What Goes Around Comes Back Around

Chapter Fourteen

The semi-finals were a big deal here in Minnesota. The stadium that we were at was filled to the max, apparently people just loved to watch boys knock each other against walls, which is what I still thought hockey was all about. I saw my brother yelling and waving at me, and luckily they got seats close enough that I'd be able to talk to Nathan whenever he was on the bench. As me and Nathan got together and became closer, his hockey playing started to scare me. One night when I was feeling curious I logged onto my laptop and searched everything about hockey. After learning all the rules and positions, I came across the long, long, long, lists of injuries. And just the thought of Nathan getting hurt had my heart beating fast and my foot tapping against the concrete floor.

Merlinda, Taelor, and their now boyfriends, yes Taelor finally came to her senses about Michael, were also there and a new text from Merlinda came almost a minute after I sat down.

'I can feel your nerves from here. You need to calm down, everything's gonna be fine.' It said.

I looked row from row until I saw them off to my right, waving their hands to get my attention. I was about to reply but the buzzer signaling the start of the game sounded, so I shot them a smile and turned around, giving my full attention to the game. Not only was I scared of Nathan getting hurt, but I was also scared of them losing, because this meant everything to him. Hockey was a major part of his life and losing this game would crush him, so I was going to do everything I could to make sure that didn't happen.

I was wearing his jersey that smelled just like him and was the kind of big that made it known that it wasn't yours. It made me giddy inside, being the players girlfriend and wearing his jersey, letting everyone know I was his. When they skated out onto the ice, I screamed "GO NATHAN" so loud that I'm sure everyone heard, but I wasn't concerned about anything but that he knew I was there for him. I heard another voice yelling loudly and looked down my row to see his family standing and cheering, Alexis on their dad's shoulders. His mom saw me looking over and smiled at me, which I returned before turning back to the game that now started. This needed my full attention.

*

The first half of the game had passed rather quickly, but our team, the Blues, were tied 2-2 with the Silver Jackets, and half time had just started. Nathan came over to me and I gave him a big hug, telling him how good he'd been doing and that they were going to when this thing. I wanted him to stay longer but he had to go back to the locker room and talk with his team and coach. I was going to go find my friends and talk with them, but when I came back to my seat, Nathan's family was talking with mine, and that just did not feel right.

"Oh we'd love to. I think it's finally time that we met each other," my mom said and I really wanted to know what they were talking about. My mom saw me and could see the confusion in my face because she said, "The Evans' invited us over for dinner tonight so we can finally get to know each other." She was smiling so I forced one on my face too, but all I was thinking of was my last Evans dinner and that just ended so damn wonderfully, all thanks to his dad. I looked at him smiling at my family with a genuine smile, and I hoped that he would have better manners with them there than just me.

I say there with them while they talked, which ended up being the whole halftime, so I sent my friends a quick text explaining what happened, they knew what happened at the last dinner, and got ready for the rest of the game. Nathan skated out once again, looking ready to win, and a proud feeling came over me, that my boyfriend was a star hockey player. The buzzer sounded again, starting the second half of this game, and hopefully our victory.

*

It happened with one minute left and the teams being tied 3-3. The Blues main forward, who had scored all of our three goals, was intentionally slammed against the glass and then the floor. He was hauled of the ice on a stretcher, the emt calling it a serious concussion, and leaving the team to find someone who could score the winning goal. Apparently, in their huddle, they decided that person would be Nathan, because the minute they broke he shuffled over to me, his face paler than I'd ever seen.

"Bethany, I can't do this," he said as soon as was in front of me, separated by the barrier between us.

"Yes you can, you're going to go out there and score the winning goal. It's already in your possession, I know you can do this." I told him confidently.

"No I really-" Luckily he had taken his helmet off so I surged forward and kissed him with enough force so he would be quiet.

His coach called for him a few seconds after, so I pulled back and whispered, "go win the game" and let him go.

The tension in the whole arena was suffocating, but the only thing I was concerned about was Nathan. He was on the ice with the puck against his stick, waiting for the whistle to blow so he could start.

1.00

It blowed and he raced off coming in contact with the opposing players, skating around to avoid them.

.43

He was slammed against the wall hard enough for me to wince, but he still had the puck in his possession as he shook his head as if to shake off some dizziness, and then he was off again.

.19

He was close enough to shoot now, but we all knew that there was no opportunity so he had to move to find a good opening.

.8

He saw it and he shot, and the little time that was left slowed down, leaving is to lean forward to see what was going to happen.

.2

It flew into the net and the crowd erupted into cheers, we had one the semi-finals and were now going to the championship!

The whole team picked Nathan up and skated him around the rink. His helmet had flown off so I could see the brilliant smile on his face, the happiness that he not only won, but that he was the one that won it for them. They then carried him off to the locker room and I followed, wanting to be the first person he saw when he came out.

It took about fifteen minutes for him to come out, with his shower and the coach congratulating him and the team. When he saw me he scooped me up in a hug that took me off the floor and he spun us around. He was laughing, high off of the game and the victory, and I laughed with him, happy to see him this ecstatic. After spinning he just held me against him, so I wrapped my legs around his waist and held him just as tight.

"You did so amazing out there baby. Won the game," I said against his neck.

"All thanks to you," he said seriously and I knew better than to argue against it, even though it was all him.

After a couple minutes I unhooked my legs and he set me gently on the floor. He looked so amazing, hair still wet from his shower and his face glowing from the game. The only problem was the small bruise forming against his jaw. I frowned as I rubbed my thumb against it gently, then placed a small kiss there, as if it would help any. He knew what I was thinking because he said, "it's just a little bruise, nothing to be worried about." He knew how I was about these things, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't take him ever being seriously hurt. I could see our family's walking down the hallway, and I forgot to tell him about tonight's dinner plans.

I stood on my tiptoes so I could talk quietly in his ear. "By the way, we're all having dinner at your house tonight." When I leaned back our family was already there so he couldn't reply, but he had a look of alarm on his face that I could only shrug to. I didn't know what was going to happen tonight either.

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I know this isn't Friday and I'm sorry about that! But since I have a long weekend I'll update again before it ends. Comment and vote if you like it 😊