Alexander

"I was 15 when you guys got to the finals of the Stanley Cup and I knew I had to go. I wasn't sure how to go as my dad was upset as his team - I mean the team he supports did not go through to the finals so he wasn't going to take me. He was always a character but he took it especially hard when the LA Falcons didn't reach the finals so he told me it was a hard no and that I would not support another team." She smiled sadly to her own self and good lord I knew enough about LA Falcons.

They were one of the most ruthless and best teams, being led by Thomas Davis as the coach and the owner. They have once approached me, wanting me to play for them but no amount of money would make me want to play for the tyrant himself. He was rough with his players, demanding too much from them. A win wasn't good enough unless it's the whole league. They do win a lot, but none of the players can mentally stay there, so the turnaround is high.

"As a stupid kid I was determined to see the game, so I got the tickets to the bus and spent the next almost three days sleepless, changing busses so that I can get to the game. No lie, I probably will never do it again but I wouldn't change a thing, the game was worth it." She laughs as she glances back at the copy of the trophy we received. The first Stanley Cup won is definitely one of the best things I experienced but seeing her so excited by it might just top it.

This girl is something else...

"When I finally got there I couldn't check in at the hotel as I was not 18 yet and thankfully he hasn't called the cops. Well, actually he didn't realise I was missing so it all played in favour of my little trip across the US. Anyway, I told him where I was and that I needed him to get me and as relaxed as my father is about my whereabouts he booked first tickets to Tampa but I knew it would give me the time to watch the game. I was smart enough to get a ticket as soon as they went on sale." I can't believe someone as young as her did such a journey for a game.

My trip to Tampa was a lot comfier as we flew on a private jet whilst the younger guys including me got absolutely smashed. I wince, knowing that I could have been the reason we lost because I decided to get drunk before the game but we were all so hyped and sure of ourselves that we let ourselves go.

The older guys kept scolding us but we didn't care, I didn't care. I was the star player, not even legal to drink in the US which made the want to drink even greater. I was stupid, and it's probably one of the main reasons why I don't drink much anymore. I never want to be the reason we don't do well. I don't want to disappoint those who believe in me; us, either.

"Anyways, you sure you want the long story? I don't want to bother you." her blonde hair covered most of her face as she looked down, almost as a defence mechanism. Trying to cover herself from whatever might hurt her but I know those green eyes shine greater than any cover that she could come up with.

"Of course, Kotenok. I want to hear everything you got to say." Fuck, I'm horny as if I'm the 5-year-old teen, not her. Thankfully, she's a grown adult now and I absolutely allowed to want to want her.

"Okay, okay. So since I already had the tickets I headed to the stadium early, in the hope I'd see you guys. News flash, I didn't but it absolutely didn't ruin my day. As soon as the gates were open, I was first in. I did a whole round around before finding my seat, next to the goalie. I knew I got to see you playing close by at least once but fate decided to be great to me so I saw you twice." her eyes connected with mine and I saw the excitement and pride, she saw the last block. She saw it all happen with mere meters separating us. Insane how fate can play with lives.

"So I saw the whole game and I can imagine how hard your heartbeat was as you guys were winning 3-2, last period, 3 minutes left. We all know 3 minutes in hockey is a lot. So much can change but those three minutes made me route and scream for you as if it was your last game. But those last 20 seconds. They changed my life." I knew she was a fan of mine, well at least in her teenage years, but I did not understand how much love she had for the sport.

I know I sound super misogynistic but in my experience, most women who watch hockey don't do it for the sport itself. It's shitty but it's my experience. Chloe is like inhaling pure oxygen after being deprived of it for so long. It's not the players she cared about, for the most part, it's the game itself.

