Rivals on Ice

Chapter 12 :Peter

Eight years earlier,,,

Tyler watched his brother peter practiced hockey in the rink. He cheared every time he scored.

Immediately they were done practicing he called him in the rink.

"Here."

He helped him wear the skates , helmet and gloves .

"Where did you get these." Tyler asked with a surprise and jovial look on his face. In the store , but I'll have to return them.

Tyler knees all of a sudden begun to tremble.

“I can't do it,” he announced.

Peter laughed softly. “You haven't even tried yet.”

“I tried a couple of times."

“And you fell .”

“Exactly.”

Peter crouched beside him and tightened the laces on his skates.

" You told me you also love hockey."

" Off course I do."Tyler said.

“Okay. First lesson,don't look at your feet.”

Tyler immediately looked down.

Peter sighed. “What did I just say?”

“Don't look at my feet.”

“Your feet are attached to you.”Peter explained.

Tyler giggled.

Peter stood next to him and held out his hand.

“Come on. I'll help you.”

Tyler grabbed his hand, slowly pushing himself forward. His skates wobbled beneath him.

“Easy. Bend your knees.”

“Like this?”

“Perfect.”

He took another shaky step.

Then another.

Suddenly, he slipped.

Peter caught him before he hit the ice.

“I got you.”

He looked up at him, shocked.

“You better ensure I don't fall."

“Its part of a learning process ,you have to endure the pain when hurt.You are lucky I got you this time."

After a few more attempts, Tyler finally managed to glide several feet on his own.

Peter's face lit up.

“Look at you!”

“I did it!”

“You actually did it!”

Tyler threw both arms into the air,and immediately lost his balance.

He landed on his backside with a soft thump.

There was a moment of silence.

Peter burst out laughing.

Tyler frowned.

“Don't laugh!”

“I’m sorry,” he said, still laughing. “I told you earlier."

“You're a bad teacher.”

“Probably.”

Tyler crossed his arms.

Peter held out his hand again.

“Come on, Let's try again.”

Tyler took his hand.

"I'll be be better than you someday?”

Peter grinned.

"Then I'll patiently wait for that day to come.

After one week of practice Tyler was a little able to play.

He pushed off after the puck, his tiny skates slicing the ice.

“Go, go, go!” Peter shouted.

Some of his teammates sat on the bench watching and cheering for Tyler.

He chased the puck with all the determination he could manage, swinging his stick at it once.

" Miss."

The teammates groaned.

He swung again.

Miss.

“Almost!”One of the plates yelled.

The puck slid away, Tyler hurried after it, his short legs moving as fast as they could.

Finally, he caught up.

He planted both hands firmly around the stick, lifted it with far too much with strength.

Tap!

The puck barely moved.

He stared at it.

Peter bit back a laugh.

“Good shot.”

“That wasn't a shot.”

He pulled the stick back again.

Whack!

This time, the puck slid several feet across the ice.

His face immediately lit up.

“Did you see that?”

The teammates cheared and started making beat sounds.

“We all saw it."

“I hit it!”

“You did.”

Tyler chased after it again, wobbling dangerously as he tried to keep his balance.

Peter skated alongside him.

“Easy! Don't rush.”

“I have to catch it!”

“You're chasing the puck, not a chicken ruining away."

He giggled and kept going, completely focused on the little black puck sliding across the ice.

For the first time, he didn't care that he was stumbling.

He was playing hockey.

They went home and found their father sitting on a chair outside reading a magazine.

"I scored " Tyler ran to the house and came out with a camera.

"Where are you taking that " His mother chased behind.

Their father turned to them.

" How many did you score . "

Tyler grinned.

" Two . "

He handed him the camera, climbed on Peter's shoulder holding the stick.

" One , two , go. "

His father took out a pen and wrote the days date.

" What else should I write. "

Tyler grabbed the pen.

" Scored my first goal. "

" You two will be the best players in the world. "He placed him at his thighs."

"But I'm gonna be better than him."

They all laughed.

