The Penalty Box

Chapter 33

I wanted to scream when I let Connor get the puck away from me again. Third time today that I failed to get the puck in the net. At this rate, coach would take me off the starting line.

"Callahan, what's wrong with you?" Mason asked me.

"Ask Coty, I'm sure he'd love to tell you all about the voicemail he left me this morning," I grumbled.

"Damnit! I told him not to call you-"

"Josh!"

"Can you blame me? Cal it took you all summer, and the better part of the rest of the year, to get over him. I mean cmon it's Christmas, I wanted you to be happy. Not to mention you play better hockey with a clear head. And he gives you the complete opposite of that."

I swallowed a few mouthfuls of water and skated back to center ice. Coach dropped the puck and I fed it up to Conrad. I then dropped back and around Alex, one of our new defensemen, and up towards the goal. I slammed my stick and yelled for Mason, who now had the puck, to pass it up to me. With two quick snaps of the wrist, one from Mason and one from me, the puck was in the net.

"Smith!" Coach yelled. Conrad and I both looked over at him before he realized there were two of us now," Callahan, good play. Do it again, only this time stay off the boards. Everyone's gonna be gunning for you this year kid."

I nodded and we set the play back up again. At the end coach got mad because Conrad stopped listening. We had to skate at least ten suicides before we were free to go. And while all the boys were going out to Cook-Out I had a little thing called a job.

I'd gotten out of the shower in the locker room, grabbed my bag, and started walking towards the proshop. The guys were all pushing each other and acting like small children. But honestly it was my favorite part about this team, we could be kids and no one cared.

"Hey ah Callahan?" Mason called running over to me.

"Yeah what's up?"

"Do you have a date to the Christmas dance yet?" He asked.

"Figured you were gonna force Lilly to go with you again," I laughed.

"Nah Conrad asked her this morning," he replied," I mean we'd just be going as friends but-"

"Okay, but you try anything and I'll break you," I warned," Okay well I gotta get to work."

"Uh- yeah okay. I'll pick you up at six!"

"Make it seven, and your sister is coming over to my place again to get ready!"

"Yeah yeah I'll pick you up at yours at seven."

"Hey do me a favor, don't drive the bike okay? I would've spent over an hour on my hair for nothing."

"God Cal, you're no fun," he groaned,"But whatever."

I smiled and opened up the pro shop. I dropped my bag behind the counter and went to put some of the sticks back. I loved the little kids that came in here, but man could they make a mess. While I was already up and moving I put the pucks back as well. Then I put out some more inventory, like Connor had told me to do.

Though the money was good at the pro shop this place was boring as hell most of the time. Hours would go by without a single person. Then maybe two people would come in for a skate sharpening, or to pick up a new stick. But that's really all that happens around here. I finally got why Connor was constantly drinking coffee while he was working.

I was over putting some more gloves on the rack when my phone started raining again. I put away the rest of the gear and ran over to my phone. A picture of Coty and I light up the screen with his name written all across it.

I took a deep breath and denied the call, again.

"Please," I whispered to the phone," Listen to Mason."