✔ SLAPSHOT ✖ irwin au

twenty-three.

[ a/n: this chapter is dedicated to AshtonFeelsUgh & Lasht0n__ for helping me out with the English-Spanish translations]

k a r r i s

✖

The Willowridge halls were thoroughly saturated in school pride. The entire campus rejoiced, celebrating our big win against Brampcrest from the previous evening. My peers stormed through the corridors, entering their classrooms with enthusiasm and great honor to be part of an institution that cultivated amazing athletes. After suffering on the ice for almost three periods, the Willowridge Thunderbirds went home as victors.

"There she is!"

My eyes widened behind my glasses as I halted my movements. I was mid-bite into the organic, almond breakfast muffin my mom stuffed into my hand before I walked out the door that morning. When I ceased my trudge into the main corridor, holding both my arms out in surrender, my jaw innately dropped open, causing the small chunk of the muffin to tumble out of my mouth.

"Doggy pile Coach Karris!" Michael screamed at the top of his lungs like a war cry before running at full speed towards me.

"Michael, no!" I shook my head as I witnessed number 24, plus the rest of the hockey team, stampede down the hallway and into my direction.

"I got her!" Luke yelled just as he pummeled into my body, bringing both myself and him onto the ground.

The rest of the team followed, falling on top of us like collapsing dominos. I enjoyed the love, I really did, but I was hungry that particular morning and made sure to keep the hand that gripped onto my scrumptious muffin out of harms way. I was flat on my back, my messenger bag landing beneath my head with Luke's resting on my chest. I gazed upwards, watching the boys laugh uncontrollably above me.

"You guys are crushing me!" I bellowed, a wide grin appearing on my face as I couldn't help but to relish in the happiness.

"We're crushing you with love!" Michael retorted with a big smile, his cheeks reddening with blissful hysteria.

"And why of all people, I'm getting trampled onto this dirty floor?" I asked, taking a bite out of my muffin.

"Because you're the reason we won, duh!" Michael answered, matter-of-factly. "You had faith in me. You believed that I was good enough to play."

"Mikey made the most outstanding winning goal of Willowridge Hockey history!" Luke broadcasted excitedly, pulling his arm out of the pile of bodies to grab a piece of my muffin.

When I shot Luke a glare (seriously, get your own muffin), he simply responded with an adorable, dimpled grin that exuded all the innocence he could muster. I hadn't really forgiven Luke for his ruthless character and was the reason why my best friend was currently hiding out at home instead of celebrating the big Willowridge win with everyone at school.

"You did?" I grinned up at Michael, who nodded in pride. "Did you do the--"

"--thing," Michael interrupted, "where I took the puck and--"

"--did the other thing behind--"

"--Jason Clarke, and--"

"--struck it on the top--"

"--left corner," Michael finished with a satisfied smile, "yea. I did."

The boys eyed the two of us with confusion dripping from their faces as they attempted to decipher the words spoken between their teammate and I. There was no denying that Michael and I had an unexpected connection and budding friendship from day one.