speed of sound // Charlie Conway

| SIXTEEN || PART TWO |

We tied! We really tied. It wasnt a win, but never in a million years did I think we were going to tie with Iceland.

I smiled and began jumping out of shock, excitement, and every other feeling except for madness or sadness. Everybody ran out into the rink and huddled up, celebrating. I felt so happy in the moment, but I also felt something else.

I felt love.

I thought of Charlie, and how far we had come through hockey together, how crazy close we had been these past few days, and especially how much I loved him.

I ran over to him, giving him the biggest hug, still in my hockey gear.

I was absolutely sweating, but I knew both him and I didnt care. We had broke the hug, and all he did was stare at me.

"What?" I softly laughed, Charlie's eyes stuck on mine.

"Nothing, youre just pretty." He said to me and i furrowed my brows. How was I the one looking pretty? I had just finished a tiring game and was sweating. My hair was all over the place and I looked so tired.

"Charlie, im sweating, and my hairs all messy, and I look terrible—" I start, but he cuts me off.

"No, no. You look fine. You guys did so amazing!" He smiled and hugged me again. I wanted so badly for him to kiss me in that moment, but instead he hugged me.

I wanted to kiss him again, this time on the lips, but I couldnt just do that.

This thought made me think back to yesterday, and how I still felt the same confidence. I still was so eager to confess to Charlie that I was head over heels in love with him.

Everybody went to sit back down, getting ready for the shootout. I sat down, but I was quickly told to stand back up. "Natalie, youre up." Coach Bombay told me. "What?" I looked up at him, confused, but then quickly realizing what he was talking about.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." I said softly, getting up from the bench to go to the rink.

As I left, I heard variants of: "Good luck Natty!" "Natalie you got this!" and "You can do it Natty!"

Whenever I used to play hockey, I had always been scared to even touch the puck, let alone hit it into the goal, and this morning I was so much more than scared about this game, but now, I was ready.

I went into the rink and pushed the puck around, getting ready to shoot it into the goal.

I skated up there and hit the puck with my stick. It flung beside the goalie, and hit the net of the goal. I scored! I jumped and smiled at myself, everybody cheering for me.

I sat back down, right next to charlie, and layed my head on his shoulder. I was so tired.

Playing hockey for the past two weeks constantly, practicing all the time, not getting enough sleep, worrying about my love life, and worrying about if i would ever make it or not.

He put his arm around me, laying his hand on my shoulder, and we both sat there, watching the rounds go on.

Everytime somebody from our team had scored we had cheered, but then it came to the last round. I got up from Charlie's shoulder, now fully sitting up.

"Julie, you got the fast glove. I know this kid's move. Triple deke, glove side. Anticipate it and you got him." Coach informed Julie.

"What if he goes stick side?"

"He's fancy. He'll go glove. Don't hesitate, lets go."

"You got this, Julie, I know you'll do it!" I tell her before she goes to the goal, replacing Goldberg's position. Everybody was sat up, paying full attention. The boy from Iceland did the triple deke, and hit the puck, it completely disappeared, Julie holding her glove closed. A few seconds went by but it felt like years, and then, Julie dropped the puck out of her hand. Oh. My. Gosh. We really won. It was all worth it.