“What JJ?” He asked concern filling his face. “You feel sick again?”
“No. I just wanted to say sorry for not coming home last night.” I blurted out. “I feel kind of stupid about getting sick.”
He smiled. “It’s okay honey. It happens.” He took the bike off the rack. “I’m going to go and get Sydney, have some dinner and then come to the game. You want to come?”
“You like her don’t you.” I asked.
A silly grin came to his face. “I do. But you have to too. If you don’t, then I’ll break it off with her.” He cupped my face. “No one or anything is as important as you, JJ.”
I knew that he meant that and my inner conflict rose to the surface again. “I like her. She is really nice. I hope I find someone like that. What you and Mom had and what you have with Sydney.”
His face grew solemn. “Understand, JJ. No one can replace your Mom. She was the most perfect woman I have ever known. Just like you.” He smiled. “But I like Sydney too. I think you will find someone. Besides, don’t you have someone?” He nodded in the direction behind me.
I turned and Gabe was walking toward another car.
“Not a shabby pick.” He winked.
“Yeah. I just hope he feels the same way about me.” I mused.
Gabe waved at me before getting into the car.
“I bet he does.” Dad kissed me on the head. “Okay. I’m off. See ya tonight? You sure you don’t want to come and eat with us?”
I shook my head. “No. I have homework to do. Plus, you know how good the food is here.”
He nodded. “True. Oh, here.” He reached inside his bike shorts and handed me a fifty dollar bill. “Just in case you want to celebrate tonight.”
“Is this your way of paying me off not to come home?”
His face grew innocent. “I am not suggesting any such a thing.” He got on his bike and as he rode off, he called back. “I’m not responsible for any nightmares you might have from the noise.” He waved.
Gross. “TMI, Dad!” I shook my head. It made me wondered if any other parents talked about sex as openly as my dad did. They probably should and maybe there wouldn’t be as many pregnancies. I have to say it was refreshing.
“Love you!”
He waved back.
I climbed into the jeep and drove off toward the ice rink. There was plenty of parking since the game wasn’t for another three hours and I wasn’t worried about what to do during that time. My homework will take up most of it and I’d get to eat and people watch. Then my friends would show, we’d get ready for the game and then some time with Gabe during the game. A glorious evening for sure.
The CHSAA T.V people had been setting up all day. There had been talk that ESPN would be here but Mr. Resler quickly put the kibosh on that rumor. Parking near the South Bunker, I grabbed my back pack, and headed into the restaurant. Connor was behind the counter and I waved to him.
“Usual?” He called to me.
“Yes, please.” I found a corner that overlooked the parking lot, settled in, pulled my homework out and started.
It wasn’t long before Connor brought me my Blackberry tea and chili fries.
“Are you going to get something else?” He asked.
“I’ll probably get some chicken tenders later, but I’ll let you know. Thanks.”
He waved. “No problem. Remember, they have the Cherry Creek, Mullen game earlier.”
“Oh, crap! I totally forgot about that!”
Normal policy was that students couldn’t take up the tables when events are planned. Since students are notoriously renowned for getting the cheapest stuff on the menu. The school does like to have the revenue from the restaurant. The restaurant helps offset school cost, so the school can remain free to the public.
“Okay, just tell me when I need to leave.” I stuffed some chili fries into my mouth.
Connor shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to kick you out. Just try and keep your friends down to a minimum.”
“Don’t worry. Most won’t be here until the start of the game. I’ll stay incognito.” I put my book up to hide myself.
Connor laughed. “Okay. Just wave if you need anything.”
He left to help some customers that had come in. I wondered who else might be working tonight. With the other game, he would need some help. Soon, some freshman came running in and went behind the counter. Connor barked some orders at them, and they began their duties in earnest. Soon though, my homework lost interest as crowds began to funnel in through the restaurant doors. I watched them. The school bus from Cherry Creek pulled up and the familiar red and blue of the Bruins piled off the bus. Cars drove by honking to the players, who returned the yells from their fellow students, whose cars were as painted as the students faces. Like a river that gets its flow from the first drops of rain, so did the river of people that started to flow from the parking lot. Mullen arrived in several vans, their gold and blue shone in the early evening sun. I frowned at the throng of people.
