Chapter 4
Jayden Allen
G ames night is a Hockey House tradition.
Most of us have been on the team since freshman year but we do get new members join us sometimes. Thus, we introduced games night, where one night before the season and classes become hectic, we bond through secrets, embarrassing truths and alcohol.
Usually, we host this night on a Friday or weekend, but all our schedules were too busy, so Monday was the only day we were available.
The strength and conditioning session earlier today was hard, however, consistency is vital to building fitness for the season ahead.
Tomorrow, we are completing drills on the ice, my favourite session.
This year Coach West has scheduled these sessions at night, which works better for my schedule as my classes are in the morning.
I slam my foot on the brakes as I turn into our driveway.
Who the fuck has parked in my spot? Although we don’t have official parking spots, it’s well known that I park my car in the second spot as I leave early in the morning for the gym.
Reversing, I search for a park on the street. I fucking hate the lack of parking at this place.
I grind my teeth against each other, blood boiling on the walk back to the Hockey House. My breathing is laboured, forcing me to focus.
I’m in control. The words rattle in my mind, eventually being drowned out by the booming music.
I head straight upstairs, entering my bedroom, I discard my bag before finding something to change into. A pair of black shorts and an old hockey jersey. I plug my phone and laptop in, placing my textbook on the wooden desk.
My only class today was Business Writing , which is a complete waste of time. To me, anyway. I’ve been studying Sports Business for four years; I think I know what I’m doing. But it’s a required class, so I will suffer through it.
My phone buzzes and my eyes scan the home screen.
Jazmine Allen:
Hey, Theo and I are leaving now.
Me:
Great. See you soon.
My frustrations alleviate slightly after reading Jaz’s message. I invited my sister and her boyfriend as they wanted something to do tonight.
During the hockey season, I don’t have time to spend time with her, so this was a compromise. Plus, the guys are good friends with both Theo and Jaz.
Then, there is the parking spot thief, Willow.
On the walk back, I realised whose car it was, causing my anger to spike further. Everything about her rubs me the wrong way, has done for years.
When we were younger, she was just my sister’s annoyingly loud friend. Then Willow decided to try hockey with me and Jaz. Unlike my sister and unfortunately for me, she loved it.
Next thing you know, Willow Rogers is everywhere I fucking look.
My chest constricts, breathing becoming a challenge. I inhale deeply, considering the next year. After senior year, I will escape her once and for all.
Upon opening my bedroom door, I run into the devil herself. Willow glares at me as if ran into her on purpose.
“Jayden,” Willow’s icy tone doesn’t scare me like it would everyone else.
“Willow,” I pause. “Do you usually steal people’s parking spots or is that a luxury reserved for me?”
Willow’s eyes narrow, while she tilts her head. “My mistake, I didn’t see your name on it.”
“You’re new here, but the final parking spot is mine because I leave early in the morning and I’m not walking three hundred yards to get to my car.”
Unfortunately, with only three parking spots that come with the house, people must park on the curb. The idiot who designed the road the Hockey House is situated on didn’t make them wide enough to both park cars and be able to drive. So, you have to walk a block just to park your car.
It is not convenient.
“What? So, I should have to walk. My mistake, your royal highness,” Sarcasm drips from her lips like a fine wine, a small smirk forming on Willow’s lips. “Besides, I also go to the gym in the morning. Guess I’ll be seeing you there,” she says, waving her fingers while walking off.
I clench my fists but follow Willow down the stairs, nonetheless. The music seems to have grown louder, with everyone from the team now situated in the lounge room. Even Jaz and Theo have arrived.
Luckily for us, the Hockey House contains a rather large lounge room, which is great for hosting gatherings between us or parties for the student body to enjoy.
The L-shaped couch becomes minuscule with Toby Hodge–the team’s goalie–Trent Newton, and Conner Lawson sitting on it. The latter boys are two of the team’s defensemen, so between the three of them, the usual five-seater couch has no more room.
My sister is sitting in Theo’s lap, her face lighting up as she catches up with Willow. I take a seat next to Cooper, who is pulling out a large cup and placing it in the centre of the coffee table.
“Hayes, Aiden! Get in here,” Cooper says.
The boys listen, taking a seat on the floor to the right of me. After we distribute drinks to everyone, Cooper starts us off.
“Welcome to Games Night Hockey House edition. First on the program is Twenty Plus One.”
