Chapter 50 Concussion?
"The deal is off!" I shouted at him. "You cheated! You’re a liar and a cheat just like Marcus was!"
Julian walked toward me, his skates clicking softly. He stopped a few feet away, looking down at me with those cold, blue eyes. "I’m not Marcus, Elena. I don't need to steal playbooks. I have the talent, and I have the name. Jaxson is a good player, but he’s brittle. One hit and he breaks. Is that really the guy you want to build a life with?"
"Get out," Leo said, stepping between Julian and us. "Get out of this rink, Julian. Now."
Julian smiled, a slow, thin smile. "Fine. I’ve got a meeting with the Athletic Director anyway. See you at practice, Captain."
He skated away, his head held high, looking like he had just won a championship.
Leo and I helped Jaxson up. He was shaky on his feet, leaning heavily on Leo’s shoulder.
We walked him slowly toward the locker room, the silence of the rink feeling heavier than ever.
Inside the training room, the team medic, a quiet man named Dave started cleaning the cut on Jaxson’s head. Jaxson sat on the edge of the table, his head in his hands. He looked defeated. Not because of the hit, but because of the reality of the situation.
"I lost," Jaxson whispered.
"He cheated, Jax," I said, sitting next to him and taking his hand. "I saw it. Leo saw it."
"It doesn't matter," Jaxson said, looking up. His eyes were watery and full of pain. "In the eyes of the team, he’s the one who stayed on his feet. He’s the one who’s going to be on the first line on Friday. And my father... if your dad hears about this, he’s just going to see Julian as the winner and me as the loser."
Leo walked into the room, his face tight. He had been on the phone. "I just talked to Coach Reed. Julian already called him. He told him the competition was a success and that you agreed to move to the third line to focus on your recovery."
"What?" I stood up. "Leo, you have to tell him the truth!"
Leo looked at the floor. "I tried. But Coach said that with the big game on Friday, he can’t have a divided locker room. He said Julian is the safer bet for the start. He said... he said Jaxson needs to earn his way back after the scandal."
Jaxson let out a dry, empty laugh. "Earn my way back. I’ve been earning my way back every day of my life."
He stood up, pushing past the medic. He grabbed his bag and started walking toward the door.
"Jaxson, wait!" I called out.
He stopped at the door, but he didn't turn around. "I need some space, Elena. I can't look at this rink right now. And I can't look at you and see your father’s face behind you."
"Jaxson, that's not fair," I said, my heart breaking.
"I know it's not fair," he said, his voice cracking. "Nothing about this is fair. But Julian was right about one thing. In this world, the guys like me... we always have to hit the ice. And the guys like him? They’re the ones holding the whistle."
He walked out, the heavy door swinging shut behind him.
I turned to Leo, who was standing there looking helpless. "Are you happy now, Leo? You got your winning team. But you just lost your best friend."
Leo didn't answer. He just looked at the blood on the floor where Jaxson had been sitting.
I walked out of the rink, the cold morning air hitting me like a physical blow. The sun was finally up, but the world felt darker than it ever had.
The morning after the secret practice felt like waking up inside a nightmare. I stayed in bed for a long time, staring at the ceiling of my dorm room.
Usually, Friday was the most exciting day on campus because of the big game. But today, the air felt heavy.
I couldn't stop thinking about the sound of Jaxson’s helmet hitting the goal post. Crack. It was a sound that stayed in my ears, making me feel sick every time I closed my eyes.
I met Jaxson near the back entrance of the library. I didn't want to meet him at the cafe or the student union. Julian was everywhere today, surrounded by fans and reporters, and I didn't want Jaxson to have to see that.
When Jaxson walked toward me, my heart sank. He was moving slowly. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was squinting against the bright morning sun. He had a small bandage on his forehead, but it wasn't the cut that worried me.
It was the way he seemed to be concentrating on every step he took.
"Jax," I said, reaching out to steady him. "You look terrible."
"I'm fine, Elena," he whispered. His voice was raspy, like he hadn't slept at all. "Just a headache. It’s the lights. They’re a bit much today."
"Did you see a real doctor?" I asked. "Not just the team medic, but someone at the hospital?"
Jaxson shook his head, then winced as if the movement hurt. "If I go to the hospital, they’ll put me through tests. They’ll tell Coach Reed I have a concussion. And if I have a concussion, I’m out for two weeks. Maybe the whole season."
"Jaxson, your health is more important than a game," I said, my voice rising with worry.
"It’s not just a game!" Jaxson snapped, then he immediately lowered his voice and rubbed his temples. "If I sit out tonight, Julian wins. He stays on the first line. He becomes the hero. And I become the rookie who couldn't handle the pressure. I have to play."
I looked at him, really looked at him. He was pale, and his hands were shaking slightly. "You can't even stand in the sun, Jax. How are you going to skate under the bright lights of the arena with twenty thousand people screaming?"
"I'll manage," he said. "I just need some aspirin and some coffee. I’ll be fine by seven."