29. Noah
29
NOAH
T he puck drops, and we're off. I dart down the ice, weaving through defenders with the kind of agility that’s made me a nightmare for goalies across the league. Liam's to my right, his eyes scanning the ice with laser focus. Ethan's on my left, already shoving some poor guy out of his way. We’re in sync like never before.
"Liam, I'm open!" I shout, glancing over just as he flicks the puck to me with a precision pass.
I catch it on my stick and twist my body to avoid an oncoming defender. The rink lights reflect off the ice, creating a kaleidoscope of motion around us. Everything blurs except for the puck and my teammates.
Ethan skates up beside me, eyes locked on the goal. "Let's dance, boys."
We make our way into the offensive zone. Ethan feints left, then right, causing their defense to scramble. I take advantage of the confusion, passing the puck back to Liam who immediately sends it back to Ethan.
"Take the shot!" Liam commands, his voice cutting through the noise.
Ethan’s stick meets the puck with a crack that echoes through the arena. The goalie barely sees it coming before it hits the back of the net. The red light flashes, and we erupt in cheers.
"Hell yeah!" I holler, skating over to bump fists with Ethan and Liam.
"Nice setup," Ethan says gruffly but with a hint of a smile.
Liam grins at us both. "Keep this up, and we’ll have this series wrapped up tonight."
We line up for the next faceoff, our spirits high. It’s like a well-oiled machine now – every pass crisp, every movement fluid. Our personal bullshit? That’s what made us stronger out here.
A few minutes later, we’re back in our zone. The other team presses hard but we’re not letting anything through. Liam blocks a shot and clears it out to me in one smooth motion.
"Go, Noah!" he yells as I break away down the ice.
I dodge another defender and see Ethan ahead near their blue line. He gives me a quick nod – our silent agreement to push forward together.
I slap pass it to him just as he crosses into their territory. He handles it like he was born with a stick in his hand and makes a beeline for the net.
Ethan glances back at me and Liam. "Ready?"
We crash toward the goal together; Ethan passes to me last second as I lift my stick for a quick shot top-shelf – another point on board before they even know what hit them.
The horn sounds again – pure euphoria surges through me as fans scream themselves hoarse above us.
I catch a glimpse of Olivia in the stands, her bright green eyes locked onto the ice. She’s not officially covering us anymore, but she’s still here, cheering us on. Her presence fills me with a warmth that spreads through my chest and straight to my legs. Damn if it doesn’t make me skate faster.
As I skate by Liam, he nudges me. "Eyes on the puck, Kane," he says with a smirk.
"Just making sure our biggest fan is still here," I reply, giving him a wink.
He chuckles, shaking his head. "Focus, man."
Ethan skates up beside us as we line up for another faceoff. "You two done flirting?" His voice carries that familiar edge, but there's a twinkle in his eye.
I shoot back, "Just trying to keep it interesting for Olivia."
The ref drops the puck and we’re back at it. The game is tight, but our coordination has never been better. Every pass is crisp; every play executed with precision. We’re in the zone.
Midway through the second period, I intercept a pass and break away down the ice. The crowd roars as I weave through defenders, my heart pounding in my ears. I spot Ethan ahead and send the puck his way just as a defenseman tries to check me into the boards.
Ethan takes the pass and fires off a shot that sails past their goalie’s glove. The red light flashes again and the arena erupts.
Skating over to him, I slap his back. "Nice shot!"
"Thanks for the setup," he replies, grinning.
Liam joins us, his smile wide. "Let’s keep this momentum going."
We head back to the bench for a quick breather. Coach Bergman gives us an approving nod. "Keep it up out there."
As we sit down, I can’t help but glance up at Olivia again. She’s on her feet, clapping and cheering with an enthusiasm that makes my heart race even faster than the game does.
Liam follows my gaze and nudges me again. "She really gets to you, huh?"
I shrug, trying to play it cool. "She gets to all of us."
Ethan leans in from the other side of Liam. "Let's give her something to cheer about then."
The whistle blows and we’re back on the ice. The third period is intense – hits are harder, plays are faster – but we hold our ground.
With two minutes left on the clock and the game tied, we’re pushing hard for that final goal. Liam blocks a shot and clears it out to me in one smooth motion. I dart down the ice with Ethan hot on my heels.
"Now or never," Liam shouts as he follows us into their zone.
I pass to Ethan who takes a quick shot, but their goalie deflects it right back to me. Without thinking, I shoot again – this time finding the back of the net.
The horn blares and we swarm together in celebration as fans scream themselves hoarse above us.
The game clock ticks down to the final seconds, the score tied 3-3. Sweat trickles down my face, but I barely notice. My entire focus is on the puck sliding under my stick, the thundering roar of the crowd fading into background noise.
I weave through defenders with practiced agility, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline as I move. One of their defensemen lunges at me, but I sidestep him easily.
The puck sails across the ice, and Ethan winds up for a slapshot that looks like it might tear the net apart. Less than a second on the clock, everything hinges on this.
"Ethan, now!" I yell, my voice barely cutting through the chaos.
He unleashes the shot, his stick slicing through the air with a blistering crack. The arena falls silent, the puck soaring in slow motion. My heart stops. Everyone's eyes are glued to that small black disk.
The puck hits the back of the net just as the buzzer sounds. The silence shatters into deafening cheers. We’ve done it. We’ve fucking done it.
"Yeah!" Liam roars, pumping his fist in the air.
I skate over to Ethan, grinning like an idiot. "Hell of a shot, Reynolds!"
He nods, still catching his breath but smirking back. "Couldn't have done it without you two."
We pull Liam into our huddle, helmets knocking together as we celebrate like maniacs. The crowd’s roar is a wall of sound that vibrates through my bones. I glance up at the stands and spot Olivia, her face glowing with excitement and pride. Our eyes meet for a split second before she’s swept up in the euphoria around her.
The crowd’s roar vibrates through my bones as we untangle ourselves from the celebratory mob. Ethan's eyes flicker towards the stands where Olivia is cheering like she’s one of us. She catches our gaze and gives a small, proud nod.
Liam catches my eye again, smirking. "You see her, she's fucking glowing."
"Yeah, as she should be" I respond, feeling a strange mix of pride and longing.
In that moment of unspoken understanding among us all—amidst the noise and chaos of victory—I realize this is just another beginning.