Wanting You

9| game

Tonight is Yale's home game against Dartmouth. I was so close to not coming because of homework, but L convinced me to skip it for now.

Tate and I squeeze through the crowd to get to the student section. We're trying to follow L but she's already so far ahead. It's easy to keep track of her though because of her auburn head of hair. We're able to catch up to L when she stops walking for a minute. We follow her to a row that's only a few rows away from the rink shield.

I've only been to a couple of professional sports games in my whole life. They were to the Chicago Bulls games. My family is a basketball family. They don't have much interest in any other sport. I mean they'll watch football like the Superbowl and the game on Thanksgiving, but nothing else after that. I on the other hand have never paid attention to sports. I'm probably the least athletic person known to mankind. Sports have never given me that surge of energy to feel motivated. I hated school PE, me playing kickball and dodgeball was embarrassing. Though I tried to take advantage of the other things we did in PE. To at least have some form of exercise.

I look around the crowd dressed in dark blue and white spotting some girls in the very front. They are wearing navy tube tops and baggy ripped jeans. They look good but how are they not cold? Like I'm farther to the ice than they are and wearing a sweater, yet I'm still freezing. I snap out of my thoughts when I see the opposing team start to skate around the ice.

After the warm-up, the players on the ice stand on the line, and some of the players on the sidelines stand as well. Most stand up too for the national anthem but others including me, L, and Tate stay seated. The players on the ice are lined up side by side on the centerline looking at the flag straight ahead. They are holding their helmets in one hand and their hockey stick in the other.

I see Carter at the end of the line. His hair looks soft and fluffy and I kind of want to run my fingers through it. Okay, I'll admit it he does look good. But I'll never tell him that. We want to keep his head between his shoulders. He catches me looking at him and sends me his usual smirk, I smile back at him. Once the anthem is over they start the game. I honestly have no idea what's going on. When I went to the past games with L I just sat there and pretended like I knew what was going on. But I get the memo, get the puck into the other team's net.

We're in the second period it's 2-1. Just watching Carter on the ice he looks so big because of his gear. The skates give him an extra three inches, and he's already a whole head and a half taller than me. My eyes skate around to the different players somehow always finding their way back to #11.

Carter.

Liam steals the puck from one of the Dartmouth player's possession passing it to Carter. Carter catches the puck with his stick and slaps it directly into the net. He celebrates his goal by body slamming into the shield his teammates around him jumping onto him.

The game goes on and Yale wins 4-2. I'm currently standing with L and Tate near the entrance waiting for Liam to come out. There's normally an after-party win or lose. Except none of us want to party because we're all so drained. Drained from studying, studying, and studying.

Liam walks out with his attire that he came into the arena with. His usual formal outfit for game days a dark gray blazer and slacks with a white button-up underneath. His bag slung over his shoulder. My eyes catch Carter trailing behind him. He's wearing the same outfit as Liam except in navy. They both make their way towards us through the crowds. They stop to thank the people congratulating them on their win.

"So I was thinking about going to the party tonight. Are you guys coming?" Liam asks settling in front of us. Carter standing next to him. L and Tate tell him that we're not interested and then congratulate him on their win.