Page 6 of Enemy Games

“What did he want?” Reid pushed his tray away and leaned forward with his elbows resting on the edge of the table.

“Evidently, he called for a press conference to announce the arrival of the women’s team. He wants us to personally invite them to a meet and greet with us before the formal sit down.” He ran his hands through his dark hair. “They want all of us there to show our united front and support the women.”

“Are we going to be interviewed?” I asked.

“I’m not sure.” Benjamin shrugged, poking at his uneaten burger. “Probably.”

“When is it?” Ethan fell back in his chair.

“Tomorrow. So we need to go talk to them now,” Benjamin said, staring at the table.

“We?” Reid repeated.

Benjamin’s eyes shot to him. “Yes, we.”

“Why do we have to go?” I challenged.

“We need to make sure they feel comfortable here. How would you like to have transferred in the middle of last year to join a brand new team? Not just new to you, but new to each other. They have a lot going on right now, and I want them to know they’re not alone. They can come to us for help, not just with hockey but with anything school-related.”

That sounded a lot like something our coaches would say. Was he just repeating what he’d been told? Probably.

“Is that it?” Reid wagged his brows. “Or do you have your sights set on one of them?”

Benjamin shot him a look that definitely suggested he thought he was an idiot. “I don’t date, and even if I did, I would stay far away from any of them.”

“Why?” I crossed my arms. I had no intention of getting involved with any of them, but I didn’t like being told what to do either.

“Because, if it caused any drama or distractions, Coach would kill me. Plus, I’d have their coaches on me too. No way do I want to open myself up to that. Plus, we’re one semester away from graduation. I’m not going to risk taking one step out of line this close to the draft.”

He was possibly the most boring human on earth. If he wasn’t such a great player and leader, I never would have put up with being his friend or roommate for the past three and a half years.

“Fine, but why can’t we just send them an email? Or text?” I grumbled as we stood and cleared our trays.

He looked up from his phone. “Because we’re better than that.”

I made a face to his back before the door opened, and Ethan and Reid trailed behind us.

“Ready?” Benjamin asked, and we all agreed like the good little followers we were. A couple of the younger guys from our team caught up, apologizing to Benjamin that most of them couldn’t make it since they were in classes.

The main street where the student houses were located held mixed memories for me. There were a few places I felt comfortable hanging out, like the football and basketball houses, but the majority reminded me of mistakes.

There had been times over the years that I got tired of all the rules and restrictions we faced as student-athletes, especially on our team. Our every move was analyzed under a microscope. Even though most of our classmates supported us and would cover for us if needed, there were always those that wanted to tear us down.

It wasn’t fair, but it was what we agreed to.

West Penn’s history was our present. We were paying for the crimes of the guys that came before us. Because they hadn’t known how to balance life and hockey, we weren’t even given the option.

This street was full of secrets and regrets. Over the years, I bent the rules. I drank but didn’t get drunk. I went to parties but made sure to stay out of pictures. I hooked up with girls but made sure they knew it ended with the sunrise.

The most important thing was that as far as the coaches knew, I stayed out of trouble. But that was because I took precautions and stayed within my limits. Staying under the radar for nearly four years wasn’t easy, but it was the only way I could stay sane.

The hardest part was keeping that side of my life from my best friend, roommate, and captain.

Benjamin and I clicked the moment we met at training camp before our freshman year. Since then, we’ve grown to be as close as brothers. I loved him, but he didn’t agree in bending any of the rules. He believed they were black and white. Good and bad. Wrong or right.

So, this street tended to remind me of the secrets I kept from him. Which was pretty remarkable, considering we slept four feet from each other. Sneaking in and out was never an easy task, so I usually ended up having to lie about staying with one of our teammates.

For some reason, our other best friends, Ethan and Reid, had a pass in his mind. Benjamin didn’t get too upset when he found out about their escapades or when they got in trouble, but he gave me the disappointed-parent look when I did.