" Well we'll see about that ."Peter smirked.

****

Present day,,,,

Tyler closed looked at his watch realizing he was late for practice.

The locker-room door opened ten minutes late as he walked in.

Everyone turned.

He hurried in, pulling his gloves on.

Coach Martin looked at the clock.

" Fifteen minutes late,First missed practice,now late.

"Sorry,coach,I,,."

He stopped and cleared his throat.

The words came out barely above a whisper.

The room went quiet.

Coach Harry raised an eyebrow.

“What happened to your voice?”

Tyler shrugged.

“I'm fine.”

"Fine?

I can barely hear you ,come again louder."

"I'm fine."

" You sound like an old car refusing to start ."

The team burst out laughing.

Tyler rolled his eyes and sighed.

“I said I'm fine.”

“You sound like a radio with a lost signal.

More laughter.

“Coach…”

“Coach Harry tried to look serious. “I just wasn't expecting you to arrive late and communicate exclusively through smoke signals.”

Tyler dropped his bag onto the bench.

“Can we just practice?”

Coach Harry nodded.

“Absolutely.”He said in a low voice.

He blew his whistle.

“Everyone on the ice.”

The player started walking toward the rink.

“Except you.”

He stopped.

“Why?”

“Because I need to know something.”

“What?”

Coach Harry leaned closer.

"You seem off lately,I'm here if you need me.Try not to let anything affect you and the game."

Tyler nodded.

"How did your voice disappear, visit the hospital after this ,I'm afraid you might not be able to speak again."

"I'm off."

"Call ,Fabian,from here."

Tyler looked at him.

Tyler shook his head, half smiled.

“I hate this place.”

Coach Harry grinned.

"Again,I can't hear you."

'I hate you."

“Good. Now you're sounding like yourself.

****

Zane sat on the bench wiping his sweat with a towel.He then took out his phone .

Zane :I'm done practicing and you.

He stared at the phone and placed it on the bench since Tyler wasn't answering back.

He took a gulp of water when he received a message.

Tyler : I'm also done.

Zane:Any plans later.

Tyler : No ,I catched a cold ,my voice is also lost. I need some rest.

Zane did not answer back ,instead he took his backpack and left.Leo and John called onto him.

"Meet later , something urgent came up." He texted Leo.

Zane arrived at his house and headed straight to the kitchen.He took out some ginger,lemon and honey.

He prepared the herbal tea and put it in a flask .He put the flask in a bag and immediately walked out of the house .

He arrived the hotel where a Tyler stayed and entered the elevator.As soon as he got out of the elevator he sawa James coming out Tyler's room.

He turned to face the other side as James walked in the elevator without noticing him.

He rung the doorbell.Tyler opened.

He was wearing a heavy sweater despite the hot weather.

"You didn't tell me you are coming." He said.

"I just got worried,your in this situation because of me,trying to save my aura."

Tyler laughed then started to cough.

Zane took out his flask .

"Here, herbal tea ."

Tyler took it and they went to sit.

There was a cup in the table , which Tyler had just used to drink the medicine .

Zane stretched his hand .

"What?" Tyler asked.

Zane took the flask, opened it and poured the tea in the cup.

"Drink it ,"

He handed him the cup.

Tyler drank it slowly.

He was about to speak when Zane placed his finger across his lips .

"Shh,you are not supposed to talk for quick recovery."

There was a moment of silence.

Tyler nodded his head and continued to drink it.

" Actually my mum used to prepare me that whenever I had sore throat.And it works like magic,by tomorrow I'm sure your voice will be back ."

Tyler smiled.

Zane stood ,I'll get going, update me on your recovery."

" Thank you."Tyler said in a low, hoarse voice .

Zane laughed.

" Why are you laughing ?"

" If I were I'll be quiet until I get my voice ,you have saprano ,you are talking like girl."

Tyler placed his hand covering his mouth.

" Finish that ,by morning I'm sure your voice will be back."

Zane opened the door and waved him goodbye.