Chapter 33 #2
I cut around the corner, heading for the blue line, doing the unexpected, then whipped around and flew full speed toward the net. Their defense held tight, waiting for me to take a shot, but I cut left, blades spraying ice as I skated around a defender. Quincy was open; I fired a quick pass to him.
He shot, and the puck was deflected back to me. The guy who previously called me that vile name was closing in, hate blazing in his eyes .
I took the puck back to the blue line, and he followed closely.
A quick change of direction—faking right and then cutting left—I skated straight at him, eyes locked onto him as I closed the gap.
He lowered his stance, getting ready to poke-check the puck away, but I flicked it left.
It hit the boards just as I lowered my center of gravity, then leaped over him, landing on the other side and catching the rebound on my stick.
Words can’t describe the roar that erupted in the arena.
The sound shook the ice as I closed the distance toward the net, adrenaline surging.
The defense braced itself for a shot. I deked the puck, faking right, then snapped it left between the defenseman’s legs and into the lower left corner of the net.
The flashing red and blue lights lit up the arena.
Quincy and McKenzie grabbed me, spinning me around in celebration.
That was a sick goal—one of those plays that would definitely be replayed on SportsCenter over and over.
I looked back at the winger who’d called me that vile name—the same one I’d just humiliated, leaping over him like he was a fucking tree stump—and blew him a kiss.
Yep. This homo just made mincemeat out of you, motherfucker.
It was time for a line change, and as I reached the bench, I was greeted by a cacophony of cheers and whistles. Theo met me as I entered, ripping my helmet off and planting a big kiss on my lips. The flashing cameras didn’t even faze me.
I wanted everyone to see. Let Mom see, and let her awful boyfriends bear witness to the fact that I’m happy.
It was time for Mason to take my place on the ice. As he skated past, he brushed against me and mumbled, “Sick play, bro.” Our eyes met, and I could see the remorse in his.
“I fucked up,” he added.
Damn. He’s owning his mistake mid-game .
“You did,” I replied.
His voice cracked as he croaked out, “I’m sorry.”
“We’ll talk about it later. Don’t fuck up the lead I just gave us,” I shot back.
He nodded and headed onto the ice.
Theo approached and asked, “What the hell was that about?”
I could have told him what Mason said, but honestly? Who cares? He tried to beat me, and it didn’t work.
“Nothing. Just telling me I made a nice play,” I said, shrugging.
Theo raised a brow. “You’re gonna tell me what he said later. Right now, just focus.”
He wrapped me in a quick hug, then grabbed my water bottle and shot a stream into my mouth.
He’s always shooting something in my mouth, ain’t he?
* * *
It was tied up again with thirty seconds left in the period. Exhaustion slammed into me, but I pushed through it. My limbs ached so badly I could have fallen to the ice and cried.
Instead, I led the puck into the offensive zone and made a quick pass to Quincy.
He approached the crease and took a shot, but it bounced off the crossbar.
Goddamit!
Time was running out, and if we didn’t score, we’d head to a shootout. I’d done shootouts before, but I wasn’t playing my best anymore. The Cobras fought harder than any team I’d faced, and I wasn’t sure I had the mental stamina to devise a strategy on the fly.
The puck skidded across the ice as both teams dove for it like feral animals.
My body contorted as their defensemen pushed inward from opposite sides.
All you hear amid the chaos is grunting and cursing.
The crowd’s noise fades into the background, replaced by the heat of the battle, the opposing players like toast in a hot oven.
Nothing was going to stop me, though. I pushed harder, feeling a shoulder slam into me as I fought for the puck.
I didn’t even care whose stick was whose anymore—I just kept fighting, blades digging into the ice as I searched for that loose puck.
I looked up and saw Quincy battling beside me. Together, we pushed the Cobras back.
I couldn’t see the clock, but it had to be down to single digits. Hutchison, Franklin, and McKenzie all joined, pushing us deeper into the offensive zone, fighting for every inch gained as Quincy and I engaged for possession.
One of their defensemen faltered, and I broke through with the puck. I took a shot, but it ricocheted off the crossbar.
No!
Next, Quincy fired a shot that hit the goalie’s shin guard.
The puck was loose, so I dove and hooked it with my stick.
The puck skidded along the ice, and McKenzie swooped in, grabbed it, and took a shot. It bounced off the goalie again.
Fuck!
I pushed forward, faking a pass to Quincy, then spun and shot in the opposite direction, catching the goalie off guard.
The puck slipped past him, hitting the net.
The blue and red lights flashed in the arena’s glow, and I fell to my knees, sobbing.
The buzzer blared, and bodies began landing on top of me.
The Warriors enveloped me, tears streaming down their faces.
The crowd roared as the lights continued flashing blue and red.
Fireworks went off above, and I raised my head to look at them.
Then I got up and skated straight for him. Theo was screaming, standing on top of the bench. He hadn’t spilled onto the ice because of his injury, so I went to him.
He held his arms open as I ripped off my helmet and pulled him in for a kiss. The crowd screamed louder. I wasn’t sure why until I caught the image of Theo and me kissing on the Jumbotron out of the corner of my eye.
Theo’s mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear anything. I almost asked him to repeat himself, but realized all I wanted to do was kiss him. So I did. We kissed as the thunderous applause turned into nothing more than white noise.
