The Search For Shattered Pieces *Complete*

Chapter Twenty-five: Sit Spins and Serious Skills

Trenton:

It kills me watching Lyra on the ice.  She's a swan, all grace, long lines and beauty beyond belief, but she's also a mythical Phoenix, strong, intense rising from everything and anything thrown her way.  I've never met anyone like Lyra before and I know that I never will, she's one of a kind, and she's mine...well mine and my brothers.  And that thought gives me pause.  Sharing Lyra with my brothers.  Could I really do it? Did I want to even try?
I watch as she hits another puck into the goal and know a goofy grin is present upon my face.  Hell yes.  I was all in.  This girl, she was it for me, and for my brothers.  From the moment she had entered our lives nothing has been the same, but I wouldn't want it to be.  We were dead before meeting her, and now we were FREE, and alive again.  It took one small beautiful swan to change everything for us. 
   "That's it, hell, on your first try too," I shout and watch as a huge smile crosses her face and I know an answering one is on mine.
   "This is...oddly..." Lyra laughs and that laugh sends shivers down my spine.  "Oddly, freeing and liberating.  I like it."
   "I'm glad," I begin to skate toward her and hate when the smile vanishes off of her face.  "Now lets see you do it when you have opposition."
   "I'm sorry, what?" Lyra rears back.
   "I'm going to try and block you, you'll try to get the point even with me in your, well, personal space..."
   "No, I don't think..."
   "Come on," I know I'm pushing it, but I can't help myself.  "Are you chicken?"
   Lyra straightens her shoulders and narrows her eyes.  "Chicken? Are you stupid? I'm not a chicken Trenton Parrish, I'm merely using common sense.  You've had how many years at this sport, and I just got on the ice with a..." she hefts the stick and laughs, "...a stick and a...a..."
   "Puck," I finish for her.
   "Puck, yes, for the first time only minutes ago."
   "Lyra," I say, and I'm now so close to her if I breached the small space between us I could capture her lips once again in mine, "...You've got this."
   "I...I..."
   "Am I too late to the party?" The last voice I wanted to hear interrupts my moment and once again the murderous rage rears.
   "Yes,"
   "No."
   Both Lyra and I say at the same time.  Tal skates over to us with a smirk on his oh-so-familiar face, my fucking face.
   "I was just telling Lyra she could get a goal with me coming at her."
   "Sounds like fun."
   "Fun..." Lyra squeaks.
   "Yup, how bout' I'm goalie." Tal has a glimmer in his eyes that I don't particularly like.  And I still hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him about what he'd been doing with the toxic bitch.
   Tal takes his place and Lyra takes a deep breath and seems to prepare herself.  I sigh and move away.  "Okay same thing, Lyra, cept' this time I'm coming at you and Tal, is going to try and block your goal."
   Lyra nods and spins away.  I take the opportunity to smack my brother on his arm.  "What the fuck are you doing?"
   "Playing, brother dear."
   "Motherfuker," I mutter.
   "Oh oh such a foul mouth, you kiss your mother with that mouth of yours, brother dear?"
   "Shut the fuck up and take your place."
   "What the hell is going on here?" I groan and turn around, standing at the edge of the rink are both Zach and Xav, the latter glaring at us all, disapprovingly.
   "We're teaching Lyra a new game," Tal pipes up easily and everyone swings their heads in his direction.  Tal laughs and finishes putting on his equipment.  He moves to the goal and Lyra moves to the furthest spot on the ice.
   "This isn't appropriate," Xav's deep voice reverberates through the rink.
   "Whatever not?" Tal asks.
   "Yeah, what he said," I say.
   "Lyra should be studying," Xav says and we turn to the girl in question who at my brother's words has stiffened considerably.
   "We were done studying, Xav," Lyra says, her voice small but firm.  Thatta girl, Lyra. 
   "Lyra...are you sure you want to do this?" Zach asks softly.  "My brothers have been playing hockey since—"
   "—Yes, I'm sure it's what I want to do." Lyra leans over and gives me a glare.  "Give it your best shot, Trent."
   Them's fighting words my girl, thems are fighting words.  I know the goofy grin is back on my face and I can't help it, I shoot her one back.  "Oh I will, Lyra, baby, I will."

                                               *****

Lyra:

I feel terrible.  How had a simple, fun, little game turned out so badly?  I was still learning over him as his brother's laugh uproariously around us and I look up shocked.  How could they think that this was funny, he was really hurt.
   "I'm so so sorry Tal, God, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."  I move my hands over his body and he only groans louder and turns his body away from me.  My guilt rises.  "I'm sorry." I say again.
   "He's fine, although I wouldn't count on him for any lil Parrishes anytime soon," Trenton say laughingly by his brother's side.  He's finally come skating over.  "You're fine, aren't you bro?" Trenton hits him hard on his shoulder.  "Come one speak dimwit, you're freaking Lyra out.  She thinks she's fucking killed you.  Tell her she hasn't killed anything cept' your ego, bro."
   Tal looks up from his spot on the ice.  His eyes are still cloudy from pain and he gives me a little grimace.  "I'm...I'm fine...Lyra.  I...I...just wasn't expecting that."
   I look up at his brother helplessly.  "I'm so sorry Tal.  Trent told me that was one way to get to the goal and when I saw your big body there, there weren't any other openings and I...I..."
   "Took the one opening," Trent finishes for me still laughing.  "God that was classic, Lyra.  Perfect shot too."
   "Are we done with the fun and games now," Xav calls out from the side.
   I nod quickly.  "Yes, yes, we're definitely done." I hold out my hand for Tal still feeling terrible.  Tal grabs my hand and slowly gets to his feet.  He still appears to be in pain, but now his eyes seem to hold a teasing glimmer.  I let go of his hand as if burned by it.
   "No permanent damage done, Lyra," Tal says quietly, breathing the words all but into my ear.  I gasp.  I didn't realize how close we were.  I try to skate away but Trent grabs me and pulls me to his side.  "We should've had you on the team last year, we would have gone all the way with you on our side," He says, eyes bright.
   "I...I..." Speak Lyra, stop stuttering like an idiot and speak you moron. "I'd have brought the other team to their knees, literally and figuratively," I say helplessly.  And both boys laugh at that.  I feel better now that I see Tal on his feet and smiling.  Suddenly it all comes back to me.  Tal...Tal and Arianna, Tal and Arianna together.  I gulp and try to disengage myself from Trent's side.  He's not having any of it, still holding me tight.  He leans over and whispers in my ear.
   "Relax pigeon, we've got you."
   I gulp again.  "That's what I'm afraid of." I murmur.  "That's what I'm afraid of."