My Hockey Alpha

Nina

“You guys did amazing tonight. Get your shit together and get to the bar. We’re celebrating.”

The team was silent for a few moments after I spoke. Enzo continued to stare down at me with an expression on his face that I couldn’t read, although I could tell that part of him wanted me to hit him before, as if violence would solve his issues with his father. I felt horrible just for even considering doing such a thing to him, tears started to well up in my eyes at the thought of intentionally hurting Enzo, making me turn on my heel and storm out of the silent locker room before anyone could see

It was dark now in the stadium when I re-emerged. Everyone had already left, and soon the custodians and the

Zamboni operator would come to clean up the stadium and resurface the rink Just then, someone stepped out of the shadows, making me practically jump out of my skin as my heart leaped up loto my throat. I stumbled backwards, clutching my chest and cursing under my breath as my fight or flight instincts momentarily kicked in before

I realized who it was

It was Richard, Enzo’s father

“What makes you think you’ve earned the right to undermine me, git?” he said, stepping toward the with his ans folded without so much as an apology for scaring me

I scoffed. It felt as though he was trying to intimidate me, and it wasn’t working Without answering, I went to walk around him but he put his a out to stop me

“I asked you a questions”I froze, feeling my heart rate quicken as a million things raced through my mind.

“You don’t need to speak to Enzo or the rest of the team like that,” I said, mustering up my courage to turn and face Richard. “They won that game by a landslide. Just because they didn’t perform up to your standards during the first round doesn’t mean that they deserve to be punished.”

That’s rich coming from someone like

run some dinky little town in the middle of nowhere?” I asked. “It’s

pushed me up against the wall,

me shudder. “You’re lucky that I’m even entertaining your little relationship with my son for the

I could respond, the locker room door swung open. Just as quickly as he accosted me, Richard stepped away, releasing

alright?” Enzo asked, seeing the

wanting to upset Enzo, and stepped away

in my wrists from where Richard had grabbed me “I’m fine. But

head and gave me a disappointed look. “Are you sure?” he asked. “You were gonna come just a

steps backwards. “I just.. I have a lot of homework to do, that’s all,” I lied, not wanting to reveal that Enzo’s own father had just scared the hell out of me. “I forgot

in through my bedroom window. When I sat up, yawning and rubbing my eyes, I noticed that

the team doctor in case anything goes wrong… And bagels, maybe? I’ll pay you

his father still convinced him and the rest of the team to train this early, and on a Saturday morning, no less? Sighing, I climbed out of bed and started getting dressed with conviction. If they were going

the dining hall to pick up enough coffees for everyone and bagels, then started to precariously make my way toward the hockey arena with the tray of coffees in one hand and the bag of bagels in the other, taking care not

that?” a familiar

up, astonished to see Justin standing

dropping the tray of coffee out

me a confused look. “What are you