12. round robin

Kitt watched Leo skate around the defense zone. He stayed in the end closest to his own goalie but he wasn't looking at the spectators, he was talking to his linemen. He looked so serious. His brow was creased, his eyes determined.

Kitt snapped some pictures. His straight nose looked like it was chiseled onto the face of a statue, with his helmet hiding his hair like that. His shoulders were square, not just because of his pads, but because he was determined. His jaw looked tight as he spoke to his teammates.

Kitt watched every turn every pause and every change. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. She wanted him to look up and notice her, but she also wanted him to stay this hard edged rugged looking hockey player with the stubble covered chin.

Kit had made him a sign. #42 can save it for you!

Her sign and the other signs were hidden away until the game actually started. Which was moments away.

The players moved into position as the refs joined them at center ice.

Kitt could only see his back, but she sent good luck vibes his way. Hoping he could feel it.

The puck dropped and the game was on.

Axel was incredibly talented, unfortunately he was also a hot head. He probably would have been drafted to the NHL, but his bad temper proved to be too much. He stormed into the penalty box for the first time before the first ten minutes had fully ticked away.

It was then that Leo finally looked at the crowd. His eyes glided over the sea of faces before coming back to her.  The look of shock made her smile. He skated over to her as his face broke out in a huge grin.

"What are you doing here?" He yelled barely audible.

"We came to cheer you guys on!" She yelled back.

They stood grinning at each other for a long second. She showed him her sign. He gave her the thumbs up. She flipped it over to show him where it said 'I want to see #42 score.' Their private joke about the day they met. He blushed and then winked. She felt her cheeks flush in response.

Trevor had offered to get them popcorn from the consession stand and he chose that moment to return. He handed Kitt her popcorn  and she thanked him. Leo furrowed his brow for a moment, and was called away to line up for a face off.

Kitt thought his expression was a bit odd, but then again playing in the championship tournament was stressful, especially when your center was a wild card at best and a liability at worst.

The game was exciting. The teams were very matched so neither had much of an advantage, goals were scored and answered the score never fluctuating much in either direction.

Third period was no different. Axel got into it with the opposition. Again. This time the refs watched as they dropped their gloves and Axel raised his elbow high as he slammed his fist into the other player's face.

His teammates came to pull him away, but so did the other team. Leo was pulled away from Axel by his back. He grabbed the player's jersey with his fist cocked. The other player tried to take a cheep shot at Leo's stomach but Leo was quick to respond. The two ended up locked together until a ref pulled them apart and sent them in opposite directions. Axel was now in the middle of the chaos. Multiple players came to help and or defend their player which ended up causing more fighting.

"Do you guys play like this?" Trevor whispered close to Kitt's ear. She laughed loudly.

"Not even a little. Sure we have shuffles, all good hockey players do, but we keep Josie on a leash, so that helps a lot." Kitt smiled at her best friend.

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Josie defended herself.

"But your mouth would get you kicked out. So we make you wear your mouth guard at all times, so the ref thinks you said "super Furstenberg a shore" instead of "stupid fucking call asshole." Right?" Keisha reminded her about the mouth guard rule.

"Ok so I am expressive." Josie shrugged making them all laugh.

Axel was dragged to the penalty box with blood on his face and the front of his jersey. He had a hard edge to the smile on his face. The ice was cleared of gloves and sticks before they could finish the game.

Four to five at the buzzer.

The Knights survived to fight another day.

Kitt and the other princesses cheered loudly as the player's celebrated on the ice. Their opponents growling and glaring.

"Can you tell your boyfriend I'm taken?" Treveor asked as they cleaned up their mess to go wait for the team to come out of the change room.

"What?" Kitt was confused.

"Number forty-two?" He said like it was obvious.

"Leo is my friend. Not my boyfriend." Kitt assured him.

"Well tell that to the daggers in his eyes. If looks could kill I would be on a slab!" Trevor laughed.

"If looks could kill, he would be up on first degree charges!" Josie laughed.

"Thank you!" Trevor offered his hand for a high five which she took triumphantly.

"If he could fight the spectators, he would have climbed the glass." Keisha added.

"If he could create a black hole, he would have made it in the center of my face." Trevor laughed again.

"You guys are all crazy, he was just concentrating on the game." Kitt shook her head.

"And plotting murder." Josie said before she hopped off the last step of the bleachers.

Kitt bought a coffee to offer Leo when he emerged. Just like he had done for her once.

As the players trickled out some stood and talked to one another and a few met up with family or friends who had made the trip to watch the game.

Kitt didn't want to admit it but her anxiety was bubbling up as she waited.

