observer, I was met with a pair of flawless blue eyes.

It was only a glimpse - a moment of affirmed pause - and I was hooked.

His orbs seeped into me, as if they understood my very soul.

Everything around me slowed to a halt, and he was all I could see.

This instance would shortly end, however, as he was ushered off the rink, beyond the limits of my sight.