Thin Ice

Chapter 20

Months went by and I wish I could say that I stopped doing drugs but I didn't. I kept it up despite the fact that every chance he got, Justin would corner me, telling me that he knew what I was doing was bad and I needed to stop. 

When the first anniversary of Zanes death passed, I ended up skipping school and I spent the day in my room. High as I could be. I got lucky that night because Justin had a game and my mom went like she always did.

After that I formed a tolerance of sorts. I couldn't get as high as I usually did and when I did, it didn't last for long. It made me desperate, I was running out of money to keep buying Adrianna and the drugs didn't even effect me. 

Ali was quick to catch on to what I was doing and she did the one thing I never wanted her to do, she ignored it. She acted like she didn't notice that my eyes were always blood shot. She pretended that nothing changed with me and at first I was pissed, I needed her to be my friend but after awhile I was relieved. I didn't need her trying to stop me, I needed to be left alone.

I started going back to the games, They calmed and distracted me. I refused to let Justin take that away from me. So I went to the game and I watched the boys float their way into the playoffs.

Ali sat next to me at the third game, Bryce was on her other side. He was holding her hand tightly and I was glad to see that they were still together. I also noticed that she wasn't hurting her self anymore which I thanked god for. 

My mom sat on the other side of me, grinning as she watched Justin slid across the ice. I tried to ignore him while I watched but tonight it was hard. The guy he had trouble with earlier in the season, the one who kept pushing him around every chance he got, was on the team they were playing tonight and he made it clear that he was still after Justin.

It was hard to ignore the fact that my ex boyfriend kept getting slammed into the glass every few minutes, it made me sick to my stomach and I kept trying to leave, but Ali would grab my elbow and pull me back down.

I focused my attention on the ground instead. I looked at my shoes and the grey cement until people started shouting about a fight. I sprung up, standing on my toes to see what was going on. 

The huge guy had Justin pinned on the ground and was punching him as hard as he could. Justin helmet was gone so his face was unprotected and before I could stop it, a scream passed through my lips. I looked around, watching as parents covered the eyes of their kids.

Refs were trying to pull the guy off Justin but they couldn't, the guy was huge and the puddle of blood around Justin's face was spreading.

The players eventually started pulling at the guy, shouting at him. 

 It took alot longer than I wanted to but the guy was pulled off Justin and towards the exit of the arena. A stretcher was brought on the ice and Justin was put on it as medics became wipping the blood from his face.

The refs cleaned the blood off the ice.

The Saginaw Spirits won because the other team forfeited. 

I took off, away from the ice and the people who had come to watch, they were now frantic as they started to leave. I ran towards the locker room, panting by the time I made it. Bill was their, his arms crosses across his chest.

               "Let me talk to one of the players." I beg him, knowing that he wouldn't let me in but he could at least get me one of the boys to talk to.

Bill shook his head but before I could protest, Nick Moutrey poked his head out, a frown on his face.

               "Is he okay?" I ask, leaning around Bill so I can see him.

               "No." He looks down at the ground, a blood hand print was on the front of his jersey, it happened when he was pulling at the guy and he reached up, pushing Nick away as hard as he could.

               "Where'd they take him?" I ask, my eyes already watering.

               "St.Marys." With that, Nick went back in the locker room. St. Marys was a local hospital, not far from Dow.

I'm tugging my keys out of my pocket as I run across the parking lot, jumping in the front seat and quickly starting it up.

I drove as quickly as I could, taking the back roads so I wouldn't get stopped by the police. When I got to the hospital, Justin was still in the emergency room and not allowed visitors.

I dropped myself in one of the uncomfortable seats, my eyes burning with unshed tears.