Frozen in Ice

Chapter 13

Luke's POV

We had rec training on Saturday and I headed down early so I could have more time on the ice. The rink was very silent because whoever was using it before had already left. I quickly changed and pulled my jersey on before headed onto the ice.

I grabbed a puck and just started skating around the rink. I hadn't slept that well last night because I couldn't seem to fall asleep. I was tossing and turning all night thinking about what my so called teammates said about me.

I was so stuck in my own thoughts as I skated that I didn't realised Jamie and Alex had joined me on the ice until Alex tackled me to the ice.

"What the fuck?" I asked.

Alex just smirked at me and Jamie offered me a hand up. I gratefully grabbed it and pulled myself up. Alex looked expectantly at Jamie but he just laughed.

"You are the one that got yourself into this mess. You can pick yourself up off the ice," Jamie laughed.

Alex scowled but did stand up by himself. He tried to shove Jamie once he was on his feet but Jamie moved before he got the chance.

"You are here early," Jamie noted as we started to skate.

"So are you and Alex," I countered.

"But I'm the captain and I'm Alex's ride but that doesn't explain why you are here."

"I've been having a bad couple of days. Being out on the ice helps," I said softly.

Jamie nodded and we didn't talk about it anymore. More players joined us out on the ice and conversations started up and they were light and funny. Jamie eventually got everyone silent as we started to work.

I felt myself relax as we worked on the ice. We played a mock game at the end and we had a lot of fun with it. I was going to hang around in the ice for a bit longer but Jamie pushed me off the ice and into the locker room.

"I have decided that we are all coming to my house so we can get to know Luke better," Jamie said.

No one protested and we all started to change. It took half an hour before everyone was ready to leave. I swear it was worse than trying to organise the Peewee team. I got a ride with Alex and Jamie and sat in the back of the car and listened to the two of them bicker about the radio.

I had to laugh at them. I had never asked them how long they had been on the team for but they had clearly known each other for a while. We pulled up in front of a house in a neighbour that I didn't recognise.

Half the team was already inside and Jamie just rolled his eyes.

"They all know where the spare key is," he said as we headed inside as well.

I followed Jamie into the kitchen and helped him organised food as we listened to our teammates play Mario Kart in the lounge and listened them swear at each other.

"It is always like this?" I asked.

"Yeah but it's a lot of fun to relax and it turns into a massive competition," Jamie warned.

I nodded and headed the lounge to join the rest of the team. I took a seat on the floor and was leaning against the leg of one of the couches. Alex, Austin, Conner and Matt were playing at the moment and Austin was well in the lead.

I listened to them trash talk each other as they played. The controllers got passed around as different people wanted to challenge different people. I had played a couple of times but I wasn't very good at it so I felt more comfortable watching.

At some point Jamie joined me on the ground and we quietly talked about hockey as our teammates continued to play. At some point someone had ordered food and it arrived stopping the video games for a couple of minutes.

"How come you were quiet this morning?" Conner asked.

A couple of other people nodded and I was surprised that that many people noticed.

"I'd just had a couple of bad days," I said vaguely.

"Do we need to beat anyone up?" Alex asked.

"Of course not, it's just some guys on my school hockey team being jerks," I said.

"What are they doing?" Conner asked.

I told them about my teammates had said and all the guys in the room started talking. I was surprised at how outraged they were about it. I didn't realise that they liked me that much.

"Thanks but it's fine," I muttered.

"Luke, you are an amazing person and anyone who tells you different is wrong," Jamie said.

I nodded and blinked back a couple of tears. Everyone stood up and we made a massive group hug. I relaxed as everyone engulfed me and I felt wanted. I sat back down and wiped back all my tears.

"I love you guys," I said.

"We love you too," a couple of people chorused.

I ended up being one of the last one hanging around at Jamie's house and helped him clean up after everyone else had left. We moved around each other in silence as we cleaned the lounge together.

"Have you talked to anyone about what the school guys have said?" he asked.

"I don't have anyone to talk to," I admitted.

"What about your parents?" he asked.

"I don't know who my Dad is and I haven't seen my Mom in weeks."

"What?"

"Mom is always working and she gets up earlier than me and home later most nights but sometimes she is home but already asleep," I explained.

Jamie didn't say anything for a couple minutes as we finished cleaning up his lounge. I didn't want to go home yet so we settled in the kitchen. It took Jamie a couple of attempts to get me to open up more and I found myself talking more.

I had a few things that I was keeping to myself and talking to Jamie helped. I didn't have to worry about him telling anyone. I had found someone to trust.

"Are you alright getting home?" he asked when I was about to leave.

"Yeah, I'll just walk home," I assured him.

He looked at me for a minute and decided that it was fine. I felt more comfortable when I left because I didn't have as much on my mind.

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The Wise One