Chapter Nine: Tolerate It

                                    

                                          


     Sage sat on the edge of her seat, her eyes fixed intently on the ice rink below. The atmosphere in the arena was electric, with the sounds of skates slicing through the ice and the echoes of cheers and jeers from the crowd filling the air. She could feel the tension building with each passing minute as the game between her Chicago and Minnesota Wild intensified.
      Connor was out on the ice, his skill and determination evident in every move he made. She couldn't help but feel a swell of pride every time he touched the puck, weaving effortlessly through defenders and taking shots on goal with precision.
      But then, in an instant, everything changed. Connor found himself in the crosshairs of an opposing player, number 27, Bennett. Sage's heart skipped a beat as she watched in horror as Bennett lined up Connor and delivered a crushing blow with his shoulder, directly to Connor's jaw.
       Time seemed to stand still as Connor crumpled to the ice, clutching his jaw in agony. Sage felt a surge of panic course through her veins as she watched him struggle to get back to his feet, his face contorted in pain. She wanted to rush down to the ice, to be by his side and make sure he was okay, but she felt rooted to her seat, paralyzed by shock and disbelief.
       As Connor slowly made his way off the ice, supported by the team's trainers, Sage's gaze shifted to Bennett. Her brother. Ryder. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and she felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over her. Anger, betrayal, confusion. How could her own brother do something like that to her childhood best friend?
       Without thinking as a buzzer went off I did sting the end of the game, Sage jumped to her feet and pushed her way through the crowd, determined to find Ryder and confront him about what he had done. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions as she made her way to the tunnel leading to the locker rooms, her heart pounding in her chest.
      She waited outside the locker room waiting until she spotted Ryder walking near the entrance, surrounded by a group of teammates, his expression unreadable. Sage's anger flared as she marched up to him, her fists clenched at her sides.
     "What the hell was that, Ryder?" she demanded, her voice trembling with fury. "You could have seriously injured Connor out there! You knew that play is illegal!"
      Ryders eyes widened in surprise at the sight of his sister approaching him, her face flushed with anger. He opened his mouth to respond, but Sage cut him off before he could speak.
      "Don't even try to defend yourself," she spat, her voice dripping with contempt. "I saw what you did out there. You targeted Connor deliberately, and for what? To prove some stupid point?"
       Ryders expression darkened, and Sage could see the guilt and shame flicker across his face. She felt a pang of sympathy for him, knowing that he must be struggling with his own demons, but it was quickly overshadowed by her concern for Connor.
       "I don't know what got into me," Ryder muttered, his voice barely audible above the noise of the crowd. "I guess I just got caught up in the heat of the moment."
      Sage shook her head in disbelief, unable to comprehend how her brother could justify his actions so easily. She wanted to scream at him, to make him understand the gravity of what he had done, but she knew that it wouldn't change anything.
     "Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Ryder said, his voice tinged with remorse. "I didn't mean for things to escalate like that. I'll talk to Connor and apologize to him personally."