I Love to Hate you

Ouch, Ouch!

music
*ONE CALL by Rich Amiri
*Like That by Future, Metro Boomin, Kendrick Lamar

"Alright!" I clap my hands together, "I'm going against two of you, with goalie, by time. Just not all at once because I'm not a 6,7 man, filled with muscles so, choose your teams. The last one standing I'll do it just the two of us plus goalie. Good luck Chris" I order them, skating off to the edge of the rink, pulling up my helmet as I place it in my head. I'm quicker and slimmer without the uniform, so I'm not putting it all on right now, otherwise it would take away my only real chance.

"Decided?" I ask them as I skate my way back, seeming smug.

Honestly? I couldn't be more scared. I'm about to go against 3 gigantic professional hockey players. But I have to say I am a tad confident, I mean, I did grow up going against my dad and my brother. Both of them having grown up with hockey. And I still manadged to win, almost everytime.

And believe me when I say my brother did not go easy on me. If anything, he used to be the one to attack the most. My dad of course was way more gentle and friendly towards my approach, but still made it pretty hard.

My only advantage on them, is my speed and shot. I have a pretty damn good shot, and compared to these guys, which from what I picked up on what I saw on ice, still need to learn their own sizes.

That's the good part, I saw them play. I know their weaknesses. Being observant towards the players is another thing I picked up when I watched my dad coach Bruins. He was always very focused, and I get it why.

So the teams are made, it's Maxwell and Dean, Hayden and James, and as last I'll go against Rafe.

What I have realized from Chris, is that he keeps his legs too opened in the middle down part, and he doesn't prepare himself for shots that low, so that's my main point. The left diagonal up, it's also his weak point.

Maxwell is a left wing, and Dean a right wing, so they're used to working together.

I skate my way to the middle of the ice, the two first players as well. (Max and Dean)

Maxwell is not sober right now, for sure. His eyes are slightly red from clear smoking, so I have to make him run, or, skate a lot.

Dean on the other hand seems a 100% healthy, maybe too much. He's a little bit of a 'do it myself' type of mindset, at least during the games. So it's easy to piss him off.

I roll my shoulders back as I train my eyes on both players, when the hustle starts, it's game on.

O smoothly take the puck first, both of them looking between each other, seeming like they are talking through their eyes, as they waste they time with it, I skate through Max's side, when he realizes he immediately comes to push me against the wall.

I quickly turn, but being obliged to back down as I realize Dean has me on the other side.

As the two who seem like buffs come at me, I smirk up and stop, waiting just enough time before..

When they get close enough I skate away hurriedly, both of them crash against each other.

Chris has his attention solemnly on me though, that's good. A minor distraction wouldn't back him away from his position.

I can see I don't have a lot of time as the two players get back up, so I skate towards the left, and as he tries to guess I would go for his weak spot, and covers it, I go for the clear shot I have on the one he never misses.

Well, he did.

And I scored.

I hear laughs from the other players, probably from the crash of the two giants. I smirk and put my hands up in fists, celebrating my win.

"I grew up going against buffed professional guys, you all can eat dust" I provoke them, trying to see if taunts change their way of playing.

Because it definitely shouldn't. Hockey isn't all about strength, it's about technique and reliability.

You won't go anywhere if you don't trust others, or if you think too highly of theirselves for a single comment to distract them.

Either way, now it's Hayden and James. The two defenseman. I don't expect this to be anywhere near easy.

I place the puck in the middle once again, and call Dean to drop it down.

Once it starts it's easier than thought to grab the puck first. I frown my brows at the two players, not believing how easy it was.

I then squint my eyes, trying to look under the helmets, and I realize the two of them are more so between a fight with each other, to be that focused on the ice. Nevertheless, both of them start skating towards me in a blink. But definitely not as good as it would be if they had their issues and game skills separated. Emotions can't get into your head.

And I'm just about to show them that.

I skate towards one of them, Hayden. And pretend to lose the puck to him, immediately backing up to protect my own goal.

James is wide open, but Hayden refuses to pass even though I'm bothering his shot to the goal. Hayden tries either way, but I managed to get the puck back before it went inside. James skates over to Hayden, slightly shoving him, making my job too easy, so I shoot goal.

Chris blocks it. I smirk at it, but try again, this time I pretend to do it to one side when actually I lift it up and aim it on the upper right corner. Perfect sniper shot. I take the helmet off and pat Chris on the back. "Good block" I tell him, appreciating his effort.

"Last one, c'mon." I call out, Rafe smugly skating towards me. "Ready to be devoured princess?" He taunts, not even putting on the helmet. I take mine off as well. "Always thought you'd be saying that to me in a different scenario" I whisper on his ear, smirking as I get in my ready position.

The puck drops and this time he's the one to get the grip of it first. It makes sense, he's a center. He's used to it.

Rafe's way of skating if different, it's not as rough as the rest, it's smoother, trickier. Rafe holds the puck on his stick in the ice, just looking at me, waiting for my reaction. "Not the one to attack first, smartass?" I provoke him, he tilts his head to the side, instantly pretending to shoot forward but he skates back a bit just as I flinch forward, a sarcastic laugh leaves his lips. "So anxious for it, hm?" He says.

Alright, he has the same eyes that I got, he over analyzes situations. I can't play like I did before, I need to think differently because he figured my previous play already.

I roll back my shoulders and instead of waiting for him to come to me, I go to him. He smoothly dodges me, running straight to the goal. I mentally curse myself, but I go by the sides, making the curves perfect my moves on the ice, pulsing me forward quicker. He shoots the goal before I get to him, so I do the last thing I can, I quickly squat down as slide my stick through the ice, blocking the puck from entering the goal.

I hear Rafe's scoff as he slides towards the puck again, but until then, I'm already here and with my stick back in hands.

He steals the puck first, but back's away just a bit. He circles the area, and as he least expects it, I go at him, trying to steal the puck away from his grip, I successfully do.

Rafe grows annoyed, and goes at me, pushing me towards the wall. I groan, but he steals the puck back. I purposefully fall on the ice, pretending to get hurt. Rafe frowns his brows, skating slowly towards me, his face shows a demonstration of worry, and smugness, somehow at the same time. "Ouch ouch" I yelp, as he holds under my forearms to pull me on my feet again. As we are touching, and faced one towards the other, eyes glued to each other, I grin and wink at him, quickly stealing the puck and smoothly going at the goalie.

As Chris had previously went towards me as well, I had a clean shot, to an open goal. I do it easily.

"Woohooo!!" I exclaim, filled with adrenaline as I run my hand through my forehead, wiping away the sweat.