Shooting Star

Chapter 11

"Girls, we've got no score and it's the second intermission!" Coach Hiller roared. "Do you really want this game to go to overtime or shootout, like every game in this tournament?"

We all flinched, Kylie flinching the hardest.

But I barely noticed, I was trying on focusing not to pass out. My eyes were burning and I was dizzy and seeing stars.

Finally, not being able to take it anymore, I collapsed, my eyes fluttering. I knew why I was feeling so bad. I'd gotten checked really badly into the boards by the opposing player and gotten my head jostled in the process. I hadn't felt anything then, but I was most definitely feeling the effects now. Why, now of all times, was my concussion acting up now?

"Bree?" Alyssa bent over me, and gently rolled me over. "Are you all right?"

"No," I groaned. "I feel like I've been squished, beaten to death, and then shoved in the oven to be baked."

Kylie put a hand to my forehead. "You don't feel warm."

"Would it work for you if I told you I was feeling dizzy, I'm seeing stars when I open my eyes, and they're burning?" I screeched.

Everyone flinched again.

When I finally opened my eyes, I saw Coach Hiller looking worried. "Are you able to play?"

I pushed myself up, and then almost fell right over again. "I don't think so."

"We can play without you if we have to," Ruby said quietly. "Only if you're really not up to it."

"We can't lose our star player!" Alyssa gasped.

"We lost Kylie yesterday," I pointed out, putting my head in my hands. "I'm gonna gear up and head out with you guys, but I'm gonna stay on the bench until I deem myself good to go. You guys play like you've never played before. The game isn't gonna win itself, you know."

"Got it," Coach Hiller said. "Let's get out there."

I put my helmet back on and stumbled out of the door, steadying myself with my stick. I plunked myself on the bench while Kylie, Alyssa, Annabeth, Ruby, and Michelle headed onto the ice.

The whistle blew but I kept my eyes closed. I couldn't concentrate until I heard the announcer ask, "I wonder why Miller isn't on the ice with her regular line. Actually, I haven't seen her on all period. Did something happen in the locker room?"

I bit my lip and tried to keep from screaming, I have a concussion you moron!

I heard a whistle blow, and forced my eyes open. I saw Kylie and Alyssa and two girls from the Timberwolves engaged in an epic fight. Alyssa and Kylie were trying to get away, and it was obvious from the commentator's comments that they weren't the ones to start the fight.

"Look at that fight between Morris and Stiller, and also Jones and Cantara," the announcer said. "Jones and Morris are not even trying to fight anymore, but Stiller and Cantara aren't giving up! I wonder how they're going to stop this!" The announcer paused. "Here come the referees' decisions: 10-minute major penalty given to player number 15 of the Castlefield Timberwolves, and game misconduct given to player number 48, also of the Castlefield Timberwolves," the announcer called.

The two players in question stomped off the ice and down the hall to their locker room.

But with five minutes to go in the third period, there was still no scoring.

The finals at this tournament were different than the rest of the games, round-robin and quarters and semis. If the score was tied by the end of regulation, there would be a 20 minute overtime, just like at the Olympics. Usually it was only 5 minutes of overtime, and then a shootout. But after 20 minutes, if it was still OT, then there would be another 20 minutes of OT! Just like NHL playoff hockey.

And it looked as if it was going to go to 20 extra minutes. For sure.

I kept a firm grip on my water bottle and drank it all. Funnily enough, my head started to clear. Amazing. I reached for another water bottle and started to drink the water inside it. I realized I wasn't dizzy anymore. Maybe I got dizzy because of dehydration, and the check into the boards just worsened it! I hesitated, unsure. But the only way to be sure was to get onto the ice.

I turned around to Coach Hiller, whose worry lines were getting deeper.

"Coach," I said loudly. "I'm ready to play!"

She glanced down at me. "Next change. Annabeth, don't go on next shift, Bree's ready to play!"

Annabeth glanced at me. "Rock on, Miller."

"Thanks," I said.

We waited for the next whistle, but it never came. In fact, by the time it did blow, there was only a minute left and the puck was in our zone.

I hopped over the boards and carefully skated onto the ice.

"Miller is back on the ice," the announcer called. "Let's see if she can lead the Admirals to their first title ever!"

I worked my butt off. I won the faceoff and started racing up along the other side. Noticing how all five players were headed for me, I slid the puck between the opposing player's legs and towards Alyssa.

Alyssa grabbed it and headed for the net.

I could hear the crowd chanting: "20, 19, 18, 17, 16..."

Alyssa faked a shot and passed to Kylie, who fired the one-timer.

Time seemed to stop as the puck flew through the air.

"5, 4, 3, 2..."

The puck flew past the goalie's shoulder and into the net.

"1!"

The buzzer sounded and the crowd roared.

We screamed with delight. Had we won?

Yes, we had. We'd scored with 0.7 seconds left. The title was ours.

"WE DID IT!" I screamed at Kylie, throwing my arms around her.

"YEAH, WE DID!" she screamed back at me as the entire team came and swarmed us. Helmets, gloves, and sticks rained down on the ice as we threw our equipment all over, jumping and screaming and cheering like crazy people. We were almost as loud as the arena, which saying a lot.

What was that saying again?

Oh yeah. VICTORY IS SWEET.

But as we received our medals and the trophy, a nagging feeling stayed in my mind.

What was I going to do about dance tomorrow? Should I go? Would I be the same dancer I was before? Would my headaches ever go away? Would spinning a quad-pirouette make my concussion worse? Would I be the same dancer I was before?