8. championship

The national anthem played while Kitt and her teammates stood across the ice in a straight line. Alex stood to her left and Tracy to her right. Josie was on the far end and Keisha was somewhere in the middle. She had hoped that they would be beside her.

The Bobcats looked nervous, like she had been before Josie's supportive speech made her realize something. No matter who won this game, they were all winners. Women's hockey was in the spotlight, that was a win.

The photographers snapped so many pictures of Kitt and the opposing center before the puck drop, that she had flashbacks in her eyes.

"Do you think they know it was us?" Josie asked as they sat on the bench in the middle of the second period.

"No, how could they?" Kitt asked leaning towards her friend but her eyes never leaving the action on the ice.

"I hope don't get in trouble." Josie said like the idea just occurred to her.

"I mean, it's possible, not likely, but possible." Kitt shrugged.

"I'm surprised the door to the locker room, with all their equipment was just wide open. Don't they lock the doors ever?" Josie looked over Kitts back to the bench on the other side of the center line.

"I guess they just left their stuff all in there after their win this morning." Kitt said, leaning forward to keep her eye on the puck as it traveled down the ice.

"But like no security? Any yahoo can just walk right in? That means our stuff was just there. You know random crazies could just walk in!" Josie glanced at the ice and back at the opponents bench.

"What is your point Jos?" Kitt asked lifting her bum to lean in closer before plopping back down, head turning to follow the action as her teammates chased the puck.

"It was easy for us to just walk right into their dressing room!" Josie said in a huffy whisper that was louder than her normal speaking voice.

"I know we were in there together." Kitt could only dedicate a small portion of her attention to Josie's rambling, most of her brain power stayed firmly planted in the game.

"What if..." Josie started to say before AC clapped her back and a millisecond later she was hopping the boards just as the relief player stepped into the box.

Kitt knew she would be in the game in less than sixty seconds unless her second line center managed to get the puck.

Tracy squirted water into her mouth from a large water bottle through her mask. Kitt debated grabbingbit from her to take her own sip, when AC clapped her back.

She was up.

The second her blades touched the ice it was on. Her hyperfocus on the puck became lazer sharp and she knew exactly what the team needed.

Kitt managed to catch up with the puck as it sailed through their end and scooped around the curve of the boards, sending it almost perfectly into her stick. The soft weight change of her stick signaled her feet to move. She set her sights on the yellow and grey jersey blocking her from the net. Their goalie stood steadfast in the center of the net.

This goalie was nothing like the Knights goalie who had managed to let his emotions make him ineffective. The bobcats goaltender was like a wall. Nothing was going to sneak through, any goal was going to be earned.

The scoreboard ticked down the final seconds of the period as Kitt lined up her shot. She pulled back and shot the puck glove side high, hard and fast.

A soft thud made kitts shoulders drop. The Puck held securely in the glove off the goalie meant no buzzer, she dumped the puck onto the ice and passed it behind the net yo an awaiting teammate.

The yellow on her jersey popped into Kitt's vision. The puck was the only thing on her mind.

Kitt hopped and started to move her feet to get to the other side of the net and retrieve the puck before it crossed the blue line out of the zone.

The bobcats player was millimeters away and she slid her stick out to stopped the puck from going any farther when a blur from her right side materialized in a slamming force sending her into the air.

Kitt saw her skates outlined against the white ceiling before She slammed down hard and fast on her back.

***

Kitt saw the scoreless game as a personal challenge. Both teams worked hard to score, but they worked equally hard to defend their goal.

Kitt could feel each second tick away as she fought for dominance over the puck. She sailed down the ice followed by the other players, only the have the bobcats defensive line block her, forcing her to go around them. It gave them the chance to knock the puck away sending the players into another feeding frenzy.

"Get it!"

"Keep your stick down."

"Keep your head up!"

"Get in there!"

"Pass it! Pass it!"

"Skate!"

Kitt could hear the crowd yelling, the sound was mostly a dull roar like a waterfall, but every so often, a phrase would reach her ears. To some players these loud cheers were distracting, but to Kitt they were comforting.

"Tray!" Kitt yelled looking around for her wing woman. She needed to pass the puck to get it further away from the bobcats if they had any hope to score. The seconds were ticking away, and the world slowed to a crawl.

Kitt looked up to see Tracy blocked in the corner.

Tick.

She swung around, looking for Josie.

Tick.

They made eye contact.

Tick.

Josie nodded.

Tick.

They both aimed their feet out of the defense zone and started to move.

Tick.

The puck slid from Kitt's stick across the ice to Josie's.

Tick.

Kitt crossed the blue line.

Tick.

Josie took the puck across the center line.

Tick.

Kitt took the lead crossing into the offensive zone.

Tick.

Josie was only one step behind. Kitt stared own the goalie. The look on her face said it all. They both felt the emence pressure of this moment. The last few seconds of the game held all the promise and potential of both teams. These last moments of the season would determine the championship.

Kitt slid the puck skillfully through the zone only pausing to line up a shot on the net. Kit shot hard and fast.

The goalie deflected the puck easily with her stick. Kitt quickly moved to recover.