The rules are you go in a circle and count to twenty-one. Once that number is reached, that person makes up a rule to replace a number. If you fuck it up, you drink. It doesn’t take long before everyone is forgetting the rules, and everyone is growing slightly tipsy.
After two hours and switching games up every now and then, we decide to play one final game: Never Have I Ever.
“Okay, never have I ever had sex?”
I roll my eyes at Aiden’s question. Of course he would ask something like that. I sip my cup, so does everyone in the room except for Cooper. Poor Cooper, although he seems to not mind.
“Do you mind if I ask why, Cooper?” Jaz asks.
Cooper’s smile is as bright as the sun. “Well, there’s no real answer. I have never really thought about it. Or in high school, there wasn’t anyone I was attracted to or trusted enough to be intimate with.”
Jaz smiles back at him. “That’s really sweet, Cooper. Well, you’re a catch, so I don’t know any girl who wouldn’t want to snatch you up.”
Theo tighten his grip on Jaz’s leg and I muffle my laugh. Despite Cooper’s inexperience, I think most guys would be jealous of him purely because he is so na?ve when it comes to women. Coops wouldn’t even mean to flirt with a girl but somehow that’s how it would come across.
“Alright, who’s next?” I say, wanting to move on.
“I’ve got one,” Willow says. “Never have I ever kissed someone of the same gender on the lips,”
Willow drinks and to my surprise, so does Jazmine. But what is even crazier is Cooper drinks too.
“Now, we’re talking, Powell. Do tell,” Aiden says, slapping Cooper's back.
Cooper rolls his eyes. “One of my friends in high school kissed me. He had struggled with his sexuality for a while and then one day asked if he could kiss me. I had kissed girls before, but obviously never slept with anyone, so I thought there wasn’t any harm in seeing if I liked guys too.”
“And what were your thoughts?” Willow asked.
Cooper shrugs his shoulders. “It was good. I’m not a fan of labels so I just go with the flow. If it happens again, it happens.”
“But enough about me, what about you and Jaz?”
Jaz and Willow laugh. “It was at a party in high school. Jaz was dared to either kiss a random guy or girl,”
“And I was too anxious to do that, so I just kissed Willow. It was barely a peck, though.”
I scrunch my eyebrows. I don’t even remember this party. I mean, I didn’t party that much in high school as I was too busy with hockey.
“Okay, I’ve got a new question,” Theo says. “Never have I ever kissed someone in this room?”
Theo, Jaz, and Sam all drink, while I try to remind myself to breathe. Oxygen rushes out of my chest and my eyes flicking towards Willow. I watch as she slowly brings the cup to her lips. I do the same.
Stupid. Fucking. Game.
Theo has a knowing smirk plastered across his face. I push down the urge to flip him off. Jazmine looks around the room, taking in everyone who sipped their cup. I watch as the puzzle pieces click into place for her.
“Wait,” Jazmine says, looking between us. “No.”
Five Years Ago – Meadow Beach
Missing hockey training to lounge around in our worn-down treehouse was not what I planned to do today. However, that is how I find myself–lying on my back, staring at the wooden ceiling.
I try to distract myself by following the cracks and water damage the treehouse has endured, but it doesn’t work.
Today I found out how high school really works, that there will always be toxic people pretending to be your friends. All my friends, who also happen to be my teammates, were discussing their new favourite topic: girls.
I mean, it makes sense. We are teenage boys but all of them were talking about who they’ve fucked and it hit me that I was the only person who hadn’t even kissed someone, let alone had sex.
I’ve been so caught up in hockey and dedicating myself to my future I forgot that sometimes you have to live in the present.
The worst part about this whole situation were the passive-aggressive comments that followed my declaration about never being with a girl.
As if these experiences define your masculinity and ability to be a ‘man.’ I hate it.
Even more, I hate that my sister’s boyfriend was part of this group bragging about sleeping with multiple people.
I knew I hated him for a fucking reason. And I will be telling my sister what went down because Jaz is my twin, my ride or die, no matter what.
So, she deserves to know her boyfriend is a piece of shit. His comments also didn’t match up because he has been seeing Jaz for nearly a year. If the asshole has been cheating on her, I won’t hesitate to deck him.
I sigh leaves me and my eyes flutter shut. Why the fuck am I letting these idiots get to me? I’ve got two more years and I will probably never see them again. My plan is to go to college, play hockey then make the NHL.
All are non-negotiable.