I wonder how many of them know about the dragons or the half dragons. Were all these people as blissfully ignorant as I was about the dangers out there in the world? Or even the universe. There is life out there! I was literally told there was life outside our solar system and now I’ve seen it. Well descendants anyway. How would the world react to something like that? Are all the rumors of UFO’s and creature stories that people read in the newspapers and tabloids anywhere close to being true? My mind reels with the possibilities of what this means. Civilizations older or even younger are out there. How cool is that!
“Hello! Earth to JJ.” A voice broke my contemplation of my place in the universe.
“What?”
Alexa, Kaylene, and Avery stood at the front of the table. Both Avery and Alexa were dressed up in their school colors, with faces painted, but Kaylene had taken it to a whole new level. Her hair was blond and in long braids that spilled out the sides of her Valkyrie helm. Two huge ivory horns stuck up on either side that tapered into nasty points. Her chainmail, leather under garment, leather boots, leather belt and sword looked like it could have easily been manufactured in the thirteenth century. It was amazing.
“You look fantastic!” Complementing her.
“Thank you. I have a friend down at the museum that lent me the stuff. It’s a little tight in some areas and pinches in others…” She ran her hands over her breasts. “If you know what I mean.”
“I’m thinking Geoffrey is going to be pissed if he sees you.” Avery said.
Geoffrey wore the school mascot costume. Also a thespian, he took his duty very seriously.
“That’s okay.” Kaylene said. “He’s in love with me. It will make him think I like him too.”
“What about Gene? Isn’t he your new love?”
Kaylene waved away the remark. “Love em and leave em.”
“He knows you are a lesbian.” Alexa commented.
“Bi would be the correct term, but the guys keep hoping. I actually liked Gene enough when he asked me to the dance, before sending him on his way. Besides, he said he wasn’t ready for all this!” Kaylene drew a circle around her face before turning to me. “You are not going like that?”
“Oh, no. I’ve got my stuff in the jeep. Just waiting.” I explained.
“For what? The game starts in forty five minutes? What have you been doing?” They all looked at me.
My eyebrows scrunched together. “I just got here.” The half empty glass of tea and the empty tray of chili fries corroborated their story. “I guess I lost track of time.”
Wow, I must have been in some deep thoughts. I slid out from the booth and stuffed my back pack with my books. “I’ll be right back.”
“Hurry up!” Alexa urged.
I rushed through the restaurant and as I was about to exit, my gaze fell upon a man sitting by the left side of the entrance. His face was turned from me, but something seemed familiar as I walked past him. Quickly dismissing him, I
hurried to the jeep, put my pack away, grabbed my bag and went to change. The girls came into the locker room and in short order my face was half blue and maroon, my hair tied up with ribbons and my Valkyrie t-shirt and pants put on in record time. I stuffed my bag into Alexa’s gym locker and headed out with the girls. We paid our five dollars to get in and even with the game some thirty minutes away, the arena was almost filled. The student section was already filled, which made we wonder if we were going to find a spot. My fears were put to rest as Kaylene moved deftly down the aisle towards the middle of the student section where five empty seats were reserved. The triplets and Jeremey waved Kaylene over.
“Thanks guys!” She told them.
“No hurt feelings?” I whispered.
“No. Just the dance…Nothing more.” She winked.
“No troubles, certain privileges when you are requested to sing the National Anthem.” Gene smiled.
“Doesn’t mean you should get special treatment.” Tyrone yelled from behind us.
“As if the football team doesn’t get special treatment.” Kaylene told him.
“Yeah. Who got to be first in line for the state lobster dinner?” Teasing him.
Tyrone smiled big. “Yeah, but you guys aren’t even on a team.” He playfully whined. “Not the same.”
“Team or fan. It’s all the same.” Alexa assured him.
“Sweet costume, Kaylene.” A girl yelled from above.
