Thin Ice

Chapter 8

'backdoor.'  I frowned as I got the text from Justin. It was Saturday night and the team had won, which is no surprise because they've been doing really well lately. I was standing outside the locker room, watching as the little kids got excited every time one of the players came out, all of them shoving a shirt or a puck towards the player, asking for them to sign it. 

All season Justin had been going through the back door, which disappointed the kids who had chosen him as their favorite. 

I pushed away from the wall and walked over to my mom, who was standing with a few other billet parents and a couple of players.

"Justin went out the back." I tell her, gently elbowing her to get her attention.

"That bum." Nick Moutrey who has reddish brown hair and light brown eyes has been apart of the team since a couple of games into season, called out from a few feet away where he was surrounded by a few kids. 

I laughed and gave him a small smile, stepping off to the side as my mom said good bye to the group. 

"Why does Justin always go out the back?" My mom asked me as we made our way out to her car, knowing Justin would already be there.

"Not sure. I've thought to ask him." I shrug, smiling as I got to the lot and saw the tall boy leaning against the dark car, almost hidden by the lack of light.

My mom didn't say anything else as we reached Justin, He smiled at both of us before opening the doors of both the drivers seat and the backseat. 

I slide across the seat to the other side, watching as he closed my mom's door and sat down next to me, closing the door behind him.

"You sucked tonight." I tell him as my mom starts the car and turns on the radio.

"Wow, your real nice." He elbows me and I laugh.

"I'm joking, You were really good assisting that goal." I look out my window, smiling as we followed the line of other cars through the parking lot and out to the street.

"I could have made that goal myself, if that asshole hadn't pushed me against the glass." He leans foreward as far as he can without locking the seat belt, digging his fingers into the side of his knees. 

The guy who pushed Justin was only 6'7, only 3 inches taller then Justin but he had a bigger build, making it so he towered over Justin. The guy, #26, had spent the whole night pushing Justin around, tripping him in any way that he could without getting sent to the penalty box. I had really noticed it until the guy checked Justin so hard that his head snapped back and his helmet flew off. Justin was taken off the ice for the rest of the period to make sure that he neck was okay.

"Forget about it. You wont have to see him again the rest of the season." I tell him, leaning over and grabbing his hands, preventing him from continuing to dig his nails into his thighs.

"Unless both of our teams make it to playoffs. Then I'll have to see his ugly face again." He intertwines his fingers with mine.

"His team sucks. You'll make it to playoffs. He won't" I grin, having no doubts about playoffs.

"I know." Justin smiles back, before leaning back against the leather seat. "I'm so tierd." He closes his eyes.

"You can sleep when we get home." I give him one last look before turning to the window, We are on the highway now, zooming past other cars.

"Lazy day tomorrow?" He asks as I nudge him with my elbow, knowing that once he fell asleep, it would be hard to wake him up. 

"No." I smirk as he raises his head to look at me.