"What's her name?"
"Ask your dick." I shrugged. "Maybe he knows."
"I never called her again, did I?"
"I'm sure that glare gives the answer to that question."
"Well shit," he said, scratching his mop of curls. "An attitude like that I'm glad I didn't call her."
When we got inside Leo's car, I looked over at him. He groaned. "Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm a douche for not calling that chick."
I laughed. "It's not a look man. It's a realization."
Game 64 – Vancouver Canucks
Friday, March 5, 2010
Danny Kolten, a defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks, was instigating me all game. Every play he was in my face and taking cheap shots on Leo and Remy. I let it go and waived him off when he got in my face at the crease. I wasn't in the mood for his shit tonight. I was trying to play clean and not scare the shit out of Ami.
When the whistle blew, we were at another face off in the Canucks zone.
"New puck bunny, Mase?" Danny circled, pushing against my shoulders, his breath blew out as steam.
"Fuck you." I didn't know where he came up with this shit, but Danny was always laying it on thick. The fact that he was doing it tonight of all nights had me seeing red.
"Ah come on. Dish a little…" He nudged me with his stick as we waited on the line. My eyes caught Ami's as she watched nervously beside Callie. I could easily see the apprehension and concern through the smile.
I winked with a quick nod, trying to reassure her everything was fine. I didn't want to scare her, but I also wouldn't stand for anyone talking like that about her—not after what she went through.
"Is she even legal? She looks young." I knew he was eyeing her, probably imagining the same shit I was earlier and wondering what was under those tight jeans she had on. Danny and I were both hockey players. I knew where his mind was.
"I said leave it alone." I shoved against him once, when I really wanted to knock his teeth out for what my brain told me he was thinking.
Danny didn't let it go and prodded me with his stick again, hooking it around my skate. He did it on purpose knowing if I moved, I'd be rewarded with a face full of ice.
"I'll take that as a yes." Danny laughed with a cocky nod, squaring up. "I bet she's good."
I didn't give him a warning, and I didn't say let's go. I just started hitting him. I was sick of this shit where these guys thought it was okay to treat girls like that. They didn't see the side I saw, the side that stayed with her through the fear, the sadness of what happened to her, and the hurt. I was the one who saw that. Me, I was there through the cold sweats and sleeping with the lights on while checking deadbolts ten times a night. And now, when guys like Danny wanted to get personal on the ice that was when I got protective. It didn't matter that I wasn't dating her and had no claim on her. My heart told me otherwise.
Once I dropped my gloves, Danny didn't stand a chance, but he knew that. He was only drawing me in for the power play.
And sure enough, they scored on the power play as I hung out in the penalty box. Coach wasn't happy, he benched me the rest of the game, but I knew he wouldn't be when I dropped my gloves. Danny was a player he specifically told me to stay away from tonight.
The problem was a girl was inside my head, and everyone around me was using it to their advantage.
I couldn't deny it. Something about Ami took a big piece of my heart that night in the hospital, and I would stand up for her no matter what, even if it that meant I was sacrificing a game. I wasn't going to stand for this shit anymore.
As a defenseman, it was my job to protect guys like Leo and Remy. It wasn't hard, and if anything, I lived for this.
People asked me all the time why we fought so much in hockey, and they went on to say what a violent sport it is.
Well, clearly those people were watching tennis and had never been to an MMA fight. Regardless, my standard answer was, "Does it make me less of an athlete for protecting players and controlling a game where others are held accountable for their actions?"
They usually shut up after that. I had a job to do. Now that job included a girl, one that I would lay just about anyone out for.
I never worried about what others thought of me. Neither did my dad. He didn't give a hoot about what anyone thought. He was who he was. I liked to think I was a lot like that, too.
Assist – An assist is given to the player who helped set up the scoring goal. It's given to the player who handled the puck preceding the goal.
Evan kept his promise to take me to a live game. It came on Friday night when they played the Vancouver Canucks at the United Center.