The Family

25

Talia's POV

"I can't believe Jill is letting you do this." Julie says as we walk into the Salt Lake City Sports Complex

"I can't believe she agreed to it either." I say.

I'm apart of a coed rec hockey league in Salt Lake City and today is our championship game. Today is also our off day before we play Colombia at the RioT and I may have begged Jill to let me play in the championship game. Jill agreed, weirdly, and now the whole team is coming to watch.

"Talia." Jill says and gets my attention along with everyone else's. "You better win."

"Yes Coach." I say with a smile.

"Are you the only girl?" Emily asks.

"No it's a coed league so there are a few girls, but it is mostly dudes."

"So can you fight?" Ash asks.

"You can." I say with a smile. "There may be a few today."

"Why?" Christen asks.

"The team we're playing are just dicks who pick fights all the time."

"Oh." Christen says as we reach the locker room.

"Good luck kiss from my girlfriend?" I cheekily ask then Julie pecks my lips.

I then remove my necklaces and give them to Julie to hold.

"I guess I'll see everyone later."

I head into the locker room and change into my pads, uniform, helmet, and skates then I grab my stuff and head onto the Ice.

"Didn't think you'd show up." Jake, one of our defensemen, says.

"Like I'd miss this." I say while skating around on our side.

I go through the warm ups then rest on the bench for a little bit before the game.

"You brought everyone of your teammates?" Lauren, one of the player wives and our team nurse, asks.

"They all wanted to come so I guess so."

"LET'S GO T." Dave, one of our forwards, shouts.

"See ya Lauren." I say and jump onto the ice as our 2nd and 3rd lines sit on the bench

"Alright." Dave says as I skate into the huddle. "We know their tricks so don't get baited into a fight, but if they hurt one of us fuck 'em up."

"With pleasure." Jake says.

We break down our huddle then I skate to the face off spot.

"Where'd they find you?" The opposing center says.

I ignore the prick and focus on the puck.

The ref drops the puck and I immediately pass it back to my team to get the game started. Jake collects the puck as I skate forward then he uses the boards to pass me the puck. The puck hits my stick then I skate towards goal and when I'm 30 feet from goal I slap shot the puck past the goalie making the score 1-0.

"Nice T." Jake says as the five of us celebrate. "Already one nil up with 9:50 left."

We play two 10 minute periods.

After we're done celebrating the five of us head to the bench then switch places with our 2nd line since we switch after every goal or after 60 seconds.

The next 7 or so minutes are pretty boring with nothing really happening.

With 2:10 left in the first period Dave is fighting along the boards for a puck with an opposing player when a different player, number 21, comes flying in and checks Dave in the back which sends Dave into the boards and stuns him.