The locker room was lifeless. Another heartbreaking loss in a game they had in hand. No one was in the mood to say anything. All they wanted to do was pack up their gear and go home.
Sunny felt horrible. It was his costly penalty that led to the game-tying shot. It was his mistake that gave the Cougars all the momentum. He knew Coach B didn't blame him for it, but Sunny wouldn't blame his teammates if they did.
Sunny sighed as he packed away his jersey. This was the second game in a row where he played a part in his team losing. He wasn't doing it on purpose, but the stress of playing was getting to him. It was just like practicing with Mari.
Sunny shuddered when he remembered the recital was next week. All the months of excruciating hard work and torment will come to fruition, and he wouldn't have to play that damn instrument ever again. After that, Mari will dive into her schoolwork, and he'll see her less, but Sunny didn't entirely mind. After all their recital practices, Sunny knew some time away from Mari would do him some good.
Sunny had finished packing away his gear and waited at his locker for the coaches to come in to give them their post-game speech and dismiss them. It had gotten more lively once everyone had finished packing up. He saw Mikhael joking around with Finneas and Milton. The two were laughing at something Mikhael said or did, Sunny wasn't sure.
Their laughter had caught Rudy's attention. He looked annoyed and frustrated. Sunny elbowed Alec to make sure he saw what was happening.
"I don't know why you're joking around. You're the reason we lost," Rudy said bluntly. You could hear a pin drop after he finished his last sentence.
"What?" Mikhael said. It was obvious by the look on his face that he was taken off guard by what the alternate captain had said.
"If you hadn't taken that stupid charging penalty, we would've won," Rudy said bluntly. Sunny was worried Rudy would turn his ire onto him because it was his tripping penalty that led to Finley tying the game. Sunny didn't have to worry too much because Rudy kept his eyes on Mikhael. "I don't know what compelled you to do something so stupid."
"I did what you told me to do!" Mikhael shouted. He shot out of his seat and took a step toward Rudy, who had also stood up. Finneas and Milton got in between the two before anything could happen.
"I never told you to take stupid penalties," Rudy angrily retorted.
"You said I have to defend my teammates, and I did! Sorry I didn't do it in a way that you like!" Mikhael shot back with a bit of sarcasm. Rudy took a step at Mikhael, but Milton pushed him back.
It was then Alec got involved in the argument. He got in the middle of the scuffle to help separate the two.
"Enough! Both of you!" Alec yelled. It was the first time Sunny had heard Alec raise his voice outside of a celebratory or game situation. It was unnerving and made Sunny worry. He also wasn't the only one to react that way because everyone froze.
Mikhael and Rudy tensed up as Alec gazed at them. Finneas and Milton backed away to avoid their captain's ire.
"It's no one's fault we lost this game. We didn't keep the momentum after Elliott scored our only goal, and that's what cost us. Not stupid penalties," Alec told them. He then put his full attention onto Rudy, who put his head down to avoid Alec's disappointed stare. "And Rudy, you were the one who told Mikhael to defend his teammates. We didn't teach him the right way to do it."
Sunny thought Rudy would argue what Alec was saying, but the defenseman kept his mouth shut. The look of guilt and shame that Rudy had made Sunny feel bad for him.
"Now apologize and shake hands. We shouldn't be going at each other's throats after a two-game losing streak," Alec said.
Rudy turned to Mikhael, who was surprised by what was happening. He mumbled something under his breath, and Alec demanded him to be louder.
"I'm sorry!"
Mikhael awkwardly nodded his head with a forced, uncomfortable smile. He slowly took Rudy's extended hand, and the two awkwardly shook hands before sitting back down. Alec returned to his locker with a proud smile.
Everyone's conversations slowly picked back up again. Sunny was still caught up from what happened. The way Alec took control of the situation and resolved it before anything bad happened.
Sunny wondered if Alec could do the same when Kel and Aubrey argue.
The coaches came into the room shortly after. Coach B said the same post-game speech as last week about how they "gave it their all," and "fought hard until the end." The only different thing was when he told them about the next team they were facing.
"I'll say this again after Friday's practice, but next week is our first road game. We'll be facing the Somewhere Wave. The buses will leave around 1 next week, so be here at 12."
After his announcement, Coach B dismissed them.
Sunny didn't react much when Coach B said they were traveling next game. He knew he was going to miss it for the recital. He was upset that he wouldn't be there to help his team end their losing streak, but he would be free for the rest of the season.
With a hum, Sunny grabbed his stuff and left the locker room. He met up with his mom and Aubrey by the team's snack table. Aubrey hugged him before grabbing his bag.
"You did great, Sunny," she told him after breaking away from the hug. Sunny shrugged at what she said. He did better than his first game, but he did make a costly mistake.
Sunny looked for Basil and saw he was talking to Mikhael, Elliott, and JJ. Basil showed off the pictures he took during the game and was handing some of them out.
