Chapter 27
Jayden Allen
T oday is our last training session before the final regular season game. Everyone is brimming with excitement, the first round of the Frozen Four right around the corner. As a team, this has been our best performing season, and it shows when recognising the individual efforts from the players.
After a couple of road bumps, Willow fit into the team seamlessly. Now, we are set to be one of the top seeds going into the playoffs, which means everyone will be out to get us. Lakewood needs to find a new level in two weeks’ time.
I stand next to Coach West, watching my teammates work on defensive drills. It has been one of our strengths this season, and it will be vital if we are to make it to the Frozen Four.
Aiden and Willow are going against each other, one verse one. My eyes lock onto their footwork, specifically Willow’s. She falls for Aiden’s fake-out, moving in the wrong direction.
It’s the third time this has happened today. Coach and I share a look. We don’t know what’s going on, but I did notice Willow grabbing at her side for most of the session.
The last thing we need is one of our star players injured. Suddenly, shouts are coming from the end of the ice.
“Willow!”
“We need help over here.”
Fuck. Cooper and Aiden’s voices are consumed by worry, causing me to rush over. Willow has collapsed, but Toby caught her before she collided with the ice.
I bark orders, telling Toby to move her off the ice, while we get the medic. She is unconscious, her pale skin cool to the touch. I knew something was up. I should have stopped her sooner.
I shake my head, trying to give her my full attention. Toby places her on the bottom stand, and she jolts up. All of us swarm on Willow, convincing her to sit down.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Cooper asks.
Willow looks between everyone, clearly in shock. I kneel, interlacing our fingers. “Hey,” I say, pulling her attention my way. “You passed out. And I’ve seen you grab at your side one too many times this session.”
Willow finds her voice. “I’m fine. Nothing I can’t handle,”
I grit my teeth, looking over my shoulder to find Coach West coming this way with the medic.
“I don’t need medical attention." She growls. "If you all must know, I’ve got my fucking period and it feels like someone is stabbing me in my stomach.”
I cover my smile, while the others share a terrified look. Some of the guys have sisters, so they understand, however, I’m sure the others are petrified. Willow is scary normally, but this is another level.
“Training is finished for the day,” Coach says.
“What? No, I’m fine. Let’s go again,” Willow says, while holding her stomach.
Fine. I hate that fucking word coming from Willow’s lips.
Coach shakes his head. “Not happening. Go home and rest.” He looks at the boys. “That is a directive for everyone.”
She grumbles but listens. The others collect their bags and exit the arena. I laugh after seeing Willow snatch her bag from Cooper’s arms.
The poor guy is trying to help, but if there is one thing Willow hates, it is people assuming she can’t do something because she is bleeding.
I stay behind, helping Coach pack the equipment away. After I’m finished, I pull out my buzzing phone.
Hockey Heroes – Group Chat
Willow Rogers:
WHO ATE MY CHOCOLATE?
I’M NOT ABOVE BODILY HARM
I chuckle. Rookie error.
Aiden Carter:
Not me
Hayes Nelson:
Nope
Willow Rogers:
I WILL FIND OUT.
Once I get out of bed.
I sigh, pulling up my private message with Willow.
Me:
Do you need me to buy you chocolate?
Anything else?
Willow Rogers:
Tampons.
I guess I’m going shopping.
***
I walk directly to Willow’s bedroom when I arrive back at the Hockey House. My fingers clench the shopping bags tighter as I enter her room.
Willow is still in her bed, allowing me to observe her. She is tucked under the blanket, yet I can see her legs tucked into her chest.
I sigh, making my way to the bathroom. I unpack the tampons, placing them in the basket under the sink.
“Jayden, is that you?”
I trip over the discarded clothes and a random shoe on the floor. I need to be by her side, doing anything I can to remove the pain. I climb under the covers, Willow turning to me with pain written on her face, colour still not returning to it.
“Are you okay?”
She sniffles, a small sob leaving her lips. “It’s fucking excruciating. I hate that I couldn’t finish training. You’d think I’d be used to the pain by now, but–”
Instinctively, my hand reaches out to cup her cheek. I wipe a stray tear away, my chest tightening at the fact I can’t do anything to ease the pain. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about hockey. I know you have painful periods. Do you have a heating pack?”
Willow furrows her eyebrows. “How do you know that?”
I swallow. “I heard you and Jaz talking about it once,”
She nods, accepting my answer. What I don’t tell her is, I googled everything about periods in high school after she couldn’t attend classes or training for days. It was after this I realised how terrible menstruating sounded.
I also don’t tell Willow that I’m the person who made her and Jaz period care packages every month. Delivering it to Willow’s house, only to claim it was from Jaz or my mum.
It’s the reason I have Willow’s favourite chocolate, snacks, and preferred tampon brands seared into my brain.
“Did you get the chocolate?”
I laugh. “Yes.”
I reach down the side of the bed, pulling out a bar of Hershey’s and Reece’s peanut butter cups. “Which one?”
Willow snatches the peanut butter cups from my hand, ripping it open and popping one into her mouth. “Hmm. This is so good,” she moans.
She finishes the pack off, resuming her position under the covers. Her eyes bore into mine as if she were looking into my soul. It’s piercing, striking my heart in more ways than one.
Willow has me by the fucking balls, and I don’t even care. Her hand reaches out to mine, intertwining our fingers. I inhale sharply. The contact is intimate and nothing like the other times we’ve been together.
“Did you know they were my favourites?” she asks, her head nodding to the empty pack of chocolate.
I decided not to lie. “Yes.”
Willow’s bottom lip quivers slightly. I move closer to her, wanting to do something–anything to ease the pain. “Will a massage help your cramps?”
Willow rears back in surprise or possibly disbelief. “You–” She smiles, shaking her head. “You would do that for me?”
I would do anything for you.
The words are pounding against my skull, begging to be screamed aloud or whispered into Willow’s ear. But I don’t say them.
Instead, I extend my hands to Willow’s waist and gently turn her so her back is against my torso.
“Where’s the pain, Sweetheart?” I ask, my fingers lingering on her stomach.
She sucks in a breath but wraps her fingers around my wrist and drags it to her lower stomach. I begin tracing my fingers in a small circle, using light pressure as I don’t want to make anything worse.
“You can press harder, Jayden. I’m not going to break,” Willow whispers.
I pull myself closer to her, feeling our bodies flush against each other. Listening to Willow’s wants, I continue the massage with more pressure. Short moans fall from Willow’s full, pink lips–lips that I really want to kiss.
I drag my nose up her neck, inhaling the lavender scent that belongs to Willow. I could drown myself in her and I wouldn’t be mad, in fact, I’d probably thank her for allowing me to be close to her.
Ten minutes later, I stop massaging Willow but leave my hands attached to her skin. I wish I could touch her like this every day.
It’s these small moments that have me wondering: did I waste years avoiding the intense emotions Willow sparked inside me because I was scared? Scared to offer my love to someone who has the chance to ruin me forever.
Contentment rumbles through my body as I run my hand over Willow’s messy curls. She sighs, leaning back into me without a care in the world. Willow never exposes herself, not wanting anyone to see her vulnerabilities or hidden scars.
But right now, the two of us are at peace. There is no need to talk, the silence is enough. I watch as Willow’s breathing evens out and her eyes flick shut.
She doesn’t try to leave my arms. It’s the opposite, Willow melts into my hold and I cling to her, wanting to savour this for as long as I can.
I think I’ve been tethered to Willow Rogers for years, whether I acknowledged it or not. I used to curse her for consuming my mind—no, my heart. Now, I realise it’s a fucking privilege to be allowed to love her.
I can only hope she feels the same about me.