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“Yeah, he’s good,” I reply, not wanting to get into an in-depth conversation with her about it.
Two minutes before the end of the first period, Eli takes a blistering shot from the blueline, and it sails right past Verdeer’s goalie and into the net.
Mandi lets out another unholy scream, but it blends in with the screams and cheers of the rest of the crowd. Even I get swept up in the excitement of the moment and jump out of my seat.
The Oakmire players that are out on the ice with Eli attack him with hugs, then they skate off together toward the bench and high five the rest of the team.
“That was amazing,” Mandi cries.
Eli sits down on the bench and takes a swig of water from a bottle, and Mandi grabs my arm to get my attention.
“I’m going to make him mine, Holland,” she says, giving me a determined look. “I swear, I’m going to do whatever it takes.”
I glance back over toward the bench. Eli’s wearing a huge smile on his face as he leans over and says something to the player sitting next to him.
It’s easy to see why he’s always surrounded by girls. He’s already a star on this team, and who knows what kind of bright future awaits him now that he’s been drafted. Mandi’s just one of many girls who want to get close to him, and she’s going to have to get in line with the rest of them.
She claps her hands and does a little victory dance. “Yes! Go Eli! Go Oakmire!”
I watch as he takes another swig from his water bottle, and I can’t help but think that Mandi should be careful what she wishes for when it comes to Eli Donnelley. I can’t shake the feeling that he should come with a warning label: Heartbreak Ahead.
For her sake, I really hope I’m wrong.
* * *
After the game, we wait with the rest of the crowd to exit the arena. Mandi turns to me, her eyes lit with excitement from Oakmire’s 2–0 victory over Verdeer.
“Let’s go wait for Eli outside!”
“What?” I can’t think of anything that I want to do less. “No. Why would we do that?”
“To congratulate him, silly,” she says, laughing. “Come on. It won’t take long, and I really want to see him.”
“I’m sure he’s got to shower and all that stuff, Mandi. He’s going to be a while.”
“So? Do you have anything better to do?”
I pause, thinking of the text Beckett sent me during the game. He wanted me to come hang out in his dorm room afterward.
“Fine,” I mumble. “Let’s go.”
* * *
Turns out we’re not the only ones waiting outside for Eli and the rest of the team. There’s a handful of pretty girls, a few guys I’ve seen around school, and regular Oakmire U fans wearing sweatshirts and hats with the Oakmire Cougars logo.
I get tired of standing, so I wander over toward a low stone wall to wait while Mandi chats up another group of girls who are hanging out near the doors. As I take a seat, the cold seeps through my jeans, and I shiver.
It’s not freezing, but it’s not exactly warm out here either. We’ve been waiting for at least a half hour already, and my stomach growls loudly.
Dammit. I knew I should have gotten something to munch on during the game, but I thought I’d be going back home after this to eat my ramen noodles.
Mandi jogs over to me wearing a bright smile, her cheeks pink from the chill in the air. “Someone said they should be coming out any minute now.”
“Wonderful,” I murmur, pulling my cell phone from my pocket.
Penn hasn’t answered any of my texts tonight, which means she’s probably working late. It’s been three days since we talked, and I miss her.
“I was thinking of buying an Oakmire U hockey shirt and getting Eli’s name and number printed on the back,” Mandi tells me. “What do you think?”