"D-Did he take some g-good ones?" Sunny asked, and Aubrey nodded.
"Yup. He even has one for the school paper."
Sunny smiled because he was happy to help out his friend.
The school day had gone by in a flash. It was an average day where nothing truly interesting had happened. It was just another average Monday to Sunny.
During lunch, he sat with his friends, and Kel asked what happened during the game on Saturday. Sunny was going to tell him, but Basil jumped in before he could say anything. His friend said he wanted to figure out what he was going to write for the school paper and telling Kel what happened would help him. Wanting to help his friend, Sunny allowed Basil to recount the events of the game.
Basil did a great job with some help from Sunny and Aubrey. He showed off the pictures he took during the game as he went. He told Kel about how Sunny almost got an assist. He then talked about Alec finding Elliott for their only goal of the game.
Sadly, he also talked about Sunny's and Mikhael's costly mistakes, which led to them losing the game. Kel did his best to support and cheer up Sunny, but he had gotten over it. What Alec said to Rudy had made him come to terms with what happened.
After he finished, Basil said he would try to keep Sunny's name out of the paper, but he couldn't make any promises. Sunny told him it was fine, just as long he didn't use any pictures that had him in it.
When school ended, Sunny went straight to practice. Before they began, he told Coach B he wasn't going to make it to Saturday's game. He said it was fine, which was a little anticlimactic. Sunny thought it was going to be much tougher.
Coach B did have him do some laps when practice ended. It was a team rule where you had to do three laps around the rink if you missed a practice or game for any reason.
After he got home, Mari dragged Sunny to the piano room. She didn't say hi, ask where he had been, or even notice how tired he was. No, when she saw him walk through the door, it was straight to practice. She forced his violin into his hands and started playing.
As always, Mari was perfect. Not a single note was missed or out of tune. She knew it by heart at this point that she didn't need to look at the music sheet. She was nearing his part, and Sunny got ready.
Sunny had messed up again. It happened in the same spot as usual. Mari didn't say anything except start the song over from the beginning without missing a beat. She had gotten pretty good at doing that, Sunny was worried she would do it during the recital if he messed up.
He messed up again, and once again, Mari started the song over. This went on for a while, and they hadn't played through the song once. Sunny could easily tell Mari was getting frustrated, but she never said anything to him.
Then, Mari stopped playing.
She looked at him with an emotionless stare, and Sunny finally got a good look at her. Mari's hair was all over the place. Her face was covered with acne, and she also had crow's feet eyes.
Sunny gulped when she left her bench and stalked her way over to him. He kept his instrument raised for defense, but that did nothing to deter his sister. She towered over him menacingly and mashed her pointer finger onto his music sheet. She was pointing at the first note of his part of the song.
"Play," she whispered. Her voice sounded hoarse, which freaked Sunny out. With weak, shaky arms, Sunny managed to play the note.
It was perfect.
Mari then pointed at the next note, and he played it.
Once again, perfect.
Mari then pointed at the first staff of his part, and he played it.
Again, perfect.
She then pointed to the next staff, then the next one until there was nothing left to play.
Each one was perfect.
Then she had him play the whole thing by himself.
He was perfect.
Mari then let out a long, drawn-out sigh. She took a step or two away from Sunny and dragged her hands over her face and hair. Sunny tried to read her, but all he saw was an unemotive eye.
"Tell me, Sunny... Is it me?" Mari finally spoke. She kept her face hidden, but Sunny felt unnerved by her. He tried answering her, but all that came out were squeaks and sounds of vowels.
"You don't know? Because after what I heard, it must be me," Mari said with a little more aggression.
Sunny took a step back because Mari was scaring him. She grabbed his arms and pulled him close. She then gave him a look that made him want to jump out of his skin. He looked away, but knowing that Mari was still giving him that look made him tear up.
"Are you doing this on purpose? Are you doing this to mess with me? Are you!?"
All Sunny could do was shake his head. He didn't dare to open his eyes until he was sure Mari wasn't looking at him like that anymore.
"Then knock it off," Mari said through gritted teeth. "The recital is this Saturday, and I won't have you screwing it up."
Sunny felt Mari let go and heard her walk away. He didn't dare to open his eyes until he knew Mari wasn't looking at him. When he heard Mari playing, he felt safe enough to crack one eye open. He never felt more relieved when he saw the back of Mari's head.
Sunny looked at his arms. There were red marks from where Mari grabbed him. They also hurt a little whenever he touched them.
He then looked at his hands. All the playing had made his blisters worse. New ones were formed while the older ones appeared to be on the verge of bleeding. His right hand was also cramping, but the pain from his arms and hands was nothing compared to the fear he felt.
He was still rattled by the look Mari gave him. It was a look he never thought a human could make, let alone his sister. It reminded him of the monsters he used to see in his closet when he was younger. The difference between then and now is that this monster has a face.