#Chapter 17 Sticks and Stones
I keep staring at him, so he continues.
“I mean, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna fuck up on stage a few times. Maybe it’ll cover if you freeze up a bit? I dunno, but I won’t leave you hanging up there. We’ll be a team, after all.
Besides.”
His smile turns sheepish.
“I really do want to see you act. If I must be on the same stage as you to see that happen, then let’s do it… I’m pretty sure I’m going to fuck up a few lines though, hah.”
Ah.
The warmth in my chest and face boils red.
…No wonder so many girls fall for him.
When I return to the club the next day, I quietly tell Jonathan that I’ll do it.
He still announces it to the others immediately after. Hailey grabs onto my arm and squeals with delight.
“Aaah, I’m so happy you’ll do it! It’s gonna be great!” She balls her fist excitedly. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you with your lines!”
“A–Ah…yeah…sure.”
I’m really not sure how a stutterer like me will be able to get through it. At least when I
stuttered during performances as a little kid, I was still having fun.
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Still, despite the club knowing that I stutter, they don’t seem to mind my choice.
I think…maybe I can start having fun with this again.
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So, I manage to smile at Hailey, who immediately drags me away to practice. She pulls out the script, sitting in front of me on the stage as she says Alex’s lines. He’s training for an
upcoming game, so he can’t rehearse our script with me yet.
As Hailey and I work, it feels like there’s a knot in my chest that’s finally started to loosen.
The ease helps me relax.
Though, I startle when my phone goes off. I got too into the zone, I guess.
It’s a message from Alex.
“comin to game?”
“Oooh, that your boy?” Hailey leans in. “I heard they’re having a game tomorrow night. Want to go together?”
“Ah…” Well…it would beat sitting there alone. “Yeah. W–What time do y–you want to
meet?”
“Eh, I can get there pretty early. I’ll save you a seat!”
“Y–Yeah. Thank you.”
With that in mind, I text Alex back.
“y”
“nice, see u there”
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The next night is full of activity before the game even starts. Though, I understand why people are hyped up about it. The playoffs are just around the corner.
It’s the game Alex and I started this whole relationship thing for: the Redmond Chillers vs
the Bernard Saints.
It’s a very popular game, so the place is crowded. However, there’s people here to help keep entering and exiting the rink area and bleachers easy and safe. I don’t get crushed by others as I look for Hailey.
Many girls on both sides have signs with them… Should I have brought one? Agh, why didn’t I think about it earlier?
Eventually, I’m able to see Hailey, the girl waving her arms in the air. I quickly make my way up the stairs and scoot past others to get to the seat she’s been saving for me.
“Heyo! Ready to watch our team kick ass?”
“I–I am, but…” My eyes keep stopping on different girls holding up signs. “…I th–ink I’m u–underprepared.”
“Underprepped? …Oooh, no sign? I mean, I have one…” Hailey picks hers up and looks at it. She starts biting at her lip a bit before shaking her head. “Gimme a sec, I can put Alex’s name instead.”
“Oh n–no, you don’t have to-”
“I insist! I mean, ah,” she laughs nervously, her mouth twitching. “You’re the one with a boyfriend, right? At least he’ll notice it!”
After a moment, I smile again. “T–Thanks.”
“No prob! Let me just…” She pulls a marker out of her bag and changes something on the
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sign. “There! Good as new!”
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It’s a sizable thing and hard to turn around with the people around us. Hailey ends up smacking someone with it as she gives it to me, apologizing profusely to them as they grumble. I don’t want to hit anyone by accident, so when Hailey hands it to me, I hold it
still.
The cheering briefly gets louder as referees call the teams to their sides and have them choose their starters. Alex stays on the field, covered head to toe in protective gear. He skates over to the center of the rink, facing head–to–head against the other team as he
crouches low.
There’s a beat of silence…
The ref blows the whistle and drops the puck, and Alex immediately takes control.
With a swipe, he sends the puck back toward a teammate, and they start an offensive push, shoving forward into the other team’s side. Alex acts as defense, sliding across the ice with
ease and keeping the other team away.
Another few swipes and slides, the puck returns to Alex. And he hits it home, bypassing the goaltender with ease.
It’s…outright invigorating! I’ve seen him in practice, but who knew he’d be so powerful in an actual game!
Our side starts cheering, and though I can’t bring myself to yell, I still hold up and shake the sign Hailey gave me.
By halftime, we already know the Chillers are going to win. It would have to be by some act
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of God that the Saints pull back from the cavernous gap in their scores. The other team seems to know it, too, seeming frustrated.
We all cheer again as the announcers call out the scores. This time, since it’s on break, the players can look up at us and wave back or something. Alex, wearing his #19 jersey, looks around until he sees me waving the sign again.
Though, for some reason, he freezes and just stares. A few of the other team members also stare, though I’m not sure why.
Alex asked me to be here, so what is he getting surprised for?
There’s no way for me to ask yet, though, and the game starts up again.
As our side expected, the Chillers win by a landslide.
The team starts getting off the ice, finally able to take off their helmets safely. Some of the
girls rush over, happily hugging and kissing their boyfriends.
Ah…I should, uhm, take a cue from them, I suppose.
Holding onto the sign tightly, and with Hailey pushing me forward, I head down to stand in
front of him.
His hair’s taken on an extra curl from the sweat, his cheeks ruddy from adrenaline and excitement. My lips press tightly together, unable to get myself to do much but stare up at him. With the arena lights shining behind him, he looks like a warrior.
Alex seems to get that I’m not going to move, leaning down and kissing my cheek. I do my best to not accidentally smack him on reflex. For a moment, we just stand there, silent and
full of nerves.
“So, uh…” He backs up, his brows raised. “You lose a bet?”
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#Chapter 17 Sticks and Stones
“Huh?”
“I mean…your sign. It’s, ah, pretty fun.”
“My…sign?”
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He blinks at me, then looks back toward Hailey. Whatever he sees from her makes him snort. He then takes the sign from me and turns it so I can see it.
It’s a red sign with thick black lettering on the front. Hailey managed to cover the other name with Alex’s very naturally.
“Alex! Can I hold your stick?” it says, the last two words bolded.
All the heat leaves my body immediately, my ears starting to ring.
“I hate you.”
“I’m so sorry!! I panicked!”
My hands squeeze the steering wheel as I try very, very hard to stay at the speed limit. I want to just speed back home and leave Hailey behind. Screw practicing lines–I’m going to go die of a stroke in my bedroom and be found dead the next morning.
“Wh–What is that even-
“I got cold feet, okay?” Hailey pleads through the phone sitting in the car cradle. “Len’s really hot, but he doesn’t know I exist! I was going to use that sign to get his attention, but…”
“Ah. You guinea pigged me. Okay. I hate you.”
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“Cynthiaaaa!!”
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I grumble as I pull up to my house, knowing Hailey’s following after me. But as I do, I realize there’s a familiar car parked in my driveway and someone standing at the door.
…Right. It was a school hockey game.
Of course, Oliver was there.
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