Declassified

Declassified Part 52 What Did You Do?

      "Hey. Are you okay?"

      Alex looked up from the bench, surprised to see Kevin in the change room. He glanced up at the clock, surprised to see that he'd been sitting there for fifteen minutes, lost in thought. He hadn't even gotten into his equipment yet. He was just sitting around half naked feeling lost. He glanced at his phone again, but there still weren't any notifications.

      Of course there aren't. He thought sadly. She's never going to forgive you. She shouldn't forgive you.
      Alex looked up, remembering that his friend was there. "I'm okay."

      "You and Thalie? You broke up?" Kevin's voice was sympathetic.
      Alex nodded, trying to not wince at how easily Kevin said it. "Yeah."

      "She broke up with you?" Kevin frowned. "She seemed really happy with you. She was a good fit with... all of us."
      Alex nodded again, thinking about her. "I know. But I fucked up."

      "That's what Dan said." Kevin observed, knitting his brows. "What did you do? It can't be so bad that Dan is angry about it."
      Alex shook his head. "If you knew you'd hate me too."

      "I'm still friends with Dan after everything he's done." Kevin pointed out. "And actually you should talk to him. Last night—"
      "He won't talk to me." Alex felt defeated. He'd lost his girlfriend, and he'd damaged his family. "He hasn't talked to me since it happened."

      Kevin raised his eyebrows. "Whatever happened between you can be fixed." Alex shrugged. "He can't avoid you forever."
      "Is he coming to practice today?" Alex asked hopefully.

      "Well, no." Kevin admitted. "But it's not because of you."
      Alex nodded, but he didn't believe it. He'd seen the look of disgust on his brother's face. Dan hated him. 

      And rightfully so. Alex grabbed his equipment bag and started pulling his pads out as the rest of the team starting coming in.
      Andy came in and sat beside him, but he didn't say anything. He didn't even look at him, which made Alex's stomach turn to ice.

      It was a slower practice than usual. With Dan missing and Alex distracted by thoughts of Thalia all the players seemed to have low energy.

      All Alex could think about was getting off the ice so he could go check his phone for messages even though he doubted Thalia had responded.
      Even if Thalia hasn't responded yet, maybe Dan will have...?

      Alex was so lost in thought he didn't see Andy zooming across the ice towards him until the last second. He turned just in time to see Andy come flying at him and he knew without a doubt it was going to hurt.

      Alex hit the boards hard before slamming into the ice, his stick skittering across the rink, his vision going black for a moment. He spit blood out of his mouth, blinking as his vision came back to him. Before he could make out the figure looming over him he already knew he had broken ribs.

      "Are you okay to get up?" Andy's voice was quiet, his face serious.
      Alex nodded, wincing in pain as his brother pulled him to his feet. The other players were suddenly silent, keeping their distance from them.

      Alex suspected they were as shocked by the attack as he was. Alex and Dan had always been rough on the ice, especially with each other. But quiet Andy never joined in their rough housing. The worst he would do was position himself so that other players hit him.

      Until now. Alex touched his ribs gingerly, nearly passing out from the pain that immediately radiated from his fingers. All of his ribs hurt. His back hurt. His neck hurt. He had broken bones, he was sure, but he didn't know how many.