10. Zane Ortiz
10
Zane Ortiz
“Earth to Ortiz!” Carson’s voice breaks through my haze, snapping me back to reality. I blink and quickly realize that my hands have been absentmindedly sharpening my skates for tomorrow’s game, but my thoughts could not be further away.
“You’ve been off today, man. Everything okay?”
The whole team sensed something off about my performance on the ice. Usually, I glide effortlessly, but my mind wasn’t in practice today. Every stride felt forced, every move unnatural. It’s not like me to struggle with feeling sluggish while skating.
“Everything’s fine. Just got a few things on my mind,” I reply, brushing off his concern. I don’t want to burden him with my thoughts, especially about a girl.
“Missing that many shots ain’t like you, Ortiz,” Carson says with a frown. He’s right. Losing focus on the ice isn’t me. And getting distracted by a woman who doesn’t seem interested ?
Definitely not me.
“It won’t happen again,” I assure him with a tight-lipped smile.
“It better not. We need you back on your A-game tomorrow.” He taps my shoulder, jolting me back to the present once again.
Tyler calls us in for a team huddle, discussing game strategy against tomorrow’s opponent. Yet, my mind is stuck replaying my encounters with Pearl. It’s getting ridiculous how much space she occupies in my thoughts, especially when she seems to want nothing to do with me.
I can’t wrap my head around why she’s keeping me at arm’s length. Randy mentioned she’s a regular during lunchtime, so I broke my rule and waited for her, risking being noticed for over an hour, just for her to dismiss me. It’s frustrating to put in that effort only to be met with indifference. All I wanted was a chance to get to know her. She’s been intriguing from the moment I laid eyes on her. How is showing interest not a compliment to a woman?
I initially thought her hesitance was because of our professional relationship, but now that there’s none, I’m just confused.
She’s definitely a tough nut to crack—every interaction feels like a puzzle I can’t solve. There’s this inviting aura about her, and she seems to want to help me and is committed to finding the right therapist for me. That level of dedication is something I can’t help but admire. That’s why I mentioned the referral today, even though I’m not exactly enthusiastic about counseling. But if it means she’ll think about me, even just a little, I’ll keep that thread going.
For the first time in my life, my interest in a woman has been genuinely piqued, and I don’t know how to pull back.
There’s something about her that makes every stumble worth it. If she’s playing hard to get, count me in. I’ll match her move for move and I’ll enjoy every minute of the chase. And if she’s guarding her heart from another potential heartbreak, I’ll be right there to prove that I’m not like those other guys. I’ll be the one who brings a smile, not tears.
What I know for sure now is that she’s definitely not a fan of mine, or even of the Glaciers for that matter. But strangely, none of that seems to faze me. I’m more than willing to seek her out, even if she’s cheering in an opposing team’s jersey. Although I’d like nothing more than to see her in my jersey, even just for a moment, to experience the rush it would bring.
“Are you with me, man?” Tyler’s concern pierces through his eyes as he turns to me. I nod, though inwardly I’m anything but.
I join the chant as we pump ourselves up and get fired up for tomorrow’s game.
Coach pulls me aside and asks in a low voice. “Wanna tell me what’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Nothing, Coach. Just a rough day. I’m all focused for tomorrow’s game,” I reply loudly, trying to dispel any doubts anyone might have. I’d never let my crazy thoughts cost us a game. It’s frustrating, though, to realize that a woman has this much power over me.
No one has ever had this effect on me.
“Whatever it is, you know you can always talk to me. I know Pearl is looking for another therapist for you. I was sad to hear she didn’t change her mind about working with you,” Coach mentions, and I can’t help but wince at the mention of Pearl.
Not only does she not want to work with me, but she also doesn’t want to spend even a minute talking to me in public.
I nod, appreciating Coach’s concern. He’s always been invested in my personal life and has been aware of my family history from the start. He tries to support me whenever he can. But I wonder if his kindness stems from a sense of obligation as my coach, or if it genuinely comes from a place of care.
That’s the problem with me. I find it difficult to simply accept people’s kindness at face value. I spend more time than necessary trying to dissect their motives.