35. Maya
Maya
The noise echoing in the arena is deafening; fans, friends, everyone screaming in elation when Colton Crosby scores the last goal during the shootout, winning the game for Saint Augustine.
Chloe, Dani, and I stand alongside everyone else in the crowd, our voices blending into the cacophony around us. The team rushes to Colt, hugging him, patting him on the back, throwing their helmets and celebrating their hard-fought win.
“Holy shit! I can’t believe they won!” Chloe shouts, grabbing my arm and bouncing up and down.
I watch Jamie hug Colt on the ice and my heart swells.
The shootout was nerve wracking, but Jamie was cool and collected during his turn on the ice.
He didn’t falter as he executed his perfect trick shot.
As corny as it sounds, watching him play is like watching a legend in action.
He truly is as amazing as my dad always thought he’d be.
The team finishes celebrating, shaking hands with Maryland. Dani grips my arm as Drake clasps hands with Jamie, then Beau, and finally Colt, but all the boys are civil—if a tad stiff—during their farewell.
Stella Anderson races over the boards, launching herself into her boyfriends arms, and the relief, love, and admiration radiating off of the couple is almost enough to bring tears to my eyes. I wish I could go down and congratulate Jamie in the same way.
After the crowd had dispersed, Dani received a text from Stella that the team and some others were going to celebrate at Ale Mary’s—the bar just off campus that the team loves to frequent—and invited us to join. Chloe decided to forgo the bar, going home after the game.
Walking in, the sound of conversation, laughter, and loud music pulls a smile from my lips.
I’ve never been, but I can see exactly why the team loves to spend their time here.
It’s charming, with it’s antique looking light fixtures and pool tables and neon signs scattered across the walls.
The polished wooden floor isn’t sticky and the seats of the booths are clean leather instead of ripped up vinyl.
Ale Mary’s is clean and quaint, lacking the usual college bar grime.
Stella spots us from across the room, where her and a group of the Knights are standing around a few high top tables.
I briefly lock eyes with Jamie, and he tries to hide a pleased smile that I’m here.
“Hi!” Stella greets with a smile, pulling Dani into a quick hug after waving us over.
When she turns her attention to me, I step forward to introduce myself.
“You must be Stella. I’m Maya, I’ve heard so much about you!”
Stella pulls me into a light, friendly hug, smiling widely as she pulls back.
“I’m so glad to finally meet you, Maya. I can’t believe it’s taken this long for us to be introduced,” she laughs.
Her green eyes are bright with that carefree glow that comes with genuine happiness and a little bit of alcohol.
“Have you met all the guys? Colt?” Stella asks, turning and gesturing toward the table of boys.
“I know most of them, but I don’t know that we’ve been formally introduced,” I chuckle.
“Hey, Maya! Hey, Dani!” Drew calls, coming around the table and wrapping an arm around each of our shoulders, pulling us both into a hug with a laugh. The blond shakes us affectionately, as if we’re close friends he hasn’t seen in a long time.
“Drewski, let them go,” Jamie instructs from the other side of the table, but is smirking behind his beer bottle all the same.
“I think Cap’s jealous I can hug you in public and he can’t,” Drew whispers near my ear, the faint smell of liquor clinging to his breath.
Smiling, I pull out from under his arm. “I think he’ll live.”
Colton Crosby saunters up behind Stella, wrapping a muscular arm around the front of her chest. She leans back into him, allowing his body to hold her upright. He plants a soft kiss to her temple before flashing a friendly smile in our direction.
“Dani, long time, no see,” he teases, then turns to greet me. “Maya, I don’t know that we’ve ever actually talked before; if we have, I’m sorry I don’t remember.”
“No, we haven’t, so no need to apologize. Congratulations on your game tonight. I know that was a huge win for you,” I offer, hoping he hears the sincerity in my voice, and he returns my praise with bashful thanks and another smile.
The group falls into easy small talk, discussing the game, classes, school drama. Drew brings Dani and I both Vodka-Crans as we mingle.
After an hour of chatting, stealing glances at Jamie from across the way, a live band takes the stage, replacing the DJ.
“So, Dani, how are you liking St. A’s?” Stella asks. All of the boys have either fallen deep enough into their cups that they’re now on the dance floor, or they’ve taken up an intense looking game of pool.
Dani drags her eyes away from where I know she was watching Beau Warren at the bar as he talks to a pretty girl in a pink dress. “It’s good! I think I’m getting into the swing of being here. If we count Maya, you, and Chloe, that makes three friends already!”
Dani’s tone is humorous, if self-deprecating, but Stella just gives her a polite smile and replies with, “I’m glad the transition is going well. Nora and I are always down to have a girls’ night at our place if y’all ever want to join.”
I grin, both at the invite and at the slip of her southern accent coming out.
Stella’s gaze snags on something over my shoulder, and the three of us turn as the lead singer of the band on stage—a guy our age with a messy bun holding back his blond hair—points toward a pool table.
They finish the song they’re currently playing, and Man Bun hops down to ground level, bee-lining straight for Jamie.
With an arm thrown over his shoulder, they have a quick chat with their heads bent before he heads back to the mic and Jamie makes his way to our table.
He deposits his half-empty beer—I’ve lost count on how many he’s had, but the shine in his eyes tells me he’s feeling pretty good—in front of me with a mischievous smile.
“Ladies,” he greets, “care to watch my drink for a second? I’ve been summoned.”
“No way!” Stella nearly shrieks. “You’re going to sing?”
“Afraid so. Get your ear plugs ready,” he laugh, shooting me a wink and a smirk before following Man Bun up to the stage.
“I only just put two and two together about who his dad is recently, and Colt says he’s weird about performing and being in the spotlight.
This feels huge,” Stella explains, wrapping a protective hand around Jamie’s bottle.
The gesture makes me smile, because she’s the type of person to look out for anyone, even without knowing his history.
Or that he most likely left the beer for me to watch, not her. But I won’t tell her that.
“He’s not opposed to performing; I think he just doesn’t like taking the spotlight for himself,” I say without thinking.
Stella gives me a curious looks, and Dani’s eyes bore into the side of my head.
I shrug, hoping to feign nonchalance. “He’s Captain of my dad’s team.
I have had a conversation with the guy before. ”
Dani nods, feeding into my fib. “That’s actually kind of sweet of him. Humble.”
Stella looks back to the stage with contemplation. “I can see that,” she says. “He’s always given off an air of humility, I just never thought to put a word to it before.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, do I have a treat for you tonight,” Man Bun announces loudly into his mic. “The son of one of my personal idols is in the house tonight. Saint Augustine’s very own Jameson Booker has agreed to play a song with us for you all tonight!”
Jamie smiles as he shares one of those handshake-turned-hug-thing that boys do with Man Bun. The crowded bar fills with cheers as someone brings out a second guitar and microphone for Jamie to use.
“Just one song,” he says, and the crowd laughs, “then I’ve got to get back to celebrating with my boys.” He points over toward our tables, where all his teammates have slowly migrated back to, abandoning their game in favor of watching Jamie perform.
The people in the bar cheer even louder, applauding the Knights and their win. On stage, Jamie and Man Bun step in close, discussing what they should play.