Kaylene turned and her helmet almost stuck a few people including me. “Thanks, Emily!” She waved.
“Hey, watch it. I don’t want to lose an eye.” Several students said in unison.
“Sorry.” Kaylene apologized.
As the arena continued to fill, I found myself watching for Dad and Sydney to arrive. Mr. and Mrs. Wasabi were already in their seats, over on the other side, in between some of the other hockey parents and there were two empty seats next to them. I waved frantically to them but to no avail. I hoped Gabe would find his way down to our seats, even though there wasn’t enough room for him. But I’d make room. My face flushed.
“Thinking about your man?” Kaylene teased.
“No.” But my lie didn’t work. “What makes you say that?”
“That stupid, ‘I’m in love’ grin you have on your face.”
My eyes narrowed. “You can be as mean as Brooke. You know that?”
She nodded. “She told me to do it.”
Before I could come back with a sizzling retort our hockey team came out onto the ice and the arena erupted in a chorus of excited yells and boos.
Directly across from us, but on the second level, were the students of Valor High School. Various boos and hollers were traded across the arena and then they reversed themselves when Valor skated out.
“That’s our cue.” Josh said.
“Good luck!” Kaylene slapped each of them on the back as they passed by.
“Ow, you beast.” Gene said.
“You like it.” Kaylene winked at him.
The teams skated around. I looked for Set and found him quickly. He was just a little taller than most of the other Valor hockey team, but it was clear his skill was leaps above the others. Instead of taking shots at the goal or flipping the puck around to his other players, Set busied himself with tricks of the sticks for a few girls that were clearly in college and sitting by the corner ice. He leaned his cheek into the glass as one of the girl’s kissed it. This sent her into a crazy frenzy of joy, just as if a rock star had kissed her. I laughed.
That’s when Brooke skated out of our end of the ice towards Set. An action not lost on the other hockey players. They stopped what they were doing to watch. From this distance I couldn’t tell if Set knew she was coming but just before she got there he calmly turned around towards her. Brooke lifted her helmet, which was painted as a Valkyrie helm, and pointed her stick at him and clearly said something. Set said something back to her and even from this distance it clearly pissed Brooke off, for her stick trembled angrily in her hand. Some more words were said and that’s when Coach Winckler sent one of his players over to get her. More words were exchanged before Set gave her the middle finger, which caused three more of our players to skate over to restrain her. Clearly the referees didn’t see it but our student section burst into shouts directed at Set, who ignored us and went back to chatting with the girls.
“Oh, man this is going to be good!” Tyrone cried from behind.
“Isn’t that Brooke’s cousin?” A junior asked me.
“Yep. Distant cousins. Very distant.” I said.
“Does he know how good she is? She holds the record for the most shutouts in CHSAA history.” Another said.
I sucked in a slow breath. “Yeah, he knows. That’s why I don’t think this will be a low scoring game.”
Everyone turned to look at me as if I had just said the most idiotic thing on the planet.
“You’re joking.” Alexa disbelief written on her face.
Another chimed in. “She shut them out twice during the regular season.”
And another student said. “Aren’t you her best friend?”
“Which means I’m also more aware of her cousin’s talent. He’s been around for a very long time.” My voice had dropped very low.
“You mean, he’s been playing juniors or pee wee wherever he is from?” Someone behind asked.
I nodded. “You could say. He’s just very talented.”
“Where is he from?” Someone else asked.
“Japan.”
“Is he a ninja?” Tyrone said sarcastically.
“Not quite.” I was trying to find a way to explain, but the angry looks from the students were starting to accumulate into more than just a few. Looking to my left, the elementary section had clearly caught wind of what I was trying to explain and were staring at me as if I had leprosy. I chose to sit down rather than continue explaining.
Kaylene nodded in approval. “Yeah. I’d shut up before you get burned for heresy.”
Soon the announcer came on.
“Welcome ladies and gentleman to tonight’s semi-final playoff hockey game between the Eagles of Valor…”
Boos and cheers went up. More boos I might add.
