State of Grace - Jack Hughes

012

Jack

It's the crack ass of dawn, 6am on May 1st. Better known as Game 7. Allie was right. The first messages I received after the last game was "you should know I'm right 99% of the time". Then followed up with an apology for our loss. I don't think she was actually sorry and just happy to be right.

Regardless, Monday games suck. Allie took the day off from classes to stay and watch the game. I saw the email she sent to her professors saying she needed to be here for work. Little do they know; she'll be sitting in the friends and family seats watching us get one step closer to the cup. Little does she know, she's in the row in front of my parents. Oops.

I roll over in Allie's bed, feeling suffocated by the amount of pillows on the bed. She doesn't have a chair in her whole apartment, but there's at least ten pillows on this mattress. Her comforter is so thick it's like a weighted blanket. She told me "It's all necessary.,". An obscene number of pillows because sometimes she wants a soft one over a firm or a fluffy one to hold. And the heavy comforter because it feels like a hug. It makes not one ounce of sense to me, the only thing I am sure of, is she will probably bring a pillow to my apartment or make me buy 50 more. For her- I'd buy every pillow she wanted.

I reach my arms out to bring her close before I have to leave this cocoon of coziness.

"Good morning, Green," I whisper into her ear and place a soft kiss on her temple. With a groan, she lifts her head to check the time. Followed with another groan, she slips her head under a pillow.

"To early. Come back later." I chuckled and pull the pillow off her head. As a reflex, she grabs another pillow and reassumes her position.

"I have to go get Luke before morning skate." She rolls out from the fluffy pillow with a frown. Even though she has blackout curtains, a small amount of light creeps through illuminating her face. Her eyes are softer in the morning; the green is fuzzy consumed with sleep.

"No. Respectfully, I say that's crap. You should just stay." She rolled over wrapping herself around me like a koala.

"Trust me, I would rather stay with you," I ruffle her hair, "Coach will spear me with my stick if I'm late. He'll march around with my head on the stick if Luke is late because of me."

"Fine. Be that way." She huffs, crosses her arms and rolls away. "I'll just be bored. Alone. For hours."

"No no no," I turn her back to me. "Morning skate is only a few hours, and by the time I'm done Lexie will be here. Then it'll be game time and you get to watch us win."

"Well, when you put it that way, I'll survive." She gives me a cheeky smile.

"Good." I untangle myself and start to collect my belongings before heading out. I lean over the mattress and plant a kiss on her forehead. "Come to the back after the game? You and Lex both have passes."

"Of course. Now go, don't be late."

I smile and tip her chin up to me. I lean in, closing the space between us. I keep the kiss light and sweet. I don't want to get all riled up before going to skate. "Bye Green."

"Bye Hughes."

______

Practicing is dragging this morning. I appreciate Coach Ruff trying to keep it fun before this big game, but I'm just all over the place. I would rather be in the training room with weights, than on the ice. I just feel out of control. My anxiety is kicking in about tonight. This game is the most important one I have played yet.

Our lines are strong. Coach doesn't think messing with them is going to do us any good and has left Nico to run some fun drills. Can drills be fun. Sure. I guess. Honestly, I am a sore loser, and these stupid mini games are not going my way.