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“Fuck off, Dane,” Alexei says, standing up
“Who’s gonnawashouts?”
Fucking Dane Of course he has to stir the pot as we’re all dressing for our home opener, which is also our franchise opener I hardly slept last night because I’ injury Then I woke up to headlines about ed to my asshole former friend she cheated on me with, who is a forward for Tampa
Pax steps in then, walking up to Dane until their faces are only inches apart
“You got so to say?” Pax asks him
Dane puts his hands up inteams, he was one of the enforcers I feared the uy’s an absolute beast
“You can either shut your piehole, or I’ll make sure you wish you would’ve,” Pax says in a level tone “You’re either helping this tea it—your choice”
Dane doesn’t look away, but he also doesn’t fire back A threat from a team’s enforcer is one every player should take seriously If Pax decides he’s unwilling to protect Dane on the ice, Dane will becoet
Alexei ca injury after a car accident a couple years ago The pundits thought he’d never play again, but he proved the, but if ives out on me physically, I’m fucked
It was an on-ice fight with Hunter Paul right after I found out he was fucking ether during our fight and his skate blade cut intoand knee It was a freak accident He never apologized, though Never once called to see hoas recovering
Between that and hi with Alana, Hunter is nu Ta to fail ame When I envisioned all the reasons I wanted to coh on the list
“Hey, Cap,” Pike says, walking up to the bench and stopping to look down at ood?”
I nod Tea ht now, it feels like a lot More pressure on top of what I’ht now, let alone uys—like Alexei—ould have been better choices for team captain
Closing my eyes, I take a breath in and exhale hard I put in my AirPods, pull the hood of my hoodie over my head so it hides ame playlist
“Welcole” by Guns n’ Roses starts up, and I work on the breathing exercises one of htat tih
After the breathing exercises, I walk through a s I can control My attitude, the as I say and the choices Ihard, scoring goals and celebrating with my team