Slapshots {BOYXBOY}✔

Chapter Twenty-Three {Champ}

"And remember boys! Our last game is next Friday! Practice all this week at four. We're going to kick Bennintons ass!" Everyone cheered along with my dad's speech before rushing into the changing rooms and stripping everything off. Pure usual I changed while everyone was in the shower and walked from the locker room after a few guys and called a c-ya to everyone that was still in the showers. And who did I bump into? None other than Joey Tents.

His orange hair wet with sweat and his grin annoying as ever. I hated that he was taller than me because nothing made a bully worse than a height difference. Even if it was just a few inches. "Hey Chandlers. Heard you had an eventful weekend." Joey mocked, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What do you want Tents" I rolled my eyes, mocking his stance by crossing my arms over my chest.

Joey's grin seemed to darken as he dropped his arms and knocked his shoulder into mine. "Bet Harmony is glad she can finally move on to a real man."

"That really all you got?" I challenged turning myself towards Joey. "You really gonna try and shoot low with that? Come on man, we both know you got better."

"Oh trust me Chandlers. You don't want to see my better." Joey grinned again, walking back down the hallways towards the locker room. There was an itch inside, one that told me to turn and follow him, ask him what he meant. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. Joey spent enough time tormenting me and I wasn't going to follow him like a sheep and play into his little game.

Instead, I turned on my heels and walked back towards my dads truck, where he sat on his phone. I threw my bag in the cab and huffed when I sat down, letting out a big sigh while I took out my phone.

"Something the matter champ?" Dad asked as he pulled from the lot and started our drive home from the arena.

"No, just. Nothing."

"Matty, you know you can talk to me about anything right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Like the time I tried to talk to you and mom about the possibilities of me being dyslexic. Because that ended so well."

"You're not dyslexic Matthew." My dad pressed once again in denial. "You just haven't got your head into it. You need to focus more on your school work rather than girls, and hockey. Trust me. I was in the same spot you're in now back when I was in high school. There's nothing wrong with you."

"Dad. My focus is on my school work. I'm scared shitless I'm going to fumble at hockey because all I can think about is my grades." I sat up straighter looking towards him. "I work my ass off on trying to just grasp the basics from French, and math. The only thing I'm actually good at is spots. I'm not even looking at girls! There is something wrong with my dad. I just can't do school."

"You're not looking at girls? What about Harmony?"

"We broke up."

"Oh." There was a moment of silence. "Did you want me to take you to the doctor?"

"Why the hell do I need to go to the doctor."

This time it was dads turn to sigh. "What do you want me to do regards to your schooling? Is Henry not working out as a tutor? Do we need to find somebody else."

"No!" I yelling, making dad jump before looking over at me like I had two heads. "I mean. No. Henry is doing fine. I just wanted to make sure you and mom were like... Ok with me being you know... Academically challenged."

Dad laughed, turning off the truck after turning into our driveway. "Matty. You mother and I could care less if you had trouble in school. Well no, of course, we would care. I just mean-"

"I know what you mean dad."

"Good. Look. As long as you think Henry is working out as a tutor and you're getting good grades. Then I think we should all be ok. That, and as long as you're not selling drugs. We don't want you to turn out like your Uncle Tom."

"Sure dad." I laughed, getting out of the truck and rushing inside and downstairs into the bedroom taking out my phone and sending a text to Henry.