Rivals on Ice

Chapter 13:First goodbye

It was the last day the players had . They had trained extra hard and were physically fit.

They sat together, telling stories and jokes, teasing one another, and enjoying the few moments they had as a team.

Coach Harry looked around the room.

“Alright, boys.”

Everyone quieted.

“It's been a hell of a season.”

The captain smiled.

“Yeah, Coach.”

Harry nodded.

“Now get out of my locker room.”

The players laughed.

“You don't own the locker room!”Fabian said.

“I've suffered enough. "

After a moment, Harry's expression softened.

“Seriously, boys. After tomorrow there is a big day. We've worked hard for this.”

The room became quieter.

“Get some sleep. Eat properly. And please,try not to lose your passports.”

Everyone looked toward one player," Liam May."

Liam sighed.He slowly raised his hands.

“That happened once.”

“Twice,” coach corrected.

" Tomorrow be the first person to show me your passport."

The locker room erupted again.

Harry shook his head.

“Now go home before I change my mind and make you skate another hour.”

Nobody needed to be told twice.As they left, Liam tripped and fell .

"There he starts." Coach yelled.

He tried to stand up but fell again his face landing straight on the floor.

Tyler rushed and helped him stand up.His left nose was bleeding.

Coach took some ice from the sideline cooler as Tyler helped him sit straight up.

After some first aid the bleeding stopped.

"Please tell me no bone is broken." Coach said.

"I'm fine." He said.

Tyler helped him stand up.

"I'll take for a check up."

"Hurry then."

****

Zane's dad brought all eagles players together.They sat down watching various games played in Italy.

Zane's dad sat alone on the couch observing them.

"See this ,there signature move ."Philip Ray showed.

The players observed keenly.

"Zane ," He called.

" As the team leader, how are we going to surpass that."

"We divide ourselves the same way as them but group ourselves into two."

"You are right."

They continued watching three more games,keenly observing and finding ways to do better.

Finally Zane's dad stood up.He adjusted his tie .

" You are all doing great, I'm expecting for the best."

The players nodded.

" Tomorrow, exactly at eight in the morning,the departure starts .No one to be late."

He then called coach Philip as they headed aside.

" Dismissed."Coach Philip said before leaving."

Leo stood up to leave immediately when they both had vanished.

"What's with the hurry ?" Zane asked.

"Going to wish his love goodbye." John said.

Zane looked at Leo with a surprising look.

"Don't listen to him,I have things to get and the store closes early." He defended himself.

"Okay." Zane said.

Leo left quickly.Zane turned to John and gripped his shoulder.

"Why do I feel like you are telling me the truth,what are you two hiding from me."

John looked at him shocked.

"Let go first."

Zane put his hand in the pocket and looked straight in his eyes.

"Stop with that look, I honestly don't know,I just said that ."

Zane nodded his head.

"Okay ." He patted his back and walked away.

****

Leo spotted Mike waiting beneath the old oak tree, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.

“You're late,” He said as he approached.

“I'm three minutes late.”

“Three minutes too long.”

He smiled. “You missed me that much?”

“Unfortunately.”

He laughed and opened his arms.

Mike immediately stepped into them, wrapping his arms around his waist.

“There,” he murmured. “Better?”

“Much.”

They stayed like that for a moment before he pulled away.

“I brought something.”

He raised an eyebrow.

He reached into his pockets and pulled out a bracelet.

His eyes widened.

“It's stunning. You actually know my taste."

“I know you.”

“You really do.”

They found a quiet bench nearby and sat together, sharing the pastries which Mike had carried in his bag .

Leo looked at him and was quite for a second.

" What's on your mind ?"Mike asked.

Leo held Mike's hand looking straight into his eyes.

" What will happen if your brother finds out about us?"

Mike sighed.

" What is there to panic ,it's my life."Mike said.

" He's my best friend and hiding something,,,"

" And he is my brother."Mike interrupted." Forget about him ,now it's us."

He smiled at him.

Leo stole the larger half.

Mike stared at him.

“You did not just do that.”

“What?”

“That was my half.”

