Chapter 2 Argghhh
LIAM
I slammed my hockey bag on the floor of Coach Ellis’s office, letting out all the frustration building in my chest. I stood there for a second, fists clenched, glaring across the desk at the man who’d once been a mentor. Now, he just seemed like one more person telling me what to do and I hated every bit of it.
“You need to listen to me, Carter,” Ellis said with a sharp and stern tone
“This is for your good. If you're getting back on the ice, then you will have a physiotherapist with you 24/7 and that's final”
I exhaled sharply, running my hand through my hair in an attempt to calm myself. I couldn't lose my shit with coach Ellis, but he was bent on making that a piece of cake.
“I don’t need some live-in physiotherapist, Ellis. I’m fine.” My voice came out more forcefully than I’d intended, but I didn’t care. “I’m feeling fine. I’ve been skating for weeks now. I’m practicing every day and nothing has happened. I don’t need a babysitter.”
“I’m not asking, Liam,” Coach replied, his tone softening but not by much. “This is happening. You’re going to take it easy for the next three months. And I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Three months?” I scoffed “I’m not a fucking vegetable. I don’t need to be wrapped in bubble wrap while you force-feed me physiotherapy.” The words were out before I could stop them, and for a second, I felt guilty for letting the insult slip. But at that moment, it was true. Everyone, everyone, seemed to treat me like I couldn’t handle anything on my own anymore.
I didn't need everyone in my face like I was dying and most of all, I didn't need a babysitter. A live-in physiotherapist? Come on, that was the lowest of all lows.
But coach didn’t flinch. “You’re not invincible, Carter. You got hurt. We’re making sure it doesn’t happen again. You’re lucky this injury wasn’t worse. So you’re doing what we tell you, and that’s final.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sick of everyone acting like I’m a fucking ticking time bomb.” The words came out a little too loud, too raw, but I didn’t care. “I’m Liam freaking Carter. Ten months ago, I was untouchable. Everyone was afraid to even look at me the wrong way. And now I’m supposed to act like I’m going to crumble if I breathe too hard?”
Coach’s face went hard, there was a flicker of understanding there, but he didn't let it linger. He exhaled slowly and rubbed his temples, clearly exhausted from the back and forth as I was. “You’re not fine, Carter. You need someone to monitor your recovery. We both know that. I’m trying to help you. Hell, you should be thanking me for not pushing you harder.”
“I don’t need help. I need to play. I need to get back on the ice. I need to feel like myself again.” I shook my head “This is ridiculous.” my jaw tightened. This conversation was going nowhere.
“You’re gonna do this my way or you won’t play. End of discussion.” he stood up, leaning forward on the desk.
The silence hung in the air for what felt like forever and I couldn’t bring myself to say another word. It was the same song and dance and I was sick of it. Everyone thought they knew what was best for me. Everyone thought they had control over my life now. At this point, it looked like I was the insane one.
I turned sharply and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind me with enough force to move the walls. The empty hallway didn’t do much to calm the fire coursing through me. Every step I took felt heavier like I was walking through broken glass. I’m fine, I kept telling myself, but it didn’t change the fact that I felt trapped. Everyone kept treating me like I was fragile. Like I was really broken.
I slid into my car, slamming the door and turning the key in the ignition with enough force. The engine roared to life and I gripped the steering wheel with both hands, my knuckles turning white.
The streetlights blurred as I drove, lost in my thoughts. I kept thinking back to the days before the injury, when my body was just another tool and I used it to break records and win games. Now, it felt like the entire world was watching, waiting for me to make one wrong move.
Another wrong move
I’m not a vegetable, I thought again, the words repeating like a mantra in my head. I’m Liam fucking Carter. I should be untouchable.
I am not broken. I am not broken.
But no matter how much I repeated it, the doubt still lingered, like a shadow I couldn’t outrun. Everyone acted like I couldn’t be trusted to make my own decisions anymore.
My phone buzzed in the passenger seat, pulling me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it, not bothering to look at the name.
“Yo, where the hell are you?” Kyle’s voice came through, rough and familiar. “I was just about to leave the house. Let’s meet up, get a drink, hit a party or something. Get your mind off all this shit.”
The stupid bastard was definitely telepathic, he knew the right time to call and the right things to say.
I let ouT a breath I had not realized I was holding, grateful for the distraction.
“I’m in,” I said, the edge in my voice softening just a little. “I need to blow off some steam. Send the address and I’ll meet you there after I wash up.”
“Hell yeah,” Kyle said and I could tell he was grinning “I’ll text you the details. It’s gonna be a good night. Oh! Plus, it's a mask party,” he added.
I was in no place to be picky or have options, so I agreed and ended the call, before tossing the phone back onto the passenger seat. I could feel my fingers already itching to get on with something that felt normal again.
Tonight, I wasn’t Liam Carter, the hockey player on the mend. Tonight, I was just a guy looking to forget about the world for a while. I pressed down on the accelerator, the car surging forward, and for the first time that day, I felt the weight of the world lift, just a little.
I was not broken and tonight, I'd make sure of that.