Ice

42

Blake's POV

"IT'S ON." Amara shouts as I sit down on one of the couches in our home's theatre room then I open up my pizza box.

"This smells so good." I say then I eat my first slice of pizza as everyone sits down on the couches and eats.

Myself and the other ladies who live in the penthouse are hosting a watch party for Isabella's friends and family that doesn't live with us to watch the USA v Norway game.

"I wonder if they're going to mention what today is for Isabella." Jasmine says as the ESPN hockey crew introduce the game and talk about the match up.

"Oh I bet they will." Sofia says as Isabella is letting a few tears slip during the national anthem.

"...and as you can see Isabella Salazar is a bit emotional tonight and for good reason" The play-by-play dude for ESPN says. "It was two years ago today when Isabella Salazar and her Army unit were ambushed in Iraq which resulted in a loss of 22 brave men and women."

"Well they were quick to mention that." Sierra says then the starters for each team are announced.

Once the starters are announced the ref drops the puck and the first period begins.

As the first few minutes of the game tick by it's very obvious that Isabella is in her Fuck Everything mode because she is hitting any Norwegian with the puck that comes near her and she's pretty much having her way with all the Norwegians when she has the puck.

"I like when she goes into F-u-c-k Everything mode." Katana says.

There are little one's around so we're trying to limit the cussing.

"Same." I say then I watch Isabella shoot the puck towards the Norwegian net then one of the Tkachuk brothers redirects the puck into the back of the net for the first goal of the game. "Also whomever suggested pizza you're definitely my favorite person at the moment."

"Whew." Isabella's moms cheer.

"I thought I was your favorite." Sansa says.

"It changes anytime I'm brought food." I say.

"Noted." The ladies who live with me say then I focus on eating my pizza and watching my beautiful girlfriend play hockey.

For the rest of the first period, all of the second period, and most of the third period my girlfriend continues in her Fuck Everything mode.

"She's so good." Emma says as Isabella skates off the ice after her shift.

"And sexy." I mumble which makes Talia and Leah chuckle since they're sitting next to me.

A couple seconds later one of the Norwegians shoots the puck down ice, but the puck ends up hitting some of the glass around the ice and chips one of the panes of glass.

"Well that's gonna take a long time to fix." Azura says.

"Boo." Some of the kids say.

"Agreed kiddos." Adelaide says then ESPN shows a clip from Isabella's pre-game press conference yesterday.

"Again?" Sofia says then we listen to the clip.

They've been talking about the ambush and stuff all game.

"Isabella does having a game tomorrow help occupy your mind from the memories of what happened two years ago?"

"No." Isabella says. "I think about that day and my 22 friends I lost every *BLEEP* day since I woke up from my coma and that'll probably never *BLEEP* change."

Dumbass question.

"Why are you always so pissy?" Some man asks.

"Excuse me?" Isabella's Dad says.

"Why are you always a *BLEEP*?" Isabella questions.

"Ooh I think that was a c bomb." Kaipo says.

"Are you *BLEEP* stupid?" Isabella says as she looks at the journalists who asked the question. "You all rarely ever ask about hockey when I have to do media so why the *BLEEP* would I be nice to you when you keep *BLEEP* asking me about the worst day of my life?"

"I hope she has enough weed to help her." Christen says.

"I haven't slept a full night in almost two years because I can't get the sound of the *BLEEP* screams of my friends as they were dying out of my head." Isabella says. "I need to smoke marijuana pretty much everyday just to get through the *BLEEP* day and by all of you asking your questions you're *BLEEP* up the solace I take in hockey."

"Talia can you..." I say.

"Already on it." Talia says as I see her type on her phone.

"So I'm literally *BLEEP* begging you." Isabella says. "Ask me a *BLEEP* question about hockey or stop asking me your idiotic *BLEEP* questions."

"Stupid media." Jessie says as the clip ends

"What was Isabella like?" I question as I notice the glass has been replaced. "Before Iraq."

"She laughed." Amara says. "She laughed a lot."

"Mama can we cuddle Auntie Isabella?" Hazel Harris asks.

"When she gets back to New York you can definitely cuddle her." Emma says.

"I'm sure she'd love that." I say then my phone rings with Isabella's specific ringtone.

"Huh?" Avalon says as I pick up the phone.

"Isabella?" I question.

"Hi." Isabella says

"Shouldn't you be on the ice?" I question.

"We're up 7-0 and I'm trying to remain calm so Coach Orpik told me to come to the locker room with Waffles and relax in the quiet for a little bit." Isabella says then she takes a deep breath. "It's so fucking good to hear your voice."

"It's good to hear your voice too Bella Boo." I say as the game ends. "You won by the way."

"Cool." Isabella says.

"Hang on a minute." I say. "You're coach is speaking to one of the on-ice reporters about you."

I beg this coach doesn't throw Isabella under the bus.

"Coach, Isabella Salazar was seen leaving the bench with two minutes left in the third period." The on-ice reporter lady says. "Can you speak on why she left?"

"Well everyone knows what today means for her and we could see Isabella was starting to get so since we were up 7-0 with 2 minutes left I decided to send her back to the locker room to relax and steady herself before the chaos of the post-game happens." Coach Orpik says. "Isabella played her ass off tonight and made us and the entire country proud with how she led the team so I'm pretty sure everyone can agree with us giving Isabella some time to herself to do what she needs to do."

"I like your coach." I say.

"Me too Blakey." Isabella says. "Me too."