Slapshot

Chapter 17: Injuries

Jonathan's POV

"Taylor!" I shouted, jumping onto the ice. The ref blew his whistle immediately, and everyone stopped. The guy who hit her was standing over, watching her. Gabe and Andrew both skated over, but I reached her first.

I could hear her moaning, because trust me, it was loud. And her head was down too, but I didn't blame her, it was a hard fall.

"Taylor." I got down on the ice and tapped her repeatedly. "C'mon, c'mon, get up."

"Give me a second, I'm wiping my eyes." I could hear her whisper, and I couldn't help but smile.

She finally lifts her head up, eyes closed, and the whole rink is still in a hush. "Fuck." I hear her mutter, and she shakes her head, biting her lip. I think that was the first time I've heard her swear.

"Gabe, c'mere." I say, and he does.

"How's your ankle, it didn't look too good." I ask her.

She takes a deep breath. "Yeah, it's not feeling too good either. Shit, my whole leg's in pain. Oh god... Yeah, I don't think I can move my foot." she shakes her head.

"Okay." I say, looking back at the bench. "Yeah, me and Gabe will get you off."

"You sure?" she looks at me doubtingly.

"Yeah, c'mon." I kneel down along with Gabe, both of us putting our arm under hers and around her back to support her. Everyone around the rink starts clapping, and I can hear her sigh.

"That's so embarrassing." she mumbles.

"It's not, they're happy that you're okay." I tell her.

With some trouble, we're able to bring her through the small gate, Coach reaching over and gesturing to the back, as if telling me what to do next.

We had a small area of space behind the benches that was blocked off by a wall, so I took her back there, telling Gabe he could go back now, which he did. I helped sit her down on the floor.

"Surprised you were so quick to help me after how you were treating me before." she says smugly.

"Give me a break, Taylor." I say.

"You know, and I know that you know exactly what you did. And you try so hard to put on this act but you're bad at it, y'know. You're bad at trying to act all mad at me, or whatever you do, I don't know. And you act like an asshole with your dumb mood swings, where you're able to be nice and happy with me when I help you after you got beat up, but you won't even talk to me and act like a complete dick when I'm just trying to have a normal conversation, I don't know." she says. Wow.

"And now you know I'm right, don't you? So tell me why the hell you have your stupid mood swings and why you act like that towards me or I swear I'm not talking to you anymore. I'm fed up with it, and I'm angry now too because of Braden and because of my stupid foot." she spits. Wow she's tough. I'm surprised, honestly, and I'm surprised and happy with how she's able to stand up for herself. It's such a beautiful quality, really.

"You drive me crazy Taylor, you know that?" I shake my head. "I'm supposed to hate you, god, I'm trying to hate you but you make it so hard."

"Why are you supposed to hate me? Are we going back to the way beginning?" she asks. I can tell she's sad, she looks sad, but she rolls her eyes. Actually, I couldn't tell. I was done trying to understand girls, honestly, I am so bad at it.

"I can't tell you why I'm supposed to hate you, god." I say, now rolling my eyes. I can't tell her that I think of her a lot and that she's always in my head, I just couldn't.