Chapter 12

***Sorry this is so much shorter than usual... work and school are really taking a toll on my free time! I just wanted to fire this off and give you guys a little update... I'll be adding another one within the next couple days! Thanks for all the comments! I get really excited when I see them! =D***


I had never wanted anything so bad. NHL, acceptance, approval, none of it mattered anymore. I saw their defence struggling, their goalie falter and their forwards near the brink of exhaustion; and I wanted to take them there.

It was the last game of the week, the game of the week. I teetered back and forth between victory and defeat, unable to convince myself that I was going to make it to the next cuts. I lead the weeks games in points by a huge margin, followed by Jake and then Mattie, but the trainers were still not convinced that I could play in a league created for men.
There was a little over a minute left in the last period, and we were winning by one. The score sat at 4-3, having scored three times and gained an assist I was exploding with energy and adrenalin. I looked up into the crowd to see Mattie sitting in the front row, leaning forward in his seat with his head resting in his hands. He face looked worried, and I saw his eyes move from me, to the coaches infront of him and then back to me. I let out a sigh, what does a girl gotta do around here? I thought with resentment, before heading back to the bench.

"Alright, so... let's just run the clock down, a minute-twelve left..." our 'coach' for the night suggested as we gathered around.

"I want D!" I shouted, through the crowd of guys infront of me.

"Ahh, wh- wh- what?" he stuttered back as the ref blew his whistle.

"I'm goin on D ok? Ok, cool!" I skated off towards the ref before he could say anything else.

Marty skated up beside me quietly, "I'm taking the face off... you want me to let him grab it?" I nodded as he skated away to turn over the puck. I leaned over, ready to knock a few boys down, catching sight of Mattie in the stands. He was sitting with his hands now completely covering his face, I was sure he was cursing me under his breath; I smiled to myself as the puck dropped.


The celebration that ensued that night was dizzying to say the least. I had managed to score again, breaking the record for the most goals ever scored at the training camp and after my decent little stint on defence, everyone was sure I was a shoe-in for Team USA. It seemed that everyone was in high spirits that night, and I couldn't help but realize; some of these guys are going home tomorrow...
I was standing in a circle of my 'team mates' at least, the guys I had just finished plaing with and I began to search Mattie out through the crowd. It wasn't hard to find him, he was the only person not celebrating; sitting on the couch, a coke in his hand and his ballcap pulled down low over his face. I said goodnight to the guys around me, laughing at their groans and complaints as they tried to get me to stay, and made my way over to where Mattie was sitting.
I held out my hand to him and he took it, pushing himself off the couch and following me back to our room.
We walked in a comfortable silence until we reached the room, Mattie pushed open our door and fell onto the bed. I pulled my PJs out of my suitcase and changed quickly, before jumping onto bed beside him. I snuggled up as closely as I could to him; he chuckled and wrapped his arms around me.
I pushed my face into his chest and sighed. "Everything alright?" I asked, pulling my head up to look at him.

"Yah, worried is all..." he continued to gaze at me intently, his blue eyes filled with concern.

"Are you worried about how I'm going to react if I get the boot?" I smiled at him, trying to hide the fact that inside I was terrified.

"No..." he shook his head thoughtfully. "Carlie, if I get sent home, are you gonna break up with me?"

I started to laugh. I could tell by the look on his face that he was 100% serious, but the idea was so foolish I couldn't help it. "What?" he said, concern filling his face once again, "why is that so funny? I'm serious Carlie!"

"I know! That's why I'm laughing!" I pulled myself up towards his face and planted a kiss on his lips. "Mattie," I sighed, "If I get sent home, are you gonna break up with me?"

"What? No!" He pulled me into a tight bear hug and I began to laugh again. "Oh, ok yah... dumb question." He started to chuckle too and we lay there laughing for a while.

After calming down and laying in silence a bit more Mattie sighed and pushed himself off the bed. "How late do you think Consti will be out for?" He asked as he slid his shirt over his head. I looked over at the clock 10:47 and then back at him.

"Ummm a couple hours maybe, depends how drunk they are." I let out a groan. In a little over nine hours I would know what was going to happen to us, I was never going to get to sleep tonight.

"Hmmm... well then, seeing as how tonight could be our last night here... I can think of some goods ways to spend it!"

"Oh really? And what would that be now?" I laughed as Mattie pounced on top of me. He brought his lips down ontop of mine and I intertwined my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. He lifted me off the bed and crushed me aginst him as he began to pull my shorts off. As Matties' finger began to push inside of me, I began to forget all about tomorrow morning.