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But I need to let it go.
“Come on, Hastens!” Coach shouts at me as the game begins. My reflexes are slow, and the Ravens just got the jump on me.
This is not good. Coach is going to pull me.
Kade gives me a chiding look as he skates by, intending to cover me. I’m the weak link tonight. And this is embarrassing. I should be driving the puck to the goal, and instead, I’m driving us to a losing game.
“Time!” Coach Wilson shouts.
I run my hand over my face, more discouraged than ever. They start the thirty-second clock. We huddle, and I brace. “Hastens, you’re gonna get pulled if you can’t keep it together.”
“I’m going to straighten up, I swear,” I exasperate as the thirty seconds end and the buzzer sounds. Finally, I look up in the crowd, searching for my dad. I need him to give me some sort of reassurance.
My eyes instead land on a group of three people walking down the stairs. They’re late to the game, but I don’t miss the fact that every single one of them is wearing a Hastens jersey. It picks me up a little as I take in their faces.
And my heart stops.
I’m met with a pair of beautiful jade eyes in my white and blue jersey.
I know those eyes.
I know that fiery red hair.
My jaw drops.
And Nila gives me a smile.
“You got this,” she mouths to me, stopping in the middle of the stairs to raise up a white poster board sign. I almost pass out as I read the bold block letters.
I LOVE YOU, TOO.
“Let’s go!” Blaze slaps me on the shoulder as he skates by to set up.
I break out into a huge freaking grin.
She loves me, too.
And just like that, my fire is back. We’re going to win this game, and I’m going to do it for her. For us. For our future.
Two hours later, I’m skating down the length of the rink, the puck sliding across the ice with ease. My eyes are on the goal. This is it. Ten seconds to go. I rear the stick back and smash into the puck. It hurdles forward.
“Goal!” I hear someone scream from the sidelines.
“And the Glaciers take the win!” the announcer exclaims. “What a way to go out.”
My team rushes to celebrate. We high-five and hug, but my eyes are on the woman in the stands, sitting next to her friend and Garrett Norris on the far end of the three. They all came here to support me, and even though I don’t yet know them, I already appreciate her circle.
I wave at her to come down and join us as we all celebrate on the ice. She hands the sign to the woman beside her and rushes down the steps.
I skate over and step off the ice to meet her. Our eyes lock in with each other, and for the first time, I’m speechless. I don’t even know what to say to her.
“Hi,” she says, her cheeks blushing crimson. Photographers snap our picture, but I can’t see anyone but her. “You played great.”
“Once you showed up.” I close the distance between us, reaching out and grabbing her hand. “The sign was creative.”
She giggles. “It was Garrett and Brittany’s idea. I wasn’t sure if you’d think it was too much.”
“Never,” I tell her, my emotions choking me up as she steps closer. She places her hands on my chest. “I’m glad you came, Nila.”
