Chapter 1 Maya

Another gruesome shift at Hayley's arcade. I woke up exhausted from trying to finish up other students' assignments and mine

That's the only way I could make money and survive RLC (Royal London College)

I was way over my head, especially now that my mum had dementia and my dad a big no-show.

I hurriedly got up and threw on some clothes, made a sandwich and stormed out of the house.

I had to give these assignments to the owner before I headed to work.

And I am one more lateness away from getting into Hayley's blackbook.

I rushed to school and distributed each of the books as fast as I could and quickly rushed off to Hayley's.

"Late again, Maya, it's your fourth time this week," Hayley said, looking at her watch as I walked in.

"I'm sorry it's just-"

"Traffic? Helping an old lady cross the road? A cat stuck on a fire hydrant?" she said, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Ok, OK, I get it," I said, looking at her with remorse.

"You are always late with a different excuse, you have to keep up, or you leave," she said, walking away.

I stood there watching her retreating figure. I sighed as I went behind the counter.

"Tough cookie," Justin said as he wiped the glass.

"Don't start," I said, rolling my eyes.

"What?" he said, shrugging?

"That thing you are about to say, just swallow it, I don't want to hear it," I said, gesturing with a zipped mouth.

"Well, someone's got to tell you the truth," he said, dropping the rag.

"You are overworking yourself, I can tell you didn't have your bath this morning," he said, looking at me from up to down.

"It's obvious?" I said, sniffing myself.

"Honey, you have got to relax," he said, "And bathe," he said with irritation in his voice. "You stank, he said, blowing air off his nose.

"You don't have to be so graphic," I said, rolling my eyes as I went to the back room to wash up and change to my uniform.

Today the arcade was awfully busy and I had no time for a break.

"Maya, get into my office." Hayley came and called me.

I walked into the office clutching my chest and praying she wasn't about to fire me or, worse, scold me.

Hayley has been like a mother to me since my mum was admitted to the hospital.

She made sure I ate and was well clothed. She hired me when I begged her that I needed a job to keep up with school expenses.

"So, as you very well know, today is the big hockey game between Royal Ice Jumpers and Mountain Dew Skater," she said, placing her hands on her desk.

This information was genuinely new to me. No wonder the arcade is packed today. People are waiting for the game to start.

"Oh really," I said, smiling awkwardly.

"Maya?" She called, looking at me from her glasses.

"I totally forgot about that," I said, scratching the back of my neck.

"Well, now you remember, you are going to be working overtime," she said, crossing her hands across her chest and resting fully on her chair.

"But-"

"No buts," she said, waving her hands. "That would be your punishment and Justin has a date with his boyfriend, so it's just going to be you," she said, shrugging.

"Justin gets to go on dates?" I asked with shock.

"Yeah, he hasn't been late four times this week," she said in a mocking tone.

"Now get out, my show is starting," she said, making a get-out gesture with the back of her hand.

I groaned and walked out of the office back to the counter, reeling over the fact that I was going to be here till midnight all by myself.

It was already 8PM and the Arcade was already filled to the brim with people who were trying to watch the game.

"OK honey, it's my time to clock out," Justin said, packing his bags.

"Justin, please don't leave," I said, begging him with doe eyes.

"I wish I could stay, baby," he said, holding my hand.

"But it's been two months without my boo bear and I promised him tonight before he goes back to Wisconsin," he said, making a pity face.

"I'll make it up to you," he said, walking out.

I groaned and picked up the remote and turned on the small TV in front of the counter.

If I can't go home, I might as well join the buzz and watch the game.

"Let's welcome into the rink the Mountain Dew skater," the commentator starts as he welcomes the opposing team.

There were lots of boos and I joined them because I honestly didn't like them.

They played rough, and they were always mouthy about the Royal Ice Jumpers.

Last week, Reagan, their captain, made a post about Royal Ice players being too weak to get to finals.

He also made a mean sticker about the last time Royal Ice players lost to them.

I knew it was just a tactic to get into their heads, and it was not fair at all. Not that I cared about the ice jumpers, but I liked it when a game was fair and, well, what do I know about hockey?

"And here comes our home team, The Royal Ice Jumpers, with their captain, Jason Whiteson, leading them on." The commentator introduced the ice jumpers, with Jason waving his hockey stick in the air as he skated into the rink.

I hated that smug look on his face, I just wanted to punch a hole right through him.

But I didn't want to be arrested for physical violence or murder, so I bolted my fists.

"After the gruesome game last month with the Mountain Dew Skaters, would they be able to redeem themselves?" the commentator said as the game started.

There was the whistle and the game started.

"It's looking like a battlefield out there with Reagan holding the Face-off-dot refusing to let go," the commentator said.

"You know Charley, I feel like there is a lot at stake for Jason if he loses this match again," the female commentator said.

"You are right, Hannah, his career is on the line with this one, it's just three games till finals and if he loses this one it would be difficult for them to fully qualify for the finals," the first commentator said.

"Jason has the puck, is he going to score?" Reagan was blocking his path, He's there, and score that's a point for Royal Ice Jumpers."

There were cheers as the Ice Jumpers rounded themselves out celebrating their win.

Reagan didn't look like he had lost or anything. He just smiled.

The second period started. Jason smiled as he held the puck to start the game.

There was the whistle and the game started. After a gruesome neck-to-neck, the Mountain Dew Skaters won.

There was a loud groan as the Dew Skaters hit the puck, making them score.

"What a score," the female commentator said.

I got up to grab a drink from the vending machine with a bag of Doritos.

Before I arrived, the third period had started.

"This is the last period for ice jumpers to prove that they can get to the finals," the commentator said.

"The Dew Skaters don't look like they will be getting out of the ice jumpers' way for this one," the female commentator said as the game started.

Reagan and Jason were face to face as the whistle blew.

There was an intersection. Jason lost focus. Reagan knocked him off balance.

Jason fell hard and Reagan seized that opportunity and scored.

"What a game, Mountain Dew Skaters have once again proved that they can move under pressure," the commentator said as cheers came in for the Dew skaters.

Jason stood up and walked up to Reagan, punching him hard in the face that he collapsed.

Gasps filled the arcade as Jason tackled Reagan, punching him hard.

"Stupid mother fucker" Jason said as the coach rushed to make them kill the feed.