“and your Apollo Academy Valkyries!”
The place erupted.
After the din died down, which took several minutes, the announcer named the individuals from each team. The announcer started with Valor and scattered cheers went up until they got to Set and then the entire student section of Valor rose and cheered. Set skated out and like a returning King from conquest far away, and drank the adoration whole heartedly.
While the Valkyrie team got more cheers for their individual players than did the Valor players, when it came time for Brooke to be announced, the Third graders were already screaming their heads off with the rest of the crowd. Brooke made a special point to acknowledge the Third graders and they grew even louder.
Once all the introductions were finished and the CHSSA code of conduct of sportsman ship read, the announcer introduced the triplets. They walked out to a polite applause and a few scattered ‘I love you’ that were yelled from the student sections of both schools.
Garrett started with a soft alto ‘oh’ that grew in volume until Josh added his bass voice an octave lower. Gene joined with a perfect third harmony that resonated and brought the other two voices into sync. Their voices grew in volume until, even without the mic, it would have sent shivers down your spine. Once this one word reached a fevered pitch they continued on with the Anthem. Their voices intertwined like vibrant colors on a painter’s canvas. Each brother’s voice a perfect stroke of harmony and color that cascaded up and down the registry while blending volume and pitch in perfect unison creating vibrant pictures of the battle in your mind. Even as individuals joined in, the harmonies of the brothers captured each off tune voice and brought them together like a baker combining spices to create the perfect blend.
When they reached the conclusion of the song
and the last note trailed off their lips, the audience in the arena remained silent until their harmony faded away to the whir of the HVAC.
Not until they bowed did the arena erupt into thunderous applause. There wasn’t a dry eye around me including the tears I wiped from my eye. Suddenly, I wondered if they were also Dimidius. I’d have to ask Gabe or Brooke next time, since I couldn’t image any persons having that effect on people.
“I want to have their babies.” A girl cried out in euphoric passion.
“God they are good.” Kaylene smeared her mascara around her eye.
“You are leaking.” I told her.
“Well, your face isn’t any better.” She said.
I nodded knowing that the blue and maroon were smudged. “I’m not trying to impress anyone.”
She nodded towards a row in front of me. “You sure?”
Down in front was Gabe sitting with Kennah, Serina, and several of their friends.
“I guess she is feeling better. Good thing your face is covered.” Alexa smiled.
“What?!”
“I thought you guys were dating?” Kaylene asked.
It took me a moment to respond since the sound of my heart beating was washing out all other sounds. “No.” Was all I got out.
“Oh, then you won’t mind that Serina is trying to hold his hand.” She smirked.
My eyes widened with anger as Serina’s snake fingers tried to intertwine with Gabe’s.
“Don’t touch him, you, bitch! You have a boyfriend!” The scream was out of my mouth before my consciousness could stop it.
Everyone turned towards me with an amused expression. I sank back in my seat trying to disappear. Gabe turned around and waved; he got the ignoring treatment.
“That outburst doesn’t say you aren’t hot for him.” Alexa and Kaylene laughed together.
“Ha, ha.” Knowing I’d be in for a long evening if he stayed down there. The drop of the puck didn’t come soon enough as the teasing from the people around me about my outburst was piling up. But when the puck dropped, the teasing stopped immediately, which I was thankful for. Each team skated around the ice without much action until Set came in. He came out on the third line, which seemed odd to me considering his skill, but it was clear that the Valor coach had put some thought into it. Since each lines skill diminished with each consecutive line, Set’s skills put him on a plane of existence far above the others. He moved and passed with the precision of a pro, which made it hard for even his teammates to keep up. If I hadn’t known his true origins I would have been as impressed with his skill as the crowd was. Oohs and ahs accompanied each move as he passed to himself off the walls or through the legs of the Valkyrie lines. I watched Brooke with interest. She only seemed concerned when Set was on the ice. It was clear that he was just out there having fun and when the first period came to an end with the score tied at zero.
Dragon Amour (Dragon-Half Breed Book 1) Page 20
