A Hockey Player's Guide To Deception

Chapter Fourteen

The distant sound of the arena, alive with noise, made Kayla swallow nervously. It was a mix of loud chatter and chants as eager hockey fans filed into their seats, buzzing with excitement for the game. Today, they were facing Riley High, a team notorious for their aggressive style and powerhouse players. This was Kayla's first game in front of such a large audience, and her stomach churned with anxiety. She rubbed her sweaty palms against her thighs, trying to stay calm. The team huddled around Coach Cleaver, who was going over last-minute strategy. He pointed to the whiteboard, outlining player matchups, tactics, and the key weaknesses of Riley's top scorers. Kayla tried to focus, but her eyes moved towards the door every few seconds. They had less than thirty minutes to get on the ice, and Louis still hadn't shown up. Her heart sank at the thought. He was their captain; their backbone and he was nowhere to be found! 

They couldn't afford to lose this game, especially not because their captain was late. She glanced at Coach Cleaver, then hesitantly raised her hand.

"Alright boys, get to changing!" Coach clapped his hands, breaking the huddle. The players began moving toward their lockers, pulling on their gear.

"Coach!" Kayla blurted out, her voice cracking slightly from the nerves. "Louis still isn't here."

Cleaver's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Still?" He swept his gaze over the team as if searching for Louis himself. The worry lines on his forehead deepened. "He hasn't been in here at all?"

"No, sir," Kayla replied quickly. "We're sharing a room, and he never came back. I haven't seen him since lunch."

Coach Cleaver cursed under his breath, frustration flickering across his face. He paced for a moment, rubbing his chin. The team couldn't afford distractions like this.

"You two share a room, right?" he asked, trying to piece it together.

Kayla nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. The clock was ticking, and Louis's absence was becoming more alarming by the second.

"Alright," Coach said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Quickly, go check if he's still in your room. If he's not there—" He paused, considering the possibilities, "come back right away. We'll figure something out."

Kayla didn't need to be told twice. She bolted from the locker room; fortunately, the Arena was within the hotel building.  She raced down the hallway, dodging trainers and arena staff as her mind whirled. Without Louis, they were in serious trouble. They had to win this game. She paced towards their room and burst through the door.

"Louis?" Kayla called out, her voice shaky with desperation as her eyes swept over the small room. Please be here, she thought, her heart sinking when she saw it was empty. No sign of him. She moved to the bathroom and pushed the door open, peeking her head inside—nothing.

"Where is he?" she muttered under her breath, frustration and panic overwhelming her. Without wasting any more time, she dashed out of the room and down the hallway. I have to get changed; I don't have much time!

She sprinted toward the elevator but, for some reason, her gut urged her to take the stairs instead. Maybe she'd run into him along the way. The hotel was small, only four floors, so she began flying down the stairs, two steps at a time, adrenaline pushing her forward. But still, no Louis. Her heartbeat quickened, each second ticking away as game time approached.

"Where could he possibly be?" she whispered to herself, her eyes flicking to a wall clock. Twenty minutes left. Just as she turned to rush back to the elevator, something caught her eye. The washroom sign gleamed under the hallway lights. Could he be in there? Without a second thought, she dashed into the door. The moment she entered; the sound of banging echoed from one of the stalls.