Hockey Boys vs Hockey Girls

Twenty - Nine

I stare at my unlaced skates. Around me, my team rambles about our upcoming game, but I can't seem to focus. Hannah hasn't shown up, forcing Alessia to play even though she's still injured.

"Why haven't you been to practice in so long, Kaelin?" Ayden asks while slipping her jersey over her head. I shake my head, giving her a warning look.

My fingers twitch at my sides. Why can't I lace up my skates?

Maybe it's because Mason is sitting in the bleachers with Dryden and some gang members, waiting for me to finish so he can escort me back to the mansion.

That's probably why.

Alessia walks over and, without a word, begins tightening the laces of my skates.

"Alessia you don't have to-" I begin but she effectively cuts me off.

"You're our captain," She says with a smile. Despite her bruises and cuts, she still looks as innocent and kind as ever. "It's the least I can do." She finishes and walks off, presumably to put her helmet on. I slip my red bandana on and grab my hockey stick.

You can do this. Do it for your team. Do it for Hannah.

I walk out of the change room with my team following me. I deposit my water bottle on the bench before skating onto the ice. Usually my heart rushes with excitement, but today all I feel is an emptiness.

My team of six skates onto the blue line with our helmets by our sides. I can see Mason and a few of his goons sitting in the stands watching me. Mason's words ring through my ears 'if you try anything, anything at all, you will never see the light of day again." The confusing part was when he kissed my head after that. Seriously dude, you can't go from threatening a girl to kissing her within a minute.

The boys team skates out. They are all big and tall and wouldn't normally scare me, but today they look like they could snap me in half. Each of them gives us piercing glares as the anthem begins to play.

Of course, usually I'd give an even darker glare at their captain, but I can't.

Our team and the team before us always have close games. Every time we play them I to have to work my ass off. We played them at the beginning of the season and won. Their captain still hasn't gotten over the fact that his team got their asses kicked by girls.

The anthem finishes leaving us to our own devices for our warm-up. We begin shooting and stretching like usual.

The piercing sound of the refs whistle fills the air; the game is starting. I brace myself before skating over to the blue line as I wait for the puck to drop.

My heart begins pounding hard in my chest as the red skates to the middle of the ice. Beads of sweat drip down my forehead and sting my eyes.

The puck drops and the sound of two clashing sticks fills the air. The puck comes flying towards me because Hazel won the face off. It hits my stick and immediately there's a huge wingman coming at me.

My brain freezes as this monster of a player come barreling towards me. My heart pounds in my ears and causes everything around me to fall away.

Somehow I'm able to pass the puck to Alessia on the wing, but the boy doesn't stop. My skates move on their own accord.

But not quick enough.

His gigantic body collides with mine. The breath gets knocked out of as I tumble to the ice. A sickening crack sounds from somewhere inside my body. A sharp pain starts at my chest and bursts outwards. I yelp in pain as the center man purposely pushes on my stomach while he gets up, a smirk evident on his face.

My chest begins to hurt even more while my lungs burn as I try to force oxygen into my body. I can't get up. I can't move my right arm which got crushed by the player.

The ref's whistle blows when he realizes I'm not going to get back up. I heart the crunching of skates on ice as my team skates towards me.

My heart burns even more the longer I stay paralyzed on the ground. I think I broke my collar bone, but I'm not really sure. All I can think about it how bad it hurts.

My helmet is slipped off my head slowly.

"Kaelin?" Someone is calling my name.

My head.

It hurts.

The darkness.

It welcomes me.

//

"She won't need surgery, but she will miss the rest of the season." A voice that sounds somber and pitiful says.

"Thank you, doctor," I recognize that voice. I do. "I'll take good care of her."

"She can leave when she wakes up," The sad voice says before walking away.

I feel my hair being moved away from my face and a gentle brush of lips against my forehead. "I love you, Kaelin."

It's Gage.

//

"Kaelin?"

His voice is deep, masculine and familiar. It's my brother. I don't even want to speak to him after how he literally put me on lock down because I was a threat to his stupid plans. He turned on me when I needed him most and I don't think we will ever to fully repair our relationship.

I moan slightly and crack my eyes open. The pain in my chest has died down into a dull ache. My left arm is in a sling that's supported by neck, confirming my theory that I broke my collar bone. Or, rather, that brute on the other team broke it.

"Water?" I'm just able to whisper. My throat is so dry it hurts. Gage quickly reaches over and passes my a paper cup filled with water. I gulp it down with a sigh before handing it back to him.

Now it's time for my questions. "Where is Nolan?"

Gage's gaze gardens for a moment before he sighs. "Nolan left town. He told me he couldn't handle your problems anymore and he never wanted to be a with a weak wannabe bad girl anyways."

Would Nolan actually say all those things? Tears sting my eyes and trickle down my cheeks. A couple land on my lips and transfer their salty taste to my mouth. My silent tears turn into giant sobs.

He was right, I am weak.

"It's okay, Kaelin, I'm here for you," My brother envelopes me in a warm hug. He holds me close while I let my heartbreak leak onto his leather jacket clad shoulder. If my chest stopped hurting earlier, the pain was renewed when Nolan broke my heart.

"Why... why would... why would he..." my voice continues cracking while Gage continues to hold me.

"He's a douche bag," Gage says into my hair. "Don't worry, if I ever see him again I'll kick the shit out of him for hurting my baby sister."

"Where... where did he say... where did he say he was going?" I whisper. I faintly notice Gage stiffen. "Maybe he-"

Gage cuts me off with a snort. "I'm never letting you near him again, Kaelin, you may be older now, but you're still my baby sister and it's my job to protect you. Especially from assholes like Nolan Hunter."

"But-"

"No buts," He all but growls in my ear. "We're going home."

If Nolan really did leave, maybe Axel or Ethan knows where he went.

But do I really want to see him again.

No. If he decided that he doesn't want anything to do with a wannabe bad girl, who am I to go after to him? Obviously he hates me now, and I'll just have to accept that.

Well. Maybe not. Perhaps the next time I see him I'll beat the shit out of him myself.

A/N

Thanks for reading :)

-Court <3