Pride and Pucks and Prejudice - 6. Chapter 6

Jackson

By Thursday morning I'd begun to suspect my rivalry with Noah had become an accepted feature of the organisation. The coaches had stopped intervening unless we looked likely to injure each other. The trainers no longer bothered asking why we'd turned another conditioning drill into a race. Even the equipment staff had begun taking bets.

So when Emily from Human Resources appeared hesitantly outside the weight room clutching a clipboard to her chest like body armour, I assumed she'd been warned.

"Um..."

I looked up from wiping down the bench. Across the room, Noah paused halfway through racking a barbell.

Emily smiled nervously. "Hi."

"Morning, Emily."

"Hey," Noah said.

She swallowed. "I've... um... been sent by the public relations department."

Neither of us interrupted.

"They were wondering if..." She checked her clipboard. "...one of you might be available on Saturday."

"For what?" I asked.

"A children's charity event."

"Oh."

I nodded immediately. "Absolutely."

At precisely the same moment Noah said, "Sure."

Emily blinked. "...Oh."

Neither of us spoke.

I looked at Noah. He looked back at me.

"You should do it," I said.

He folded his arms. "No. You should."

"I did one last month."

"I did two."

"Exactly."

"So it's your turn."

I smiled. "I've got more experience."

"You've also got the face every sponsor wants on a billboard."

"Which is exactly why they can survive without me for one afternoon."

"They asked for one of us."

"Meaning either."

"Meaning you."

"I don't think that's what it means."

Emily raised a tentative finger. "I don't actually think—"

"You've always been better with kids," I said.

Noah stared at me. "...What?"

"I've seen you at community skates."

"You've watched me?"

"We've played in the same division for six years."

"That's not what I asked."

I ignored that. "They love you."

"They like you because you're pretty."

"I don't think children rank hockey players by facial symmetry."

"You've clearly never met children."

Emily tried again. "I honestly don't mind which—"

"He's captain," I said

"So were you."

"Not any more, and that was Chicago."

"Exactly."

"So?"

"So... leadership."

"You've won MVP."

"You've finished second."

"I wasn't aware this was an award."

"No, but if it were, you'd somehow beat me."

I laughed. "I probably would."

Noah pointed triumphantly. "See?"

"See what?"

"That."

"What?"

"That smug thing."

"I'm smiling."

"Smugly."

"I don't think smiles come with settings."

"They absolutely do."

Emily made another tiny attempt. "Excuse me..."

Neither of us heard her.

I folded my towel. "You'd genuinely enjoy it."

"So would you."

"I already did a hospital visit this summer."

"I signed autographs for three hours at a youth tournament."

"You like signing autographs."

"I tolerate signing autographs."

"You drew a smiley face on one."

"He was six."

"I rest my case."

Emily inhaled. "If either of—"

"You've got better hair."

Noah looked genuinely affronted. "...That's your argument?"

"It is excellent hair."

"Your hair literally gets shampoo commercials."

"I turned one down."

He stared. "You what?"

"I didn't have time."

"You turned down shampoo."

"I already had commitments."

He looked at the ceiling. "I hate you."

"I know."

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Emily's shoulders slowly slump. "I'm so sorry," she said.

Neither of us answered.

"I'm... really sorry." Still nothing. "I can come back later?"

From the other side of the gym came a long, theatrical sigh. Stellan Ove Anders lowered the dumbbells he'd been curling and looked at the pair of us as though we were particularly disappointing zoo animals.

"You'd be better."

"No, you'd be better."

"They asked you."

"They asked one of us."

"They definitely meant you."

"They definitely didn't."

Stellan finally snapped. "For fuck's sake."

The entire room went quiet.

He walked over to Emily. "I'll do it."

Emily looked as though someone had just granted her parole. "...Really?"

"Yep."

She glanced between Noah and me. "...Are you sure?"

"Positive." He shrugged. "I like kids." Then he jerked a thumb in our direction. "These idiots can stay here arguing over who gets to volunteer."

"We weren't arguing," I protested.

"You were," Stellan said.

"We were discussing it," Noah added.

"You were chirping." A pause. "You've been chirping for eight straight minutes."

Emily let out the smallest sigh of relief I'd ever heard. "Oh." Another pause. "Oh, thank you." She scribbled something frantically onto her clipboard. "I'll tell PR."

Then she looked at Stellan with such heartfelt gratitude that I briefly wondered if she'd been expecting physical violence.

"Thank you so much."

"My pleasure."

She hurried toward the door. Stopped. Turned back.

"And... I'm sorry."

Stellan blinked. "For what?"

"I don't know." She gave a tiny, helpless shrug. "I've been spending too much time around hockey players."

Then she disappeared before anyone could involve her in another debate. The door swung shut. Silence hung over the room for a few seconds.

Finally Ben looked up from taping his stick. "So..." He glanced at Aleksander. "...they just spent eight minutes arguing over who got to volunteer."

Aleksander nodded thoughtfully. "Most aggressive act of kindness I've ever seen."

Eddie looked around the room. "I think we're watching two golden retrievers fight over who gets to carry the same stick."

Noah pointed at me immediately. "He's not talking about me."

I pointed straight back. "He's definitely talking about you."

"Why me?"

"You have the energy."

"You chased a pigeon during warm-ups yesterday."

"It was acting suspiciously."

Stellan picked up his gym bag. "I've changed my mind."

Everyone looked at him.

"I don't like children anymore."

Laughter rolled through the weight room.

Noah looked at me.

I looked at Noah.

"What?" we said at exactly the same time.

That only made everyone laugh harder.