My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 0660

Enzo

The cool air of the indoor hockey arena was a welcome relief as I stepped onto the ice. It was just us, the team, gathered for a friendly scrimmage. No crowd, no roaring fans, just the sound of skates and sticks and our own voices echoing off the walls.

As I skated onto the rink, the familiar sensation of anticipation and adrenaline coursed through me, instantly helping my shoulders to release the built-up tension. I could feel my teammates' energy, a mix of competitiveness and camaraderie. I joined them, tapping my stick against the ice in greeting.

"Oh, look who decided to show up." Matt teased, skating toward me as he dribbled the puck around his stick.

I chuckled, adjusting my helmet. "You thought I was gonna let you morons play by yourselves?" I teased. The team had planned on playing a friendly scrimmage that day, and I jumped at the opportunity to join in. I needed it. Like, really needed it. My frustrations had to go somewhere, and what better place than to let them out on the ice?

The puck dropped, and the game began. I could feel the tension in my body, the need to release the frustration that had been building up inside of me after everything. I chased the puck faster than I had in what felt like far too long, my skates carving sharp lines in the ice. The sound of my breath was loud in my ears, rhythmic and steady. "Enzo, over here!" Matt shouted, positioning himself for a pass. I flicked the puck towards him with a swift motion of my stick.

"Got it!" Matt caught it smoothly, dodging an opponent before passing it back to me.

The game was intense, our movements fluid and fast. I weaved through the players, feeling a sense of freedom in the speed and precision of each turn. The frustration with Mila, the uncertainty of what to do, it all faded into the background as I focused on the game.

"Coming your way, Enzo!" yelled Jake from across the ice. I turned just in time to see the puck sliding towards me.

I shot forward, intercepting it and skating towards the goal. The goalie, Ryan, prepared to block, his eyes fixed on me. I feinted left, then quickly shot to the right, flicking the puck towards the net.

"Nice try!" Ryan shouted as he deflected the shot with a swift move.

I circled back, ready for another go. "Good save, Ryan! But I'm just getting started!"

As we continued to play, I could feel my tension begin to slip away. Nothing else mattered except for the puck. The glint in Mila's eyes finally felt miles and miles away, just as it was supposed to.

"Enzo, heads up!" Matt called out, sending the puck spinning towards me.

I caught it on my stick and looked up to see Jake barreling towards me. "Not this time, Jake!" I said, swiftly maneuvering around him.

The scrimmage went on for a good while, each of us giving it our all. I could feel my muscles burning with the effort, my mind clear and focused. By the time the last point was reached and the puck slid seamlessly into the net, we were all out of breath and covered in sweat but utterly satisfied.

"You were on fire today, Enzo, Matt said, coming up beside me as we skated off the ice.

I nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction mixed with exhaustion. "Thanks, man. I needed that."

We gathered our gear and headed towards the locker room, the sound of our laughter and chatter filling the air. It was moments like these, surrounded by my team, that I felt most at home, most like myself.

But it seemed that the tension could never fully slip away. Something-or someone-was always reminding me of

it.

"Hey," Matt began, finding me in a quiet corner of the locker room, "you good? You were going pretty hard out there."

Removing my helmet, I ran a hand through my damp hair. There was no point in lying to Matt, not when he already knew about my predicament. "It's just... this whole situation with that team doctor," I said quietly, keeping my voice low so as not to be overheard by the rest of the team-but they were all too busy being rowdy as they stole Jake's hat, throwing it around and laughing, to notice.

"You wanna talk about it?" Matt asked.

I shrugged. "There's not much else to say," I said. "I tried calling Tim, but... I couldn't tell him. I think I might wanna go and talk to him in person instead."

Matt's expression turned to worry. "Is that the best idea, though?" he asked, leaning against the wall of the locker room. "I mean, if you have to see her in person, that might just make matters worse."

I let out a heavy sigh, realizing what it seemed like. "I don't know what the best idea' is at this point, if I'm being honest," I said after a moment of hesitation. "I guess I never thought I'd wind myself up in a situation like this. When the moment came to tell Tim, I clammed up."

"And so talking to him in person is supposed to remedy that?" Matt asked.

I swallowed. "Maybe," I answered. "Maybe not. I don't know. I guess, in a way, I've convinced myself that if I man up and talk to him face to face instead of hiding behind a phone screen, I'll...

"Don't say it," Matt said sternly. "I know what you're thinking: that it would make you less of a 'coward"." He emphasized the word 'coward' with air quotes, signifying just how silly it seemed.

"You know me too well," I said with a chuckle.

But Matt wasn't laughing. He shook his head, his eyes earnest. "Enzo, listen to me. No matter how you go about it, it doesn't make you any less of a man. Sexual misconduct is no joke, regardless of gender. You're handling a tough situation, and it takes strength to face it."

I knew his words were supposed to be helpful, but honestly, they just made matters feel worse. "It's just... I've always thought I could handle anything," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. "But this? I feel so... powerless."

"Powerlessness doesn't equate to weakness, Matt replied, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It takes courage to stand up against something like this. Don't let traditional notions of masculinity dictate how you should feel or act. You're doing the right thing. And besides, by turning her in, you might even protect others in the future."

I nodded slowly, realizing-once again-that he was right. But I still had a lot to think about. "Thanks, Matt," I finally said. "I needed to hear that. Thanks for listening to me whine, at least."

"It's what a friend is for," Matt said with a grin. "Listening to your whining, and playing a damn good game of hockey."

Later that evening, I finally arrived home, feeling both exhausted and maybe even a little liberated.

But that feeling was short-lived.

I opened the door to the living room, expecting the usual calm of our home-and what I saw stopped me dead in my tracks.

There, standing imposingly, was Aldric, his arms crossed and his expression stern. Beside him was Angelica, Nina's mother; her eyes were filled with a mixture of concern and hurt. And beside her stood Tyler, shockingly, looking just as uncomfortable as I felt.

And Nina was there too, her eyes wide with shock.