37

She leaned in to peck my lips, effectively shutting me up. I can decide what I deserve.
And ? I pulled back far enough to meet her eyes. What’s the consensus ?
Her lips curved upward. That this- Her hand found mine and squeezed. -is something I want to explore. And everything else, we can figure out. Together.
With the game about to start, I was shaking the last-minute nerves out alongside my teammates in the tunnel. But for the first time in this arena, it was as a member of the visiting team. I wasn’t wearing navy and silver in Boston ; I was wearing white and gold.
How are you feeling ? asked Ruderman, the captain of the Royals, as he sidled up next to me. Nervous to be back ?
I chuckled. That obvious ?
Just a hunch, he mused, nudging my side. But try not to think about it too much. Most players in the league have to go through this at some point in their career, it’s just the nature of the game, so use it as an opportunity. Don’t view it as returning to a place that you failed, but rather an organization that failed you. Your old teammates will still be your friends after tonight, so take this moment and show the Knights’ management that they made a mistake letting you go. Step out onto the ice and make them regret their decision. Show them who you are and help us slap these guys into next Tuesday.
The corners of my mouth pulled upward, because that was exactly what I needed to hear to stoke the flames burning within me. Were you also voted team motivational speaker when they made you captain ?
He let loose a bark of laughter. Comes with the role, my friend. As the announcer’s voice rang loud, hyping up the crowd, and when the rest of the guys began heading out to the rink, Ruderman nudged me forward. Go on. Show everyone what you can do.
Shaking out the last of my nerves, I started down the tunnel amongst my new teammates. The music blasting through the arena’s speakers was loud-successfully pumping up the crowd-though it didn’t completely drown out the chorus of boos several Knights fans let loose as we skated around our end of the ice.
Which was to be expected. After all, they didn’t want us coming in here and handing their team a loss. But that was the plan, so I let the noise fade away, focusing in on the game that was about to start.
Skating twice around our half of the rink, I then joined most of the guys on our bench, leaving the starters out on the ice as we waited for the national anthem to start.
But before it did, my line mate, Quinn, nudged me in the side.
I turned to him and lifted a brow. What ?
He lifted his stick and pointed to the jumbotron, and when I lifted my gaze in that direction, I was floored by what I saw.
An image of me.
And then another.
And another.
Letting the surrounding noise begin to sink back in, I realized that not only was the announcer mentioning my return to Boston, but the crowd was beginning to cheer for me. And not just with their words. I caught a glimpse of a handful of signs in the stands wishing me well and stating how much they missed me.
And to welcome him back in style- I heard the announcer say, bringing my gaze back to the jumbotron. -let’s take a look back at Wellsley’s journey with the Knights over the past five years.
The images transitioned into clips from past seasons ; from my first game to my first goal as a Knight, from overtime winners to playoff games, and even clips from practices and charity nights where it was clear the bond between me and the guys had been genuine.
It was something that easily could have gotten me choked up in a different setting, but keeping my game face on, the only reaction I gave was a smile, my lips curving upward as the crowd began chanting my name.
Something truly surreal and unexpected, and it meant so much.
As the montage came to an end, fading to black after a clip from the game against Tampa just weeks ago, the announcer said, And I think I speak for every Knights fan in Boston right now when I say welcome home Wellsley.
The chanting turned to cheering, into hoots and hollers, and even my new teammates joined in, succeeding in cracking my facade even further as they banged their sticks against the boards and clapped me on the shoulder in recognition.
No easing up on these guys just because they made you a tribute, you hear me ? Quinn said teasingly as the noise began to wind down.
I chuckled, standing as the anthem singer made her way out onto the ice. You won’t see anything less than one hundred percent from me, man.
Good, because this game is ours.
It was. However, it was also ours to lose.
Once the anthem finished and the guys out on the ice lined up, my walls came back up. Nobody in the stands mattered at this moment. All that mattered was the action out on the rink.
When the puck dropped and the Knights got first possession, we were immediately put on the defensive, but that didn’t stop the guys from making moves. The puck went back and forth between teams before finally the Knights took a shot and our goalie covered it clean, prompting the lines to change and giving me my first taste of how it felt to play in this arena on the visitor’s side.
Your team ready to get your ass whooped, Wellsley ? Brookes taunted lightly as the two of us came together for the puck drop. With me gone, he’d stepped up his game and had shown himself to be a power center.
But tonight, he was going down.
Not a chance.
The Royals won.
Going into the last five minutes of play tied two goals a piece, both teams had zeroed in and were fighting tooth and nail for the game winner. It was scrappy, yet strategic, and being familiar with the Knights’ style of play paid off for me. Big time.
With less than a minute left, the Knights were in our zone, passing the puck between them, trying to spot an opening but unable to find one. And all it took was one jump out of position from me, tipping the puck off course with my stick when Orlov shot the puck over to Brookes to start a 2-on-2 race back to the other end of the ice.