Slapshot

Mackenzie

My gaze drifted across the street, drawn to a figure nearby. He sat by a tree, a book cradled in his lap. His eyes mirrored the overcast sky, a somber reflection of my own melancholy spirit. His hair was a mess of black curls, slightly tousled from the wind. He wore a plain black t-shirt and dark jeans, his style both casual and effortless.

The book in his lap had a soft cover, worn from frequent use. His fingers were long and slender, holding the pages gently as he turned them.

“You okay?” My brother asked.

He was the hundredth person to recognize him today alone.

Ever since Liam took me to Boston.

At every stop, the scene quickly devolved intohavoc as people pushed and jostled to catch a glimpse of him.

Moving me from Chicago to Boston was part of his new contract and our new life. As always he wanted us to be close since we had missed each other for so long. While I could have managed the relocation on my own, he insisted on being by my side every step of the way.

“Always.” I responded to his question, still keeping my eyes on the person reading his book and looking at us the same time.

He seemed to be a mental barrier, blocking my thoughts as I tried to process the situation. My brother was acquainted with him, and we exchanged glances before turning our attention back to each other.

“Could you please speed up? We don’t want anyone recognizing you.” I quickly glanced at the guy who was still keeping a close eye on us.

He had a tall, lean build, his muscles defined under the fabric of his hoodie. His long legs were stretched out in front of him, his feet planted firmly on the ground. He looked like he could run for miles without breaking a sweat.

„Are you ashamed of me?“ Liam joked.

„No, I’m proud of you. With a limit so to say. Only when you’re on the ice,“ I grinned at him and glanced away from the guy who was still watching us.

Liam put down the final bag he retrieved from the trunk and walked over to me. He embraced me warmly, pressing a gentle kiss on my hairline.

„You know I like having you around. I’m sorry for putting you through this.“

„Well, you are paying for my tuition,“ I replied dryly. It was my final year of studies. Friends were temporary, I always reminded myself.

For Liam, relocating to Boston was a success, but for me, it felt like a setback.

Though, I had become used to starting over and reinventing myself, or so I believed. In an attempt to stay positive. After all, Liam’s job provided funding for my education, and that was nothing to complain about.

One thing never failed to make me uneasy: the curious gazes of strangers. I was adamant about keeping my brother’s identity a secret.

Liam lowered his baseball cap, wrapped me in a tight embrace, shielding us from any curious onlookers.

I peered over his shoulder at the guy who was still staring at us intently.

His grey eyes were captivating, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away from them. I watched as he closed his book and made a move to get up. For a split second, I thought he might come over to us. Damn, I even wished for it. It was the first time out of all our encounters today that I actually wanted someone to approach us.

He ran his fingers through his black hair and didn’t look back at us again. It somehow hurt to see him leave. He stuffed his book into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. Without another glance in our direction, he walked away. I had no idea why it affected me so much. After all, everyone who recognized Liam had acted differently today.

I was probably being hypersensitive. Maybe he hadn’t even recognized him and I was just overreacting.

“Can you do me a favor? It’s just a small request. Nothing big,” my brother murmured. I looked at the guy, then back at Liam.

“Of course,” I answered. But the way he asked made me tense up in his arms.

“Watch the games for me?” he asked cautiously.

“Sure, I’ll come. You got me a season ticket, remember?”

“I wasn’t talking about mine. That goes without saying.” He chuckled and pushed me away so he could look into my eyes. Now I knew what he meant.

“I don’t go to college hockey games,” I grumbled. I watch his games, that should be enough. I definitely wouldn’t attend a game here.

Andrew was a hockey player here, my personal nightmare. I hoped we wouldn’t run into each other. Running into his arms was definitely not something I wanted to do.

“There’s someone on the team that I’m really interested in. He plays the same position as me and … well, I’m a little nervous. He’ll be graduating in a year and I’m just starting out. I guess I’m under pressure.” Liam scratched the back of his neck and looked at me with uncertainty.

“Name?” I muttered, taking a deep breath.

“Matthew Arrow.”

“Terrible name,” I grumbled.

“Incredibly talented center,” sighed Liam. That was the position he played. Of course, he was nervous. Amazing, if my statement was anything to go by.

“They didn’t recruit you from the second league because you’re no good. He’s still in college. You have plenty of time to prove yourself and renegotiate your salary at the end of the season,” I encouraged him.

“I got enough money, Mac. That’s not what is in for me. I want to prove to everyone that I can make it to the top and that I belong here.”

Liam’s face broke into a smile and his eyes lit up. My own smile spread across my lips as I watched him. I mirrored his expression, a wide grin spreading across my face.

“Sherlock is activated,” I chuckled.

“You’re a gem. I never would have made it this far without you, you know that, right?” He rested his head against my forehead and I chuckled to myself.

“Of course I know that.”

“Your slap shot technique is the best,” he murmured. I remembered the countless days, the long winters where we froze outside trying to perfect his technique. As soon as it got cold in Montana, we started building his ice rink. We secretly flooded the grassy areas overnight. Every year, a different spot so it wouldn’t be noticed.

“What do you say we hit the ice together some time?” I asked.

Now that he was in the NHL, his busy schedule probably didn’t leave much room for practicing with his little sister. They might not even let me into the arena without causing a fuss.

“I found a small rink nearby. Most of Thursdays they let us relax and recharge before games. I think I need the opposite,” he grinned.

“Recharge? That’s outdated.

You need a good push to get going. I’ll be the one to ignite you,” I joked, flashing him a smile.

“Until the ice melts.” The corners of his eyes crinkled.

“I’ll make it happen. Have a few ideas that I want to try out.”

“You’ve always been better than me”, he said. I paused, taken aback.

Perhaps I was a more skilled tactician. My mind was filled with various strategies that he didn’t possess. However, when it came to skating or the precision of his shots, I couldn’t outmatch him.

“It’s great that you see it that way. You still have a lot to learn. No coach is as good as me,” I grinned at my brother.

“There’s always something new to learn from you,” he chuckled. Despite being the expert, he enjoyed practicing with me.

“It will not be a simple task to defeat me.”

“I suppose so. Can you also make sure to watch over him for me?”

“Who?”

“Matthew Arrow,” he said firmly. “You noticed him,” he stated with conviction, referring to the guy who had been staring at us moments ago, Matthew Arrow.”

“The one by the tree?” I asked.

My brother confirmed with a nod. I cursed internally. I couldn’t let anyone know that he was my brother. On top of that, all I wanted was some quiet to focus on my studies.

“I thought he was going to request your signature, like the numerous others today,” I chuckled, attempting to push away the image of his intense gaze.

“It’s been a bit overwhelming today, huh?” he smiled and embraced me once more. “I suppose that means I should make myself scarce.”

“Please,” I mumbled.

He chuckled and reached for my bags, easily lifting one and carrying two more in his hands. “Let me take these to your room for you,” he offered with a smile.

I turned to glance at the tree where Matthew Arrow had been sitting just moments before. For some reason, I couldn’t shake off this uneasy feeling about him. He didn’t act like he didn’t know Liam, and he definitely wasn’t pleased to see him.