Chapter 30
thirty
Kyler
This is the day I’ve waited for all year, a chance to win the National Championship in Division III hockey.
To say a win will open doors is an understatement.
Every time NU is present in the final game, it proves how much of a hockey powerhouse we are.
It shows potential teammates we are here to compete, and we do so every year.
But this stage is different. Scouts from every NHL program will be in attendance, taking notes and videos of what we do on the ice—of what I do on the ice.
An offer to join a team could come as early as tomorrow, or I could decide to enter the draft officially.
Either way, a win changes things for everyone involved.
Sure, we will raise a conference banner for the fifteenth time when the season starts back up in the fall, but it’s the coveted championship banner we want.
It’s what we worked our asses off for all season.
The bumps, bruises, and exhaustion all lead up to this.
I’m the first one on the side for the skate around.
I need this time to focus, to imagine the game in my head, to picture a shootout with just me and the goalie.
I can see it all playing out. I fake left, he goes right, but I take the shot and hit the left corner of the net.
The light behind the goalie turns red, and he hangs his head, knowing the game is over.
Within seconds, my teammates are next to me.
Gloves tossed in the air and sticks forgotten.
Only, I don’t want it to happen this way.
While I welcome the challenge of overtime and a shootout, I want a seamless game.
I want goals. I like the score padded so the other team can’t catch up.
I don’t want to look at the scoreboard with three minutes left and see we’re tied.
It’s an uneasy feeling, and I hate the pressure.
Coaches and teammates can say there isn’t any pressure, but that’s not the case.
I bear the weight of winning on my shoulders.
It comes with being one of the best centers in the divisions.
The expectation of me is to score and score often.
The sound of my blades cutting through the ice calms me.
Watching shards of ice spray against the board when I stop excites me.
I need these emotions right now because my heart is heavy.
I stupidly fell for Thea, to the point where the words I love you almost came out of my mouth.
So many times, I wanted to tell her, but am now thankful I held back.
Saying those words to her, and having everything happen, would’ve destroyed me even further because they would’ve meant nothing to her.
They’re words she’s heard repeatedly from Adam Nelson.
I shudder at his name popping into my head.
How can Jude and Thea even associate with people like the Nelsons?
Let alone my sister. Since the revelation of Lacey being a Nelson, I’ve had a hard time believing someone as sweet as her can be half of that demented family.
Although, I suppose they’re not all demented.
Mrs. Nelson seems to be the only nice one, although I have a hard time believing she had no idea what her piece-of-shit husband was up to.
Maybe this is how things work in their family—secrecy.
When—if—I ever get married, I don’t want to be someone who hides things from my wife.
Speaking of Mrs. Nelson, she will be in attendance at tonight’s game, having made the trip to New York to watch us play.
When she asked for a ticket, my first inclination was to say no, but it’s hard to deny someone who has stepped up for Lacey and my sister.
Mrs. Nelson has made good on her word, and next month Ally, Lacey, and my mom move into a three-bedroom house.
It has a fenced yard, is across from a park, and is within walking distance of Lacey’s school.
Ally also has a brand-new car, and Mrs. Nelson has found my mom a stable job.
She’s also encouraged me to cash the check from her son.
I haven’t yet because I’m afraid of the ramifications.
I don’t need someone to tell me to stay away from Thea.
I can do that on my own. I fear Adam will see this as owning me, and no one owns me.
Jude skates onto the ice and nods at me.
There’s been a strain on our relationship since everything went down.
I know he blames me for his sister’s tears.
I get it because her heart is broken, and I’m partly to blame for it, but so is mine.
Does he blame her too, or am I the only one at fault?
Jude doesn’t understand the situation. He doesn’t know what it is like to struggle, to have everything ripped away from you, or have a mother who can’t function like an average person.
Jude and Thea come from a loving two-parent home, where they always had food on the table, a roof over their heads, and didn’t have to depend on anyone to survive.
When I found out Thea trusted Adam, even for a second, it killed me and destroyed any amount of trust I had built with her.
One moment and Thea allowed Adam to rip my family apart—a family I do everything I can to protect.
Jude does a couple of laps on the ice and then heads toward me.
On the ice, we’re good. We’re strong teammates and have the same goal in common—to win.
At home, I stay in my bedroom for the most part and avoid house dinners altogether.
I know I don’t have to, but it’s easier than being near Thea.
Jude pushes his helmet up and starts to say something when the sound of pucks hitting the ice gets our attention.
I glance over my shoulder and see the rest of our teammates are coming out of the locker room.
Our chat, or whatever we were about to have, will have to wait. We have a game to play.
* * *
The horn sounds, and the second period ends.
I check the scoreboard and smile at our two-shot lead.
After forty minutes of play, Jude hasn’t allowed a single goal, and that’s something to be celebrated.
When we get to the locker room, we’re loud and boisterous.
Everyone pumps each other up. We can taste the victory.
Only twenty minutes left, and we’ll raise the NCAA National Championship Trophy.
In twenty minutes a lot can happen.
Coach tells us to sit, and he starts drawing on the whiteboard.
He sketches the plays we know by heart, reminding us of where we need to be on the attack.
He jabs the marker into the board for emphasis, each blue dot driving home the fact we’re so close to securing the title.
Coach tries to hide his excitement, but it’s there, bubbling underneath the blazer he wears.
“Three minutes,” the locker room attendant says.
“Huddle up,” Coach says. We gather as best as we can around him, and each of us holds a hand high in the air. “All you got for twenty minutes.”
“Let’s do this!” I shout, and the guys follow up with, “NU!”
We head toward the ice and wait for the buzzer to sound.
Then, with one minute left in the intermission, we take the ice.
We skate around, breaking up the clean ice and warming up our legs.
