Love Game

Chapter Four - Apologies and Second Chances

Gabe's POV

The sound of silence surrounds me as I take the ice, seeing no other bodies around me. I take a deep breath as my skates glide across the slippery surface beneath me. I smirk to myself, knowing that Mallory would not be returning to the practice facility. I made it very clear to her that she was not wanted here. She quit because of how I treated her. I feel bad about it, honestly, but I did not want a girl on my team; especially one as small as her. But why am I feeling bad about it? I got exactly what I wanted.

I shake my head of these thoughts, tapping my stick onto the ice. She was gone, and that's what I wanted. I return to my daze, thinking about anything and everything... Just trying to get my mind off Mallory.

"Landeskog!" I hear a booming voice shout, snapping me from my daze.

I look up and I see Coach Roy storm out onto the ice, skating up towards me. I remain calm, staring at him as he pushes me in the chest.

"What happened between you and Mallory? Where is she?" Coach shouts, his face turning beet red.

"I told her she wasn't welcomed here." I mumble, turning away from him and rolling my eyes.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Coach exclaims, grabbing into my jersey sleeve. "She did everything I told her to, unlike you stupid fuckers!"

I glare at him, anger boiling inside of me. My fists clench inside my gloves. How dare he talk to me that way?

"I know you don't like her, but she is your teammate. A captain always watches out for their teammates. You're going to go find her and apologize profusely to her! You got that, Landeskog?" Coach shouts, narrowing his eyes at me.

I rip my arm away from his grasp and I skate off the ice. As I make my way back to the locker room, I pass by all of my teammates who have started to make their way to the ice. Each one of them looks at me strange as I walk past, grumbling to myself.

"Landy! Where are you going?" Nathan MacKinnon asks me, raising an eyebrow in my direction.

"I have to go fucking find her," I mumble, storming off to my locker, only to be followed by Nathan.

"Mallory? She left here yesterday in tears. I tried talking to her, but she just walked past me." Nathan states and then narrow his eyes at me. "What did you do!?"

"I told her she wasn't welcome here, which is true." I grumble, throwing my gear into the locker in rage.

"She may have not be welcomed here, but that kid could skate. She kept up with all of us. You just didn't want to give her a chance!" Nathan shouts, the room falling silent after.

I glare at him as he stands there, saying nothing. Maybe I didn't give Mallory a chance. Maybe I just needed to show her the ropes, help her with whatever she saw confusing, and stayed late to practice with her; but I didn't do any of those things. Instead, I towered over her and scared her. I snapped her dream in half. What was wrong with me?

"Just give her a chance." Nathan whispers, shaking his head as he walks out of the locker room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I change into a pair of blue jeans and a gray v neck t-shirt. I was able to get Mallory's hotel and room number from the coaching staff. Hopefully she was still there. If she wasn't, I couldn't do anymore than I possibly could. If she was there, I'd apologize profusely. Looking back on how I treated her makes me feel like an ass.

I make my way to the car, soon pulling out of the parking lot. I follow each street until I get to where I need to be. I park my car outside of the hotel and I run in, seeing a huge lobby full of people. I shuffle my way through them and I make my way to the front desk, being greeted by a middle aged man with silver rimmed glasses resting on his nose.