LOVING SOMEONE ⇢ LUIS MENDOZA [1]

eight

Live in California, it's Team USA vs Iceland in the hockey finals of the Junior Goodwill Games!

Hi, everybody, this is Bob Miller along with Jack Burmit and we're pleased to have you with us for what seems like an exciting title game tonight!

"Coach!" Adam ran in with a smile on his face.
The team greeted Adam, all happy to see him.
"I woke up and the pain was gone." Adam explained, holding up his hockey stick with his injured arm and turning it around.

"Yeah!" Hailee cheered, along with the rest of her team.
"Adam, I'm sorry but we've got a full team now." Gordon sighed.

Hailee looked over at Russ, who was about to take off his gear when Charlie stopped him.
"He can have my spot." Charlie volunteered.
"If it's what I can do for the team, let me do it." Charlie said to Adam and Gordon.

Adam gave Charlie and grateful smile and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Charlie, I need you on the bench coaching right there with me." Gordon told him.

"Yeah, alright!" Connie clapped along with the team as Russ smiled.

***

Luis and Hailee skated onto the ice hand in hand. They skated around the rink with their team, waving at the crowd.

Now the two teams gather to their respected benches. In their last meeting, Iceland crushed Team USA 12-2!"

"Stand tall, fly straight, USA!" Gordon yelled.
"All the way!" The team chorused, lifting their hands away from the middle and punching the air, cheering.

Luis and Hailee were sat down with some of their team.
They watched as the whistle blew and Averman was immediately knocked to the ground.

Guy was soon on the ice too, then Dean, and then Dwayne. It was then that Hailee was beginning to lose hope.
Luis took hold of her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

Iceland soon scored and Goldberg was mad. Hailee was debating telling Gordon to allow him to hurt him.
"Line change!" Gordon yelled. "Jesse, Luis, Russ! You ready?" He asked Russ, who nodded. "Get out there!"

"Good luck!" Hailee called out to her boyfriend as he got up and shot her a smile.
Hailee bit her lip and watched him skate onto the rink.

Russ was soon battered down to ground and Jesse was shoved into the wall. Hailee's heart began to beat faster as Luis skated towards Stahl, who had the puck. Stahl extended his leg, causing Luis to go flying. Hailee had to cover her mouth with her hands to muffle her cries.

Iceland scored again and Hailee angrily kicked the wall in front of her.
"I can't make it!" Averman panted. "Iceland's bigger, stronger, they're faster... they have more facial hair!"

"Banks, you're on!" Gordon told Adam, who was sat beside Hailee.
She took a deep breath as he stepped onto the ice. Hailee knew exactly what was going to happen, and was praying it wouldn't.

She was right. An Iceland player skated towards Adam at full speed and connected his hockey stick with his wrist.

Everyone sat on the bench, including Hailee, jumped up and started yelling at the Iceland player and the referee to call something.
"HEY, REF! WHY DON'T YOU CALL SOMETHING? HE ALMOST TOOK HIS ARM OFF!" Gordon screamed.

"That'll be two minutes." The linesman told him.
"Two minutes well worth it!" The Iceland player remarked.
"Two minutes? What sort of punishment is that?!" Hailee shouted.

She felt someone place their hands on her shoulders. Hailee turned her head to see Gordon. "Hailee, you've gotta calm down-" He trailed off.
"What is it?" She questioned.
"I'm guessing you've got a lot of built up anger right now..."
Hailee scoffed. "Of course I have! Have you seen this referee and this team?!"

"You think you can go out there and let off some steam?"
Hailee really didn't want to, but it was true, she had so much anger building up inside her. She nodded and put her helmet on.
Hailee traded places with Adam.

It was harder than Hailee thought it would be to get the puck. She was being pushed into the wall by one - and sometimes two people, and knocked to the floor.

It was then that she had completely lost it. To even Hailee's surprise, she forced herself up, growling.

She skated towards Stahl at the speed Luis would usually go at, and tripped him up.
She stole the puck from him and skated past three more Iceland hockey players, who all attempted to either trip her up or crash into her.

Once she was close enough to the goal, she swung her hockey stick back and hit the puck. It landed in the net and the crowd cheered.

"Screw you!" Hailee almost laughed at Stahl, who had just gotten up, and was glaring at her.
Hailee turned to her coach, who was clapping. She gave him a smile.

Suddenly, Stahl crashed into Hailee, obviously on purpose, and she harshly hit the ground.

She turned onto her back and groaned in pain. Hailee saw Stahl looking down her, along with the linesman and Connie.

Connie helped her up as the linesman took Stahl to the penalty box. "That'll be five minutes." Hailee heard him say.
"Five minutes?! He should be disqualified!" Hailee groaned, rubbing her neck.

Connie helped her to the bench.
Gordon sent out of the members of the 'Flying V' before turning his attention to Hailee. Luis came over too.
"Are you okay? That looked pretty rough." Gordon said.
"I'm gonna kill him, I swear-" Luis started.
"I'm fine." Hailee winced, cutting him off. "Just a little bruised."

"Alright," Gordon sighed. "do you think you can still play?"
Hailee nodded and Gordon smiled. He patted her on the back, making Hailee wince again.
"Sorry!" He bit his lip before turning to Luis. "Alright, Luis, lets get you back out there."

Luis worriedly looked at his girlfriend. She gave him a weak, yet reassuring smile. "I'll be okay."

Luis sighed and softly smiled. "I hope so." He whispered to himself as he turned around and skated back into the centre of the ice rink.