15. Royal

fifteen

"Where's your little girlfriend Reynold's? I hear she gives good head."

It's our second game of the season, and my team is winning 2-1 with just under five minutes to go. I can't let these douchebags break my concentration.

I fake a pass to my left before flicking the puck to Coulter on the right wing. I let the momentum carry me into the douchebag's chest, knocking him into the plexiglass with a hard thud.

If last year's incident taught me anything, it's not to let assholes like our opponents get under my skin. They're only words, just like Teagan's mom said.

Not one to take a hint, Fisher skates next to me with his buddy Davis next to him.

"Here she comes. Maybe I'll ask her how many dicks she had to suck to get picked for the men's team." Fisher nods and looks at a spot over my shoulder to where Teagan is. There's no way she didn't hear his disgusting comment.

"That would be three dicks, Fisher. Four if you count your mom's," Teagan says, taking all of us by surprise, stealing the puck from Davis and skating away with a smirk.

"That bitch!" Fisher's face turns bright red. His jaw begins to tick, his eyes following Teagan as she makes a play on his team's goalie and scores yet another goal for our team.

Damn, she's good. There's no way we are going to lose the Championship with her on our team.

"What was that all about?" Fin asks, skating up behind me.

"Nothing Teagan can't handle." I smile, thinking about the look on Fisher's face at her quick comeback. "Come on, we have a game to win."

The rest of the game is uneventful except for Fisher refusing to shake hands with our team after they lost.

"Huddle up, everyone. You're lucky they played sloppy, or we wouldn't have pulled out a win." I snap my eyes at Greg. I hate that he's the acting head coach while Coach Johnson is off with his wife and new baby. At least it will only be for a few days, not forever, or I would have to transfer colleges.

What Greg is saying is bullshit. Teagan destroyed their defense, scoring all three of our team's goals. My gaze lands on Fin and Coulter, and I see the same anger at Greg's words in their eyes.

Greg and I haven't seen eye to eye since I first came to State College, and last year didn't help matters.

"Don't forget tomorrow's practice is early. We have been invited by one of the owners of the Minnesota Norse to watch their game from the owner's box."

The Minnesota Norse is an up-and-coming Pro hockey team in town, and it is my first choice to play for professionally. Tomorrow will be the perfect opportunity to make a good impression on the owner.

"Okay, ladies, it's time to hit the showers." Greg's condescending voice rings through the arena.

I watch as Teagan skates to the other side of the arena, where the women's locker room is located. I have a moment of worry for her being all by herself on the other side, then I remembered how she handled Fisher.

"You think she'll be okay by herself over there?" Coulter asks, skating up behind me with Fin on his heels.

I nod. "She'll be fine." I look around the arena at the sold-out crowd, young girls clinging to handmade signs filling the normally half-empty stands, all declaring their support for Teagan.

"Jesus, have you ever seen so many people at one of our games?" Fin asks, his eyes taking in the packed arena as they begin to file out.

We watch from a safe distance as Teagan makes her way through the crowded tunnel to the women's locker room. She is swarmed by a small group of young girls. She takes her time signing autographs and talking with each one of them.

Satisfied that no harm will come to her, we go to the men's locker room, oblivious to the danger lurking around the corner, masked as a leader of our team.