Chapter Twenty-Three
Twenty-three
Kian
“Come on, Ishida! You’re slacking,” Coach Kilner shouts.
Today’s practice is later than normal, but that doesn’t stop Kilner from putting on his skates and acting like a referee. He’s been riding me from the moment I got in tonight, and I’m sick of it.
Dylan’s not even in practice today because he has to rehearse off ice for his and Sierra’s competition, so it’s all me.
I haven’t slept well this week, and I even had to miss my tutoring session with Scarlett because of our new game schedule, so I’m fucking irritated.
The puck is passed to me, and I’m barreling down the ice when Cole bodychecks me out of nowhere. I clench my teeth and move fast on the ice to regain the puck. But just as I get to the net, one of our defenders knocks my stick away in an illegal move.
I yank off my helmet, still out of breath from the impact of their bodies. “What the hell is going on today?” I shout. “Carter. Is there a reason you bodychecked me when I already maneuvered past you?”
“Uh, I was trying to stop you,” Cole says, pulling off his helmet.
“You didn’t. Do better than that. You should have been on my left. I was wide open.” I turn to our defensemen. “And you don’t pull shit like that so close to a buzzer. What happens if you get a penalty and we lose the face-off for the next play?”
“My bad, man. I wasn’t thinking.”
“I know,” I say louder, making sure all the guys can hear me now. “We need to think. You guys are acting before you know what’s coming. Always interpret the move and adjust the reaction. Got it?”
A dozen helmets nod. “Got it.”
I run a hand through my hair, feeling the heat on my face, only to find Coach staring at me. The look falls somewhere between irritation or constipation. I’ve got no clue. I’m even more confused when he walks off the ice and says, “Ishida, my office.”
“For what?” I call, but he’s already out of earshot.
Cursing under my breath, I head down to his office. Coach’s office has always been a chaos of boxes, trophies on shelves, and pictures of a brown-haired girl in pigtails with a smiling woman. His wife and daughter, I think.
“Sit down,” he says.
“Coach, I’m sorry if I was out of line, but those guys were—”
“Kian. Sit down.”
Kian? The sound of anything but Ishida out of his mouth is enough to get me to shut up and drop into the chair in front of him. There’s a soft look on his face, too soft for him. It worries me instantly, and I feel the dread drop into my chest like black ink in clear water.
“What’s wrong?” I ask. “Are you suspending me? Coach, please, I won’t survive it. Dylan could barely do it, and even if you kicked me off, it’s not like I could spend all my free time with him. I’d just be bored—”
“Will you let me speak?” he interjects.
I nervously bounce my leg, feeling the heel of my skate guard hit the ground. “Please don’t ban me from talking. That sucked last time.”
“Kian.”
I shut my mouth.
“I’m going to give you something, and I need you to keep your cool,” Kilner says cautiously. I’ve got a million questions, but then he pulls out a jersey. It’s folded, brand new, and when he rounds his desk to hand it to me, I see the seventy-six on the back. My number.
“What’s this for? I already have one.”
He shakes his head. “Not one like this.”
My brows pinch in confusion, and when I unravel the jersey, I’m still wondering what he’s talking about. Then I turn it around. And there’s a C stitched on the right side. Captain.
I can’t breathe. Fuck, I’m dying. I think I’m dying.
“You’re not dying.” Coach slaps a palm on my shoulder, and I exhale.
“Then what’s going on?” I ask slowly. “Are you dying?”
Coach deadpans.
“Oh my God. Is it because of me? All the years I’ve stressed you out. I’m so s—”
“Nobody is dying. Do you not realize what I’m trying to tell you?”
I scrutinize him, my gaze narrowing. “You’re pranking me.” I let out a derisive laugh. “I fucking knew it. I’m going to kill Dylan. How does he still have time for this? How did you even agree? Why? You never participate in any of my pranks.”
“Kian. Shut up and listen to me.”
So I do, and that burn in my chest comes to life.
“You’ve always been a leader. As much as you pretend like you’re not, you’re always the one doing the helping. You’re the captain of this team as long as you’re here, Ishida.”
I swear there are tears welling in my eyes. Everything stings at this moment. And I don’t think, I just spring up from the chair and pull the coach into the tightest hug I can.
He tries to resist, and I feel him about to push me away, but he doesn’t.
When I pull back, I blink rapidly.
“You’re good at what you do, Ishida. I need you to know that.”
“Thank you, Coach.”
Suddenly, there’s a loud crack and confetti pours into Kilner’s office. He grumbles, pulling an air horn out of a rookie’s hand.
There’s a collective chant of my name before they’re barreling me with hugs. They carry me right out of Coach’s office, and he waves us off, dismissing us twenty minutes early.
When we’re showered and changed, we head to the car, where I drag Cole and Sebastian with me to the bakery.
We grab the cake I ordered, and just as we’re driving toward the house, I spot a head of familiar red hair crossing the street toward Iona.
The guys protest when I park in the middle of the road, but there’s no traffic as I jog across the street to stop right in front of her.
Scarlett startles, pulling out her headphones when she sees me. “Kian?”
“I think it’s ‘Captain’ now.”
She blinks and then understands immediately. She doesn’t look nearly as surprised as I expected. It’s like she knew. “Oh! Congrats.”
“I couldn’t believe it. Kilner just told me.”
Her smile is light as she nods, taking a step back.
“We bought a cake,” I say, gesturing to the guys waiting for me in the car. “You wanna come over to celebrate?”
Her soft hair flutters with the breeze, and her refreshing scent washes over me like rain. “No, no, that’s okay. You should celebrate with your team.”
“Did something happen?” I ask.
“What? No! Nothing. I’m really, really happy for you, Kian. I just have stuff to catch up on for my TA course. But have fun, okay? You deserve it,” she says.
I watch her leave, and there’s only one thing on my mind when she disappears out of view. She didn’t hug me. It didn’t even look like she wanted to.
We drive back to the house in silence, but the moment we’re inside, Cole sounds the air horn. Dylan’s sleeping in his room, but I drag him out of bed, and I do the same to Aiden and Summer, who are not happy to be walked in on.
Summer’s still pulling on her robe, and Aiden is adjusting himself in his boxers, wearing pink slippers and staring at me with a menacing look.
“What’s going on, Ishida?” Aiden says.
Summer checks the time on her phone. “What news could you possibly have right now?”
“It better be good or I’m calling Tabitha,” Dylan grumbles in a sleepy voice. I would normally give him the finger for that comment, but I’m too damn happy.
“Sorry, what?” I cup my ear. “I only answer to Captain Ishida now.”
Summer gasps, shrieking loudly and running down the hall to give me the tightest hug. “That’s awesome. Kilner hid it so well.”
“Not that well,” Aiden says, giving me a knowing smile. “Couldn’t think of a better successor, Captain.”
“I’m not calling you that. You can kiss my ass.” Dylan rolls his eyes right before he pulls me into a tight hug. “It was always yours. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, Dill.”
I lead them all to the dining table, and we light the candles on the cake.
My friends start to sing a rendition of “Happy Birthday,” with the lyrics Happy Captaincy to you! I soak it all in, staring at the bright smiles on their faces.
Later that night, when I finally get back to my room, I fall into bed, pulling my phone out of my pocket and pressing the same number. It rings and goes to voicemail. Like always.
“Hey, Dad…”