He was mine, and I was his.
And that’s all that mattered.
Theo
I wrapped my arm around Asher’s sweat-soaked body. He was still gasping for air from a hard-fought game.
The commissioner finished his congratulatory speech and handed Coach Wilson the trophy. He held it high as the crowd erupted, lights flashing and music blaring as the Warriors hugged and cried.
Then, to my complete shock, Coach handed the trophy to me. “Raise it high, Moretti. You’re a big part of why we got this far. You deserve your moment.”
Asher went wild, clapping and screaming my name. The thing was heavy , but I put on a bright smile and held it up high. I looked down at Asher to see him eyeing my neck, making sure I was okay.
“I got it, Red. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about my neck.”
His lips curled into a wicked grin and said, “I’m not worried, Big Boy. I just want to make sure you’re healthy enough to lift that trophy and toss me around the bedroom all night.”
Damn.
I kissed the trophy and handed it back to Coach. I needed to conserve my energy for the fun that was to come.
The commissioner picked up the microphone once more to speak:
“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a round of applause to both teams for their hard-fought battles on the ice tonight.
”He paused while the crowd hooted and stomped their feet.
“And now, it is my honor to announce the Most Valuable Player of this year’s championship.
A player whose skill, dedication, and leadership on the ice made all the difference.
This player scored three goals, including the game-winner, and made one of the most remarkable plays I’ve ever witnessed in forty years of watching this sport.
Please join me in congratulating Asher Lachlan. Your MVP of the Premier Collegiate Summer Hockey League. ”
Asher
The lights reflected off the MVP Plate and onto the glass directly across from me. The rainbows were everywhere. I looked over at Theo, his smile big and proud.
The intensity of the game mixed with jubilation made me lightheaded. I waved to the crowd and started walking back to Theo, but the commissioner tugged my jersey.
I turned to see him holding the microphone out to me.
“Please, a few words?” he asked.
Oh shit.
Could I even speak? I was so damn tired, and I was terrified of public speaking.
The microphone shook in my hand as I raised it to my mouth.
Everything looked brighter than it had moments ago.
It was almost as if my eyes were now adjusting to seeing life from this angle.
Things look different when you feel really freaking good about yourself.
“Um… Thank you all so much. This has been a…” I wanted to say it had been a real doozy of a season with everything that happened, but I landed on “an interesting season.”
There was audible laughter in the stands. Making people laugh is good, right?
“I wouldn’t be here without my team. They played like hell tonight. You’re all the best. We wouldn’t be here without Coach Wilson. Thank you for everything, and I mean everything. ”
Coach gave me a warm smile and nodded.
“And…”
Then it hit me. There was really only one reason I was there. There was only one reason I was alive, if I was being honest. Who knows what would have happened that night if Theo hadn’t broken into that apartment?
“I wouldn’t be here without Theo Moretti. Theo, I love you so much.” I reached my hand out to him, urging him to join me. He did, reluctantly, but he did. “And, I want to thank Maria, Anthony, Roxanne, and Regina Moretti. You—”
Hold it together, Asher.
“You took me in. You’re the family I always wanted, and you welcomed me into your home and showed me so much love. You mean so much to me—”
Don’t do it! Don’t cry. Hold it together.
“If it weren’t for Theo and his family, I wouldn’t be here.” I turned to Theo, the flashing cameras catching his eyes, brimming with tears. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Big Boy,” I said, swearing my hearing would never be the same with all the cheering that was happening.
Theo pulled me in and wrapped his arm around me. The commissioner stepped toward us and retrieved his microphone.
“Let’s hear it once more, for this year’s MVP.”
We are the Champions by Queen began as the crowd cheered. The Warriors began spilling onto the ice, each player taking a turn skating with the trophy.
“You wanna take a spin with the big-ass cup?” Theo asked.
“Nah. I wanna take a spin with my big-ass boyfriend.” I replied.
“I’ll give you spin, Pretty Boy.”
Things were about to get heated between Theo and me when I remembered that I should have thanked the league for the fee waiver.
“One minute,” I told Theo.
I caught the commissioner just as he was about to leave the ice. “Commissioner Raul. I just wanted to thank you. I was able to play because of the league’s need-based player fee waivers. Thank you.”
The commissioner looked at me, puzzled, then said, “Mr. Lachlan, I’m afraid that’s not possible. It’s a strict rule that the player’s fee is never waived. That was a policy decided upon many moons ago. Someone had to have paid the fee for you.”
I was dumbstruck, standing there not knowing what to say. Commissioner Raul congratulated me once more, then left.
What the heck? How can this—
“Theo!” I turned to see him standing there with a sheepish look on his face. “You paid my fee?”
“Maybe…”
I closed the distance between us, my mouth in a fake frown that I knew Theo was buying. He looked genuinely worried. “You’re in trouble, Mr. Moretti, and the only punishment that fits that crime is me sucking all of the cum out of your body.”
Theo smirked, then bowed his head in solemn silence. “I accept my fate.”
“Let’s get out of here so I can punish you properly.”
We walked side-by-side off the ice as the Warriors skated around us. I knew that the night would be one endless party, but I didn’t care to participate.
I just wanted to be with Theo.