"Those 20 seconds I saw those who were routing for you guys lose hope as their forward hit the puck. But not many have seen the confidence you had, most didn't see how you locked in on that puck as if your life depended on it. I knew you would absolutely catch it, no matter what. While everyone got up to see what was happening. I sat there breathing with you. I knew you'd do it if you just kept breathing and believing in yourself." her words brought me right back to that day. It's been almost 10 years since that game but I see it like it was yesterday.

She managed to figure out my breathing pattern, something that most don't know about. Of course, unless you are my coach or my Liam. Ever since I was young as long as I managed to breathe, I'd get the puck. My breathing would even out whenever I had my eyes on the puck and everything else would fade. A teenage girl managed to figure out something that most couldn't.

I wasn't good under pressure, that's not why I managed to stop almost every puck that came my way. It's because I managed to calm myself down and pretend that none of the pressure existed.

"How did you figure out about the breathing?" I didn't intend on interrupting her story but the curiosity got the best of me.

"Well after you watch enough games and be pretty good at analysing the details you start to figure out when the team you root for loses because the goalie doesn't concentrate on time. Pretty much just watching the games and seeing the difference between when you catch the puck and when you don't. When you breathe steadily, you not once missed it." She smiles pointing at my chest.

Fuck I want to hug her. Squeeze her to my chest and never let go of her. She's so cute and hot and stunning and every possible word that means beautiful.

"You got a good eye for detail, Kotenok. Okay, now continue. I want to know how the story ends." I urge her and she laughs in disbelief. I want to hear her laugh every day. It's like an angel signing but probably better.

Shit, I'm so into a girl who only liked me as a teen. Wish she was still a fangirl. Would be easier to convince her to go on a date with me.

"As if you don't know how it ends." she laughs but shifts a little closer to me and the urge to grab her and pull her into me almost gets the best of me but I do my best to stay still.

"Okay, okay so as everything freezes besides the flying puck and you, I see you move a little forward. You reach to your far right, something that most thought might be your weakness due to your prior injury but you got your full range of motion back by now. So the impossible-to-catch shot is very possible now. It seemed like it was so easy to grab the puck. Like it was weightless in your hand." She shakes her head with a little smile.

She definitely knows.

"You knew something wasn't right?" She nods like one who knows more than others. No reporter picked up on the pretty noticeable wince when I caught the puck. It shattered my hand. They call it impossible for a reason. It was too fast to be caught but I did nonetheless.

"I shattered my hand in three places but it was the most enjoyable injury. Had to endure the pain for a while before all the reporters left but it was so worth it." the memories of that night, the pride, the joy that cursed through my body. It was my first big win. Something every hockey player strives for.

"Yeah, I've noticed the ri as you dropped the puck into the referee's hand. Your team did as well, they knew you wouldn't last another shot so in the last 15 seconds they did everything in their power to keep the puck away from you. The rest is history and you got the Stanley Cup. I cried there, I never cried about a game before. But I cried for you, for all of you. You guys did it."

Fuck the consequences, I pull her into my chest and she hits me with a little oomph. I might have done it with a little too much force but I needed her to be close. You can't tell a guy who's obviously a little obsessed with you such information and not expect this.

If I could have my way, I'd fuck her but I think she's not there yet.

She stays stiff in my hold for the first few seconds but relaxes a bit when her brain catches up to the fact she isn't in danger nor will I let her go.

"What are you doing?" her words come out barely above the whisper and I smile to myself. I like that I make her flustered. I have some hold on her as well even if she isn't ready to admit it.

"Hugging you, Kotenok. You can't tell me a story like this and expect me to just sit still. Trust me I tried. Hugging you is the most PG option I could come up with." I mutter her and she tenses up again at my words before relaxing.

We sit in peaceful silence, her cradled against my chest. I take the Stanley Cup medal out of the bunch that's on the shelf, the very same one which her story is about.

I place it around her neck and she looks down for a second as she tries to figure out what I'm doing. As she looks up he green eyes are full of unshed tears as she throws her arms around my neck.

As she brings me closer, hugging me even tighter my chest hums in content.