Vinny came out and took Trevor away. Apparently they had made plans. Trevor assured her they would be back for the next game that afternoon.

More Players trickled out but Leo hadn't appeared yet. Kitt was about to go find him when she spotted him walking out with another large guy talking.

She found her legs moving on their own. She was a little embarrassed to be so excited to see him. She told herself they were friends, if she was there to surprise Josie or Keisha or , well anyone, she would be excited to see them. This had nothing to do with the way her heart flipped or her knees buckled when he was around. She would stuff those feelings down into the depths of hell before admitting them out loud.

As soon as he was close enough she leapt into his arms. He wasn't quite ready for the sudden hug but he was tall and strong, so he was able to recover quickly.

"You did so good!" She said grinning.

He looked shocked for a split second before hugging her tightly.

"What are you doing here?" He squeezed her against him. He smelled like soap and her heart fluttered.

"You lied!" She accused when he set her back on her feet.

"I did?" He looked concerned.

"You said you stink after a game. I think you smell pretty good." She realized what just came out of her mouth and he cheeks turned red.

"You don't smell so bad yourself." He winked.

"Gentleman! Be back here BEFORE three o'clock. Game is at FOUR THIRTY!" Their coach bellowed over the small crowd gathered in the lobby.

"Before three o'clock." All the remaining playeres responded in unison.

"I'm so happy you guys won! Congratulations!" Kitt said proud of her friend.

"Me too that one was tough. Especially because Axel had some sort of major chip on his shoulder today!" He said looking around.

"Oh he already left with some people." Kitt told him.

"Good, I wouldn't want him to make things weird." Leo nodded and looked around at the rest of the people in the lobby.

"So are you guys able to stay for the next game?" He almost looked nervous asking.

"Yep! We are your cheerleaders for the whole weekend if you want us!" Kitt smiled proudly.

"You are amazing." He pulled her against him for a hug again. She was considered tall in most circles, but he was taller and bigger making her feel delicate and feminine, in a way she rarely experienced. She liked the feeling.

"Maybe we should introduce them?" Kitt looked over the remaining people in the lobby her friends stood in a group and a few lingering hockey players formed their own cluster.

Leo left Kitt's side making her feel out of place for a second. She relaxed as soon as she looked at Josie who was trying to subtly wink from across the room.

Josie joined the girls just before Leo led the guys over to where they all stood.

"How about we get something to eat? We have a couple of hours." A guy suggested looking around at the group.

"Sounds like a plan!" Josie grinned high-fiving the guy.

They determined that they had more people than car seats so they opted for the city bus.

"There is this cool arcade pub place not too far from here." One of the guys suggested.

Kitt felt her stomach tighten. She could afford a coffee here and there, but a lunch and games was out of her budget. She had to be frugal since she lived off her summer earnings. She had to make every dollar count because once she spent it it was gone. Her dad always asked if she needed money, and she refused each offer. He needed to worry about making sure her mom had the best care.

She could just watch she decided. A coke and some French fries couldn't cost too much, she would just have to skip something somewhere else. Going out with her friends was more important.

Kitt wanted to be care free like Keisha and Josie, who's parents paid their way. It was something that came up once in a while. They would want to go to a festival or an amusement park and Kitt had to make up reasons she couldn't go. She wanted to. She wished she could, but she had to watch her spending.

The pit in her stomach grew as the group looked over the Google reviews and talked about the activities available. This thing was  not included and that thing was extra and these things needed tokens. Kitt wanted to back out, but she couldn't. She had come all that way to surprise her friend, she couldn't abandon him now.

"When does the bus come?" Keisha asked.

"Someone check the schedule."

"And the price!"

Kitt felt sick. Of course the bus costs money.

"Check the route."

"The city bus is free on weekends here!" One of the guys finally said holding up his phone for everyone to see.

The bus came and the group boarded. Some found seats in the back, some in the middle and the rest stood trying to maintain balance as the bus navigated the streets.

Kitt plastered a smile on her face but she was distracted. Her thoughts were on her bank account she had to live on a strict budget of one hundred dollars a week, the only problem being she had indulged her desire to be like her friends and over spent. Leaving her with less than seventy-five dollars each week. She tried to spend less than fifty.

She actually learned her lesson and was  willing to sacrifice almost anything to prevent from being a burden to her dad.

She looked over at Leo who was laughing with a teammate. Almost anything.

The bus took them to the corner outside the pub. They disembarked in a cluster of laughter and joking insults.

Kitt was happy that a group of the players were willing to join them. She had half worried that they would travel all that way and make signs, only to be brutally rebuffed.