Jude scuffs the crease, ensuring it’s the way he likes it.
He taps each side of the goal post with this stick when he's ready.
I skate to him and slap his shin guards.
“This is ours,” he says.
“Yeah, it is.” That’s when I notice the sign behind Jude and the one to the right of it.
I spin slowly and see there’s a sign in every other pane of glass, each with my name on them.
I try to read the ones near me but can’t make out all the words because there’s a glare from the lights.
The whistle sounds, and I skate to the center, looking left and right.
The referee stands at center ice, poised to drop the puck. I glance at the center for Augsburg State, and he smirks. “I’d probably cheat on you too,” he says just as the ref blows his whistle and tosses the puck down.
I forget about the puck and lower my shoulder to catch the center off guard.
He groans when we make contact and goes down hard on the ice.
I expect a whistle, but nothing follows.
Brad March has the puck, and he’s skating toward the goalie.
Mike Dowling throws a block to one of the defenders just as Jayson Woodell gets the puck from Brad.
I barrel forward, pumping my legs as hard as I can.
I pull my stick back, and Jayson passes the puck.
The timing is perfect. The blade and the puck collide, and the black disc travels through the air.
Everything comes to a standstill as we wait to see what the goalie will do.
The red-light flashes, and instantly my teammates gather around me.
It doesn’t seem real until the announcer screams into the microphone, “GOAL!”
I lead the team past our bench, slapping gloves with our teammates, and then down to Jude. “Nice goal,” he says.
“Thanks, man.”
Coach motions for me to head to the bench.
With a three-goal lead, he’s going to let me rest. I’m not sure I want to, but it’s better to have fresh legs down the stretch if needed.
I sit on the end and thank my teammates for their accolades.
I feel someone looking at me and turn to find Thea there, with a pane of glass separating us.
She’s wrapped up in a hat, scarf and gloves and is wearing one of my hoodies.
I curse my heart for skipping a beat because she looks so damn beautiful.
“Nice job,” she says.
“Thanks,” I reply, trying to keep my voice neutral.
“What’s with the signs?” I nod toward the one nearest to me.
I’ve only caught a few words like my name, I’m sorry, please forgive me, kick-ass, and you’re the best. I don’t know what all of them say, but it was enough for the other center to get a shoulder in his gut.
“You won’t talk to me at the house, so I had to do something.”
“This is definitely something,” I tell her, and this time I can’t help the smile forming on my face. I go back to watching the game.
There are thirty seconds on the clock when Coach sends me back in. Nolan scored a goal, putting us up by four giving me more time on the bench. As much as I want to play, I’m thankful we have a fat lead, and there’s no stress in this game.
The NU bench clears when the final horn sounds, and our gloves and helmets fly. We skate toward Jude and tackle him. Everyone screams, and our theme song plays overhead.
“Holy fuck,” I hold Jude’s face in my hands. “Holy fucking fuck!”
“We did it, man. We fucking did it!”
Nolan and Devon find us, and we celebrate. These are the guys I’m closest to and wouldn’t want this victory with anyone else. I congratulate each of my teammates and, finally, our coach. We hug, and he cries.
“You earned this, Rose.”
“I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
After a few minutes of celebration, the arena staff rolls out some carpet, and our trophy presentation begins. The NCAA representative stands behind a table with three trophies in front of him.
“I want to thank you all for coming to the Division III National Championship for hockey.
I also want to congratulate Northport University and Augsburg State for their tremendous seasons and the game they just played.
I know the teams are eager to celebrate with their families and get home.
So, without further ado, the most outstanding player in the tournament goes to Jude Jenson, who allowed only two goals throughout the tournament.
Jude skates forward and collects his award. He holds it above his head, and every NU person in the crowd and on the ice applauds for him. I’m happy Jude won. He deserves it.
“And next, the presentation for our runners-up, Augsburg State. Their captain skates forward and collects their trophy. He holds it, but their applause is subdued.
“And finally, the presentation for our national champions, Northport University.” I skate to the table, shake the representative’s hand, and take the trophy from him.
I hold it up and skate toward the family section.
Everyone cheers, and people bang on the glass.
That’s when I notice Thea, holding a sign that reads, “To them, you’re a champ.
To me, you’re the love of my life. I love you, Ky! ”
Holy shit, she’s in love with me. This time, I can’t help but smile.
My teammates gather around, and each takes turns holding the trophy. Then, we meet at center ice for the customary photo of us, and we each hold our index finger up. Slowly, we start to head toward the locker room. I spot my mom, sister, and Lacey standing with Thea. I go to Lacey and scoop her up.
“I’m so happy,” she says as I skate around the ice with her.
“Me too, Lacey-Bear.”
“Did you see Thea’s sign?” she asks, and I nod in response.
“Are you in love with her?” she asks.
“I think so,” I say honestly.
Lacey nods. “You should tell her, Uncle Ky, because she loves you lots.”
I set her back down next to Ally and then glide toward Thea. “So, you’re in love with me, huh?”
She nods.
“That’s good, because I’m definitely in love with you.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, but we gotta get one thing straight between us if we’re going to be together.”
“What’s that?” she asks.
“No more secrets. No more lies. And definitely, no more Adam.”
“That’s a promise I can definitely keep.”
I pull Thea into my arms and kiss her, ignoring the catcalling and whistles from some of my teammates. It’s a damn good thing I know how to balance on blades because when we come up for air, we’re feet away from the bench.
“I love you, Thea. I never thought I’d say those words to someone.”
“I love you too, Ky. Thank you for showing me what true love really feels like.”
I kiss her again and then twirl her around.
They say bad things come in threes, but good things do too. NU won the championship, I potentially have some offers on the table, and I got my girl back.
Today has turned out to be the best day ever.