Chapter 3
THREE
SUTTON
“ Y eah! Go Cyclones! Woo!” My shouts can be heard above the roar of the crowd in the packed arena as the buzzer sounds another goal.
I look over and see my best friend sitting down, tuning out the noise from the game as she focuses on her coloring pages. “Lena! Come on!” My smile is wide as I scoot closer and nudge her with my elbow. “Why aren’t you cheering? The Cyclones just scored another goal.”
“Ugh. Yeah. Big whoop. Yay Cyclones.” Her voice is bored, and she doesn’t bother looking up from her homework. “It’s just another hockey game.”
“Eliana. You should show more respect for your brother.” Mrs. Robinsky leans down to gently scold her daughter.
“Mom! It’s so boring! Why do we even have to be here? I don’t understand why I couldn’t just stay with Sutty at her house tonight.”
“Because. We are supporting your brother, Eliana. Just as he supports you by coming to all of your gymnastics showcases when he isn’t at one of his away games. It’s what families do. We support each other.” Mrs. Robinsky’s voice is more stern this time but Lena just scowls.
“Besides, Sutton’s parents said that she wanted to come to the game with us tonight. Sutton actually likes hockey.”
Lena looks up at me now, her nose crinkled as she responds. “No, she doesn’t. She just likes watching Cal play.”
Oh. My. Gosh. She did not just say that. To their mom!
“Lena!” I squeal. “Shut up! That’s not true and you know it!
I just have fun being at the games.” Daddy is their coach, so I go to a lot of the games, even when Lena is gone for one of her gymnastics things.
I used to be bored with it and would just bring my notebook to color in or write in my journal, but now that I’m older , I have actually had more fun watching the games.
I am a fifth grader, after all. I can enjoy watching hockey.
And not just because Lena’s brother is on the team.
“Whatever.” Lena just rolls her eyes and goes back to working in her notebook.
There’s a loud commotion as the crowd cheers and shouts, and I quickly look back to the ice. Cal has the puck and is close to the goal, but another player crashes into him, jabbing Cal with their elbow as they try to steal the puck. I bite my lip, nervously watching to see what happens.
Cal is fighting with them over the puck still, and I let out the breath I was holding as Frankie comes up to his side to bump the other player out of his way so Cal can make a break for it.
Benny and Jeremy skate over, catching up to them, and help block the other players as Cal makes a dash towards the net.
My heart races and palms are sweaty as I rub them on my pants, anxious to see what happens.
There’s a shuffle of movement, and I can’t see what happens because too many players are in the way, but as I try to lean closer to the people next to me to get a better view, the buzzer sounds.
Cal scored a goal, winning the game, and my stomach flutters.
I can’t help the smile that breaks across my face as I cheer with the rest of the crowd.
“Oh my gosh! You did so great!” I gush as Cal shuffles out of the locker room carrying his large bag full of all his hockey gear. We’re waiting in the hall with the rest of the parents to collect all of Cal’s teammates after the game.
“Uh.” Cal’s cheeks turn red as he runs a hand through the back of his hair. “Yeah, thanks Shorty.”
Ugh. I wish he would stop calling me Shorty. It’s so annoying. I’m only shorter because I’m three years younger than he is. But one of these days, I’m gonna grow up like him, and then he won’t be able to call me short anymore.
“Cal, got all your stuff?” Mr. Robinsky asks, and after Cal nods silently back at him. Cal’s dad continues, “Alright kiddos, let’s head out then. Sutton, your Dad has to stay behind for a bit to finish a few things up, so you’re gonna ride back home with us kiddo.”
I grin. That means I get to spend more time with Lena and Callum.