She's Gone

Like Damn

I got there as Kate's team went to center ice, the five players to start the game. The other team was still in a huddle and Kate's center dropped back to tell her something, and Kate told er partner something, to which she just nodded.
The ref blew the whistle, both teams lined up, the ref dropped the puck, and Katie's center tied up the other team's center, leaving the puck behind her.  Kate skated full speed, cutting diagonally across the ice, picking up the puck and rushed towards the other zone. She beat one winger, then the other, she beat one defenseman and then it was haunt her and there goalie. She pulled the goalie low and to one side, then she went top shelf in the far corner, and the Caz parents went crazy. Kate's teammates tackled her as she was skating away playing he air guitar on her stick. "HELL YEA!" she screamed. "THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!"
"Damn, just damn," I said watching her try to get her team off of her. She pushed them off and got up, she looked up and saw me on the balcony, and she waved. I smiled, knowing she meant it for me. Her partner got off the ice and a significantly slower girl came on the ice with her. The other team won the next face off and went down Kate's partner's side of the ice and she got beat. Somehow Kate ended up alone. She stared angling off the girl with the puck, while covering the passing lanes by dragging her stick behind her to catch the pass if it was attempted. Then her center covered the passes and let Kate know to attack, and she ran that bitch into the boards, the other girl's head slammed against the glass as Kate's shoulder rammed into her gut. Kate picked up the puck and took off behind the net, then she made a quick reverse and had the whole ice to skate. She went end to end, and ended up in the corner by mistake on the other team's side, so she lakes out of the corner, carrying the puck and took a shot that the goalie caught.
'This sure as hell is gonna be a fun game,' I thought.
Kate played with the fury of all of hell's demons and damned souls, she was great. Fifteen seconds left in the game, her team was down a goal, the puck was thrown up to her point, Kate wound up and took a beautiful slap shot as somebody rammed her in the back of the head. The other team's winger skated behind her, and rammed Kate in the back of the head. Kate went down, it was like in a movie in a dramatic scene, it felt like everything was in slow motion. The shot, Kate falling, the time ticking on the clock. Kate landed on the ice as her shot went in the net and her team celebrated. She was laying there on the ice. The defensive partner she started the game with was on the ice with her and she went to Kate, and tried to make her move. After several long seconds, Kate tried to get off of her front side, where she fell and was attempting to stand. She was on her hands and knees, trying to support her using her stick. Her teammate grabbed her arm and started helping her stand and skate to the bench. I saw her face bright red and her trying to fight back the tears that wear streaming down her face, you could hear her whimpering as she went to the bench. She got to the bench, and was immediately attended to. After the game, her teammates helped her skate, even though she protested that she could do it on her own, through the handshake Kate was taken right off of the ice after that.
I waited outside of her lockeroom for her. I saw her coaches go in and leave the room. I saw many of her teammates leave. Then she came out, hair a mess, in sweat pants and her Caz hoodie and jacket, wearing her hockey bag, which looked like a huge backpack, on her back and carrying her two sticks. Around her neck was a puck painted gold with a Caz sticker on it.
"Hey," I said. "You did great out there, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'll be fine," she said while trying to keep her balance.
"What's that?" I inquired, pointing to the puck around her neck.
"It's one of my team's player of the game awards."
"Do you need help carrying things?" I offered.
"No, no. I got it. If I'm not at school tomorrow, don't worry," she said looking like she was about to throw up.
The next morning I eagerly sat on the bus and waited for her to get on. The bus arrived at her stop, and I saw a figure in sweatpants, a dark hoodies with the hood up, and sneakers stood at the corner waiting for the bus to stop. I saw the figure walk to the doors of the bus and I felt my heart begin to race. She walked towards her usual seat, in front of mine, and sat down, taking off her backpack. The 5th grade girl she usually sat next to wasn't there so she just put her bag next to her in the seat.
"Hey Kate," an obnoxious 5th grader named Michael said.
"Shut the fuck up, Michael," she said coldly.
"Aw, what's wrong? Did you lose your curling match? Is little baby Kate gonna cry? Come on Kate answer me. Thomas, your girlfriend is awful."
I lunged at the piece of shit called Michael. I pushed his face down into the seat and twisted his arm behind him. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY ABOUT KATE!?" I hissed.
"Nothing..." he croaked.
"THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT! DON'T EVER SAY THAT ABOUT HER AGAIN!!"
Kate looked up and looked shocked. "You're attacking Michael for insulting me?"
"Uh, yea," I said. I thought she would've had a better reaction.
She burst out laughing, "THAT'S GREAT!!! THAT'S THE BEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!"
I smiled and Michael tried to speak. Kate and I said in unison, "Shut up Michael!"
Kate was back to normal that day, like damn. Only Kate could take a hit like that and be fine the next day.