My Hockey Alpha

Nina

"Wanna grab some drinks?” Enzo asked with a warm smile.

I was a bit surprised by the offer, since I expected Enzo to be too disheartened after the match to want to do anything; if anything, he actually seemed excited about the rematch. Maybe finally having some real competition was refreshing for him.

“Um, sure,” I said, grabbing my bag. “Where do you want to go?”

“I was just thinking the bar in town,” Enzo replied. “Wait here. I'm just gonna go change and then we can go."

I nodded, blushing a bit as I watched Enzo jog off toward the locker rooms.

"What was that about?” Lori's voice suddenly said from beside me. I nearly jumped out of my skin. “Jesus!” I said, clutching my chest. “You have got to stop sneaking up on people like that. And it's nothing. We're just gonna grab some drinks.”

Lori smirked. “I thought you were staying single for a while,” she said.

I rolled my eyes. “l am,” I replied. “Enzo and I are just friends.”

“Yeah, okay,” Lori said sarcastically. "Who knew friends could make you blush so much?”

My face turned even more red at her words, but I didn't let it get to me. I could have said a number of things about how Lori pined away for Jessica for two years, but I chose not to mention it.

“Well, have fun,” Lori said as Jessica spotted her from the crowd and started waving to her. “I've got a hot date of my own.”

I watched with a smile as Lori ran up to Jessica and they walked out together, holding hands.

Enzo returned a couple of minutes later. “Alright,” he said, dressed once more in his usual flannel and jeans attire. “Ready?”

I nodded and we headed out of the almost-empty stadium. It was a nice night out, so we were able to walk to town with no trouble.

“That was an interesting match,” I said as we walked. Enzo nodded, his hands in his pockets. “Yeah,” he replied. “It's funny. That team has always been kind of shitty, but that new captain seems like he really whipped them into shape.”

“It doesn’t seem to bother you,” I said.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Enzo's lips. “I guess it's nice to have a little competition for once. Not that I won't be devastated if we don't win the rematch.”

“Do you think you guys will be able to win the Blizzard Tournament?” I asked. The Blizzard Tournament was the biggest hockey tournament in the region, and a lot of really impressive teams played hard to win. I had no doubt that Enzo’s team would do well, but it was still an incredible feat to win the entire tournament.

“That's the goal,” Enzo replied. “This tournament will really put us on the map.”

"Won't playing in the tournament interfere with your studies, though?” I asked.

Enzo sighed and looked over at me for a moment before averting his gaze again. “I could honestly care less,” he replied. “My dad was the one to make me come to this school. It was just a scheme to help his business get more standing in the human world; winning the Blizzard Tournament would certainly help that, so it's not like he'll give a shit if I flunk out of school for hockey.”

I stopped suddenly, looking up at Enzo. There was a constant underlying sadness about him that was only more prevalent in the amber glow of the streetlamps.

“Do you want to play in the tournament?” I asked.

Enzo froze. He looked as though he was at a loss for words; it made me wonder if anyone had asked him what he wanted before.

“I think so,” he said finally, smiling again. “It'll be hard, but... I really love hockey.”

The bar was crowded when we got there, but we managed to find a spot at a corner table. I often forgot just how small of a town this place was until nights like tonight, when it seemed that the entire town was at the bar watching the recap of the hockey game on the local TV station as if it wasn't just a college team.

“I'll get us drinks,” Enzo said over the din of the loud music and talking customers. I nodded and watched as he walked away, then pulled out my phone to check Twitter; thankfully, the days of the creepy Twitter account seemed to have passed since Lisa was bitten, which only solidified my theory that it was her who took those photos.

As I was scrolling on my phone, I felt someone sit down on the bench next to me. I looked up to see one of Lisa's friends glaring at me; she was from the cheer team, still in her uniform from the game, and looked thoroughly drunk.

"You've got some real balls,” she said, swaying a bit in her seat and slurring her words.

"God," I said, scooting away from her. “The game just ended. How did you get so drunk already?” “It doesn’t matter!” she replied. “What matters is that you got Lisa suspended from the cheer team, and now you're coming here with her boyfriend? You're disgusting.”

I raised an eyebrow. “First of all, Enzo isn't Lisa's boyfriend anymore,” I replied. “Second, I didn’t do anything. Lisa attacked me.”

“Well, you deserved it,” her friend replied, standing. “You should just make everyone happy and drop out already.”

"Alright, Erica,” Enzo said, returning with our drinks and setting them down on the table. “You're drunk. Go home and defend your queen bee another day.”

Erica glared at Enzo for a long few seconds before speaking. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” she growled, getting in Enzo's face. “Leaving Lisa for some ugly nerd.”

“Since we're calling names,” Enzo replied, “you're a bimbo who only gets through classes by sleeping with the professors.”

Erica gasped. “You're such an asshole!” she shouted, gathering the attention of nearby bar patrons, then turned toward me and poked her finger into my chest. “And you will never be anything but Enzo Rivers’ pitiful little puppy dog, following him around like that.”

Before either of us could respond, Erica stumbled off and stormed out of the bar.

Enzo shuddered and sat down next to me. “God, those cheerleaders are like a hivemind,” he said, taking a swig of his drink.

“I'm glad to know it's not just my school that has cheerleaders like that,” a deep male voice said from behind us. Both Enzo and I turned around to see none other than the captain of the other team walking toward us with a drink in hand.

He stuck out his hand. “I'm Ronan, by the way,” he said with a polite smile. “That was some impressive playing back there.”

"Uh, thanks,” Enzo said, shaking Ronan’s hand. “You too.”

"And your name is?” Ronan said, looking at me then.

I felt my face go red beneath his oddly captivating gaze. There was something strange about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on; maybe it was just the alcohol. “Nina,” I replied.

“Nice to meet you, Nina,” Ronan said, before nodding politely at us and heading back to the bar. “That was strangely polite,” I said quietly to Enzo, who merely shrugged and took a swig of his drink. We sat in the bar for a while and chatted while we finished our drinks. Eventually, it got late and I was both tipsy and tired, so I decided to go home.

“I'll walk you home,” Enzo said, standing.

As we left, however, I noticed Enzo discreetly glance over his shoulder to glare at Ronan.