My Hockey Romance

Chapter 2 - Luke

Music came thumping in through the speakers, the deep bass vibrating through my bones. Within seconds of walking into the club, I might as well be deaf. At practice tomorrow, we're all going to be shouting at the tops of our lungs just speak to one another.

People are packed in tight, an assortment of teammates, their girlfriends or hookups for the night, and Portland Puma fans. I like to think we've got the best fans in the NHL, but I guess I'd have to argue with every other team over that. We've never had a game that wasn't nearly sold out though, even when we're away.

I scour the crowd while I wind and weave my way towards the bar, my gaze eventually finding the man of the hour. Grabbing a beer and balancing two overfilled shots of whiskey, I make my way over towards Ben.

"Cheers, man!" I grin, passing him the shot. "Congrats again!"

The night is still young but it's apparent that the hockey center had already done quite a few shots with everyone else there celebrating his award. He sways just slightly on his feet, his whole face and neck flushed a bright candy apple red.

"Thanks, Luke!" He calls back, words slurring just slightly together.

With a huge grin, he tosses back the shot while I follow suit. The whiskey is like hot, delicious fire all the way down the back of my throat. I shake my head, lips smacking as a passing waitress takes the empty little glasses with a wink. She's all perky and smiling right now, but within a few hours she's going to be so over the drunken people sloppily bumping into one another and shattering their glasses everywhere. I'm just glad I went into hockey young, so that I never had to have any other job. There's no way I could do what she does every day. As far as I'm concerned, she's a saint. A liquor laden, skimpy clothed saint.

"I can't get too trashed yet," Ben says, despite the fact that he's already rapidly approaching that point. "My sister's coming out tonight. How great is that?"

Ben is very much an I-love-you-man when he's drunk. Everything is the most awesome thing ever. Everyone is the best person ever. Every drink or food is the best he's ever had.

"Oh, the mysterious sister of yours who never bothers to come to your games or visibly support you in any way?"

My teammate's rosy glow of drunk elation hardens instantly into protective glare, the look he always does when I speak ill of his little sister. It's not that I don't like her, I don't even know her, it's just that she's never bothered once to come out to cheer for her brother during the last few hockey seasons that Ben and I have played together. Even still, he barely ever stopped talking about her. I knew more about whatever lame-o architecture program she was in then I did about my own college courses.

Growing up, I'd always wanted a sibling. I definitely wouldn't take a brother or sister for granted the way she appeared to be doing.

"Just kidding," I add playfully, despite being completely serious.

He's drunk enough to break back into a smile and a laugh. Tonight, I won't bring up his sister or my thoughts on the matter. Tonight's going to be all about having a good time. But if I ever do meet that girl, I'm definitely giving her a solid piece of my mind.

She probably wouldn't even show tonight.

How many other times had I heard Ben say that this girl was going to be at a game or an after party or ceremony? I'd lost count. Ben always just shrugged it off, but it made me angry.

"This music is incredible!" Ben hoots, throwing his arms over his head and bobbing his head to the music.

I hadn't realized it but my body is swaying slightly with the rhythm of the music as well, my shoulders rocking, head tilting side to side. It'd been a long time since I stepped away from the hockey rink and just had a good time. Hockey is my life, my heart, my soul. I'd been playing since I could walk, or at least that was the story my mom liked to tell. She says before that, I was always crawling towards the ice like I wanted a turn in the rink. Before I made it onto a little league hockey team, she was sure I was going to grow up to be a Zamboni driver.