Hate Is A Strong Word

25.

I knew this day would come. I was sure it would come, and I would be an eyewitness to it. I don't know yet if it will be good or bad, but I suspect that not only good things will happen there. Everybody will see it, well, maybe not everybody, but a few hundred thousand will. Am I scared? A fucking lot.

Yeah, now I may have confused someone about what this is all about. Practically and theoretically, it's nothing really, it's nothing, there's no theoretical and practical here. It's not very important to me, it's important to somebody else, and it's also not important to somebody else, or at least not that much. Today is New Year's Eve, but that's not the point. For me, New Year's Eve and the subsequent New Year is not very important either. God, the numbers on the calendar change, that's it.

And because of that, thousands of animals have to die or get stressed because of fireworks and firecrackers. People get drunk as fuck and don't even know who they are. In my family, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated normally. We sit down in front of the TV, watch hockey, talk, drink in moderation and eat a lot, although for me, it doesn't matter.

I guess we know where we are and what area we're in now. Of course it's hockey, what else, it's always and only about hockey. Today is the last game of the group and I've been waiting for this day like I don't know what. Czechs versus Slovaks. My Czech boys and the Slovak boys are sure to advance to the quarterfinals. Czech Republic wins the group, if they lose they will be overtaken by Canada, but since they have won all their games so far I wouldn't doubt their ability.

But the Slovaks are great this year too, third place in the group, the whole junior championship is so weird this year, but in a good way. The Czechs are winning, the 16 year old Czech boy is dominating the whole tournament and the Finns are fourth in the table, which surprised everybody quite a bit, but today they are playing against Austria, who got exactly zero points, so it's very unrealistic that they would lose.

Well, I'm afraid of what will happen on that ice today. Sebastian is the leader in points, assists and goals. He's also developed a bit of a reputation as a big nerve and a fighter. He doesn't foul, he's a big believer in fair play. Once he tripped Finn's legs on purpose, but other than that, nothing. He only goes to the penalty box because of fights that are caused by someone fouling him and no one whistles it, the opposing teammate going at his teammates, and worse, the goalie, or when someone has a stupid rant.

It's a good thing Sebastian doesn't know he's playing against my ex today. I consider it a success that Kristian and Sebastian don't play together in the lineup anymore, at least. But since Sebastian plays in the first formation and Samuel as one of the best Slovaks also. In short, it's just going to be a massacre. It's a Slovakia vs. Czech Republic game, always a big deal. Today we're in Slovak household, my dad will have to go with the majority, after all, so will I.

"What about your boy?" I turn to my grandmother, who is walking beside me. We're walking back to the hut from the slope, today was a good day. Lots of people, but the weather was nice today and I'm all broken up and my feet hurt, but it was good. I did screw up once and ended up in the woods ever so slightly, but no one needs to know about that except the little kid who saw me from the lift.

"Grandma, Sebastian's not my boyfriend."

"I'll take your word for it." Says my grandmother. She wasn't skiing today. Her words sounded something like this, I don't know how to ski and I don't want to know how, so she went with a few more members of my family to the spa that is on the premises. "You're always walking around with your cell phone and talking to him."

"So, him and I are discussing school, I'm tutoring him."

"Oh, yeah, over the holidays you talk about school." It's bullshit because his main concern is hockey right now and I'm taking care of him. He tells me whenever we call that several scouts come to see him every day and talk to scouts from North America, especially Canada. From what he tells me, they have been interested in him for a long time and are willing to pay unimaginable sums of money for him. This Christmas is a turning point.