It was the start of the first and I was in the face-off circle. It felt amazing to be on the ice again. The best thing about playing a sport is that no matter what we do to each other off the ice we get along like a family on the ice. We always play as a team when its game time. They could have refused to ever pass me the puck because there hair was pink but they knew that we had a common goal and that was to win the game. I won the face off and the game started with a bang.

It was already an intense fame and we were just finishing off the first period we still had 5 minutes left. We had the puck. Josh was sitting on the bench. Usually when we are on a road trip josh gets to play half of the games but so far he hasn't. James had the puck but he was looking for someone to pass it to because he was about to get checked. I quickly skated over behind the player that was holding James up along the boards. James passed me the puck and I started skating towards the Vancouver goal. I had two players on me and it was an odd man rush. I decided to deke the puck to the left and shake off one of the players. Then I did some fancy footwork and got the other player to think I was going wide left instead of to the right. I saw James coming up behind me and I knew that the goalie expected me to shoot so I decided to do a drop pass to James. Then I went to screen the goalie. James one timed it on goal but the puck started going wide right. So I reached my hockey stick across the goal to try to deflect it in. I felt the puck hit my stick and I knew that it would go in.

What I wasn't expecting was a cross check from the goalie. He hit me in the middle of my back with a ton of force. It actually propelled me forward onto the ice and my head hit the ice Hard. I couldn't move and everything seemed to be in slow motion. I was in so much pain my back hurt and my head was screaming in pain. I just lay on the ice. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get up just yet. And frankly I wasn't too worried about the pain I welcomed it. Because it meant that I wasn't paralyzed.

I could hear my heart beating and I could feel the ice on my face but that was it. There was just a dull pain in my back not quite what I expected after the shove I had been given. It worried me a little I know that some pain is better then none in these situations because it mean that you are not paralyzed but I wanted more pain so that I knew that I wouldn't have any long term injuries. And then like God was listing all of a sudden noise exploded around me. I could hear everything. The frantic Jamesls from James to see if I was all right I also heard the voice of the announcer over the speaker mumbling something. And I could see coach and the trainer skating towards me. I could hear the sound of their skates digging into the ice as they approached. And I finally felt a sharp pain in my back. It was the worst pain imaginable and it ripped threw me. I wanted to scream. It all happened simultaneously I went onto my knees since that's how we are supposed to sit when were hurt. James was Kneeling beside me. He didn't touch me because he knew that he could do more damage. It was a rule in the NHL that players weren't allowed to help other players that might have a spine injury because it could cause more damage. I knew that I wasn't paralyzed and I knew that I was probably just a bruised bone in my back so I would let him help me when I needed it.

The team medic had finally gotten to me. He was talking quickly and I couldn't keep up with what he was saying.

"Slow down so I can understand you" I yelled at him. I hated it when people freaked out because it made me freak out.

I wanted them to know I was okay but probably hurt badly. I knew that I probably wouldn't be playing for a while.

I turned me head towards James "we got the goal right"

He grinned and leaned closer to me "yeah Bella we got the goal. Now we worry about you. Where do you hurt?"

I started explaining my pain to them and they asked if I thought I could stand. I said that it was worth a try. James reached around me to help me up. He put one arm around me shoulder and the medic did the same on my left side. James gave the medic a nod. Then he turned to me. "Okay we are going to lift you up on three. Ready? 1…2…3…"

I felt my feet under me again and their arms around me. It felt great to be standing.

Slowly we started moving I heard the crowd cheering. That's another thing that I like about hockey. The fans. No matter what team they are cheering for when a player gets hurt they want to know that they will be able to play again. I suddenly felt a sharp pain go up my back and I felt my knees give out under me.

James clutched on to me but really I wanted to sit so I turned my head towards him.

"Just let me down I don't know if I can skate all the way to the bench."

He set me down and the medic asked for a stretcher over his walkie-talkie, James sat down next to me.

"Do you want me to carry you or are you better off on the stretcher?"

"Do you think that you and Jacob can pull me up and I'll try skating off again. I'm already feeling better."

"Sure I'll get someone to help"

James skated off the ice and came right back to me with Jacob

"Okay Bella we are going to lift you up on the count of three again. Are you ready?"

"Yea lets get it done"

My back was still hurting but it hurt more to be sitting then to be standing. I was in to much pain to be sitting.

"Okay 1…2…3…."

It was weird to be standing again but it felt great, way better then the last time they lifted me up. My legs knew exactly what to do and the boys started to let go of me when they saw that I could skate on my own. I wanted to skate around the rink just to feel the ice under my feet. I don't know why I was suddenly feeling so much better but I welcomed it. I felt like I could take on the world and they hadn't even given me a shot of cortisone yet. I bet that I would be able to play once I got one of those. Last year we had a ton of players that played when they were injured because we wanted a shot at the playoffs. One guy played with a torn ACL and another guy broke his foot and played on it. Both are injuries that I don't think I could play with. I skated over to the bench. I can't believe how much better I feel this time. I could barely feel any pain in my back I felt like I could play again. My head didn't hurt at all. And I didn't want to miss any more of the game. We still had two periods and a couple of minutes left in the game.

I turned to coach "I want to finish up the game" I tried to say it with authority and confidence but I don't think that I succeeded.

"No! You were on your knees on the ice for 5 minutes. What kind of coach would I be if I let an injured person play? You are obviously hurt."

"What if I leave for the rest of this period get checked out by the doctor and if he say that I'm okay I get to start in the second"

I knew that coach that that there was no way the doctor would say that I was healthy enough to continue the game so he agreed by saying "only if the doctor says that your okay."

"If you can let McCarthy play on a broken foot I think you can let me play with a sore back." And with that I walked down the tunnel to where I knew the doctor would be waiting for me.