Page 33 of Final Score

Despite my issues in my personal life, I was not going to let that effect our chances at winning. We were bringing home that trophy. No questions asked.

CHAPTER 22

The atmosphere in the arena was nothing short of electric from the moment we walked in. A sea of black and red jerseys flowed through the concession stand and into the seating area, as students, parents, and teachers alike showed their school spirit for the boys. As the current champions, there was a lot at stake in this game. Not only the team’s reputation but also the heart of its captain.

On opposite sides of the ice, the two men that had held my heart over the course of the last year would be fighting for their lives. One was my past, and the other if he forgave me, would be my future.

Leaving California, the way that I did was at the top of my list of mistakes in life. Jenner had said and done everything a girl in love wished to hear and, like an idiot, I had run away from him. Too frightened by my own traumas and feelings to believe any of this could be real. I mean, come on, falling for the guy you’re fake dating. Talk about a cliche.

Jenner had surprised me in the best way. When we first met, he was an obnoxious playboy with an attitude that rivaled my own. I had planned on using him for nothing more than revenge. But if there’s one thing I know about life, is that nothing goes according to plan. And because of that I fell harder for him than I had for anyone else in my life.

The thing that scared me the most was just how quickly I fell for him. Despite my best efforts at keeping my guard up around my heart, he broke down the walls like they were meant to keep him in instead of keeping him out. Being with him was the happiest I had felt in years... He calmed the chaos in my mind and my heart.

Now I just had to figure out if he would forgive me.

We had twenty minutes until the boys would be on the ice for warmups, and Fallon had decided we would be using that time to get snacks.

Her exact words had been, “I need popcorn to watch the drama unfold. You need chocolate for either celebration or to eat your feelings” She was right, of course. No matter what happened, it would be an evening to remember.

I was surprisingly calm as we walked down into the arena, our seats right next to the glass. Jenner had gotten them for us when things were good. It’s not like we were going to let them go to waste. Though, I wondered if he would be angry that we were using them. Maybe he already knew we were here. Though I doubted he would get a notification on his phone when the tickets were scanned at the gate. It’s not like he would be checking his phone right now, anyway. He would be in pure attack mode, ready to defeat Noah and the Saints, no matter the cost.

“Hey, Kat.” Trey said, sliding into his seat in the row behind ours.

“Hey, it’s nice to see you up and about.” Other than the use of a cane and a few bandages peaking out from underneath his clothes, Jenner’s brother looked good as new.

“I told you all you can’t get rid of me that easily. Though I was really hoping my brother could have said the same about you.”

“I’m here to fix that.” I answer honestly.

“Good. You are family, kiddo.” Mr. Blackwell answers, taking the seat beside Trey.

Fallon came down next. Plopping into the seat beside me, passing me a candy bar and coke. She exchanged pleasantries with Jenner’s father and brother as music filled the arena. Motley Crew by Post Malone. The boy’s warm up song,

“Well, here goes nothing. Go get em’ tiger.” Fallon smiled, throwing a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

“You came prepared.”

“You bet I did. No, quit stalling and go get your man back.”

Sighing, I walked the few steps down to the glass, and watched one by one as players stepped onto the ice. With each name I recognized, my anticipation grew. The butterflies in my stomach could have lifted the entire arena off the ground. Oliver was the first to glance in my direction once he stepped onto the ice. He nodded an all-knowing gaze in his eyes as he glanced into the tunnel beside me.

Holding my breath, I watched as Jenner stepped onto the ice. His gaze was cool and focused on his team in front of him. He made it to the center of the ice and began to warm-up drills without so much as a glance in my direction.

Maybe he hadn’t seen me.

Maybe he had, and he didn’t care.

With each passing lap he took on the ice, ignoring me entirely, the more the knot in my stomach grew. You shouldn’t have come, Katherine. This was a dumb idea.

Wrapping my arms tighter around my body, I resolved to stay in my spot and make him see me. Angry or not, he had to know I was here. From the ice, Oliver was watching, waiting to see if his captain would recognize me on his own. Jenner never glanced up once.

I watched, a laugh caught in my throat, as Oliver took off skating for Jenner, as he was about to pass me yet again. The pair collided into the glass a few feet away, and I watched as Jenner pushed Oliver off him, cussing him out.

“Dude, what the hell! “Jenner’s focus was still solely on his friend until Oliver turned him around on his skates to face me.

Oliver held up his hands, smiling. “I’m trying to get it through your thick skull to pay attention to your surroundings.”

After a month of not speaking, I don’t know why I expected Jenner to be different. Thinking there would be some outward change or sign of the time that had passed. But there he was, the same tall, dark-haired, crazy boy I had fallen in love with. And now he was standing in front of me, and I was lost for words.