Josie slid into position a second after Kitt sent the puck across the ice, they knew each other's moves so innately that Kitt was able to predict where Josie would end up.

Josie's stick connected with the rubber, sending it through the five hole and into the net.

The buzzer sounded.

The lights flashed.

The crowd cheered.

Kitt went to center ice to take the last face off of the game. Forty-three seconds to victory.

When the final buzzer sounded, Kitt felt a rush of adrenaline and nausea. They had done it. The championship trophy was hoisted onto the ice by the coaches. Josie grabbed it and held it above her head for a victory lap.

Kitt went to celebrate with her team to the sounds of utter chaos filling the arena.

Once the celebration died down a little Kitt went to find the other team.

"Good game!" Kitt said getting off the ice to address the starting Center who was watching the trophy get passed from player to player for pictures.

"Thanks, you too." She said with a tight-lipped smile and a nod.

"I mean it! I really enjoyed playing you guys. It was a toss up, either of us could have gotten that one goal." Kitt pushed sweaty locks of hair out of her face.

"Yeah, I guess." The girl nodded.

"Ok, well I hope we get a chance to play again. You guys are super talented." Kitt said clapped her shoulder. The girl turned to join her teammates heading into the locker room.

"Were you guys in our locker room earlier? Like before the game?" The girl turned back to ask.

"No, I don't think so." Kitt said, but she could feel the heat in her cheeks.

"Oh, ok." She turned away for a split second and looked at her hands and then looked over her shoulder. "Thanks."

Kitt knew that she knew.

Kitt hopped back on the ice to join her teammates for photos.

Exiting the dressingroom last was always Kitt's plan. She would wait until her teammates were done in the showers to take hers and then she would call her parents while she brushed her hair.

She liked the moments of calm and quiet.

Kitt knew the team was heading out to celebrate, and she didn’t have the luxury of taking her time if she wanted to join them on the team bus.

Kitt wasn't in the mood to rush. She wanted to savor the last moments of this day. She hoped they wouldn't mind waiting just a second more.

K- can you see if you can hold up the bus a minute? I need to call home.

J- I can try!

"Hey Champ!" Her dad answered the call.

"I only have a second, the team is waiting, but I wanted to call and hear your voice!" Kitt grinned brightly into the phone.

"I love you! We are so proud of you!" Her dad's eyes shined with tears.

"I miss you guys." Kitt felt the tears slip from her eyes. She wiped them away gruffly.

"We will talk soon, go celebrate your incredible season!" He encouraged.

"Love you!" She blew him a kiss.

Kitt was surprised that the arena was empty when she left the dressing room.  Usually at least a few people were left standing around or milling about. Kitt was finally ready to Whoop and holler and celebrate, but she was alone.

Or so she thought.

"Hey you!" Strong arms wrapped around her from behind making her jump and drop her bag before being lifted off her feet.

"Wha-" Kitt started to yell.

"Congratulations! You guys were amazing!" The deep voice said, the arms around her keeping her against his chest, feet off the floor.

"Leo?" Kitt recognized his voice.

"Hey princess! That game was incredible!" He set her down and she could finally turn to look at his face. His cheeks were flushed and a big grin brightened his whole face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked looking around the empty lobby for evidence of what had brought him two and a half hours from campus.

"I came to watch!" He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"What? Why?" She blurted in surprise.

"Because you said you would come watch me if I came to watch you." He shrugged.

"How did you even get here?" She asked still having a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that he was standing in front of her.

"My car?" He said looking at her like she had said something nonsensical.

"Oh, that makes sense." She nodded.

"I think your bus left." He said looking out the large front windows.

"What?" Kitt felt her heart skip a beat.

She pulled her phone out to see a bunch of messages from her teammates.

T- you better hurry up!

J- where are you?

K- they aren't going to wait much longer!

J- I just saw your personal fan boy! I told the bus driver you had a ride and you were going to us there. You can thank me later!!!

"Well it looks like they abandoned me." Kitt said feeling her shoulders drop.

"What? Can they do that?" Leo looked around for someone.

"Josie said she saw my 'personal fan' and told them he would be driving me." Kitt said pointing to him accusingly.

"Is that what I am?" He laughed dropping his arm around her before stooping to pick up her equipment bag.

"I don't know what you are." Kitt shook her head.

"Hey! I thought we agreed to be friends!" He said glaring at her playfully.

"Ok, friend, can I please get a ride back to campus?" She asked.

"Yeah, you can. But snacks are on you." He warned.

"What? But I'm the winner, the champion, the Victor! Shouldn't you be treating me?" She joked as they crossed the parking lot.

"Hey, I said if I Winn I will get dinner, so if you win you have to get the snacks." He opened the trunk of his black jeep and tossed her bag in the spacious trunk.

"Ok, valid." She nodded.

Secretly she wondered how much extra she had in her budget fir snacks. She was on scholarship for school expenses, but she refused to take a penny from her parents for spending money. She had made herself a strict budget to stretch the money she had made in the summer.

Leo climbed in behind the wheel. She knew if she was honest, that he would pay, but then she could never actually be friends with him out of pure embarrassment. He was obviously doing OK financially, but she couldn't allow him to know her deepest shame. She was all but broke.