" Sorry ,ate it."

“That's your first mistake."

After a while, they wandered through the park, teasing each other about old memories and making ridiculous plans for places they wanted to visit someday.

When they reached a fountain, he stopped.

“Race you to the other side.”

Leo looked at him in disbelief.

“You're challenging me?”

“Yes.”

“You know I play hockey, right?”

“And?”

“And you're going to lose.”

He grinned.

“Then catch me.”

Before he could answer, he took off running.

He laughed and chased after him.

“You're cheating!”

“There's no cheating!”

“You started before I was ready!”

“Sounds like an excuse!”

Their laughter carried across the park.

When he finally caught up, they were both breathless, standing beneath the fading evening light.

He looked at him, smiling.

“I missed this.”

His smile softened.

“Me too.”

For a moment, the teasing disappeared.

There was only the two of them, together again, exactly where they wanted to be.

****

Tyler returned back to the rink that evening.

The rink was almost completely dark when he arrived.

They had agreed to meet there with Zane at that time, just the two of them, for a little practice and some fun.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside.

“Hello?”

Nothing.

The empty rink stretched out in front of him, barely visible beneath the emergency lights.

He frowned.

"He's late ." He said silently.

Silence.

He took another step onto the ice.

He felt someone touching his shoulder.

Then,

Click.

The lights suddenly came on.

He jumped so violently that his stick nearly flew out of his hands.

“Jesus!”

Zane stood at the other end of the rink, he chuckled.

“You're an idiot.”Tyler yelled.

"You should have seen your face,I've never seen a man that scared in my life."

Tyler rolled his eyes.

“I've been waiting twenty minutes for that.”

“You could have killed me.”

“With a light switch?”

“I nearly had a heart attack!”

Zane skated closer

" I've been observing you lately ,you take almost thirty minutes to shower ,extra thirty to fix your hair and look at yourself in a mirror."

"What ,do you have a problem with that?"

"You arrived wearing a cream knit sweater, dark navy trousers, and spotless white sneakers."

“Seriously? We're going to the rink, Princess, not a fashion."

He stopped.

“Princess?”

“Yeah.”

“Don't call me that.”

Zane smiled innocently.

“Why not, Princess?”

“Because I'm not a princess.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

" Then stop acting like one ,princess.Toughen up."

He stared at him.

“That's called having standards.”

“That's called being a princess.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“Oh, you want to play?”

That's why I came.”

Tyler changed and they took their positions at opposite ends of the rink .

“What are we playing?” his friend asked.

“I brought my own puck." Zane dropped it.

Tyler immediately went after it.

At first, it was relaxed,passing, stealing the puck, laughing whenever one of them lost his balance.

Then the score became three-three.

The smiles disappeared.

“You're taking this seriously now?” Tyler asked.

“I've always been serious.”

“You missed the net twice.”Tylet said.

“Strategic misses.”Zane defended.

“That's not a thing.”

“It is now.”

The puck shot toward the boards.

They both chased after it.

Zane reached it first and sent it toward the goal.

Tyler blocked it at the last second.

Yes!” he shouted.

“Lucky.”

“No ,it's called skill."Tyler proudly said

They raced after the puck again.

This time, Tyler managed to steal it and skate toward the net.

Zane chased him down.

“Give me the puck!”

“Come take it!”

“You're going to regret that.”

He tried to dodge around him.

His skate caught awkwardly.

He stumbled.

Zane grabbed his arm before he could fall.

For a second, they were suddenly very close.

Neither moved.

Then Zane smirked.

“Careful, Princess.”

Tyler rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

“Keep calling me that and you're losing the next game.”

“Oh, I'm terrified.”

“You should be.”

They returned to their positions.

After a while,they were both tired.

They skated towards the bench and sat down breathing heavily.Zane took out a bottle of water ,drank it and gave the remaining to Tyler."

They were silent for a while.Zane stood up and went to take the puck.

" Here ."He gave it to Tyler .

Tyler looked at it.It had the days date and a few words "

"Keep this until we meet again." Finalized with Zane's signature.