. It was the championship game between Canada and Sweden.

Malayna pushed her way through the crowd of people, the arena being much fuller than it was for the past games. Once she found her seat, she plopped down beside her dad, careful not to drop any of the fries in her hand.

Malayna knew Carter and the rest of the team were extremely nervous and excited for this game. Carter however, was mostly filled with nerves. It was for that reason she made sure not to stick around long once she gave him his coffee. He had thanked her for the cup before giving her a quick kiss. Malayna had left right after that, knowing Carter needed to focus.

As the teams stepped out onto the ice, Malayna took a deep breath, though smiled once she spotted Carter. Her father sat bubbling over with excitement beside her. He placed a hand on her knee when he saw Carter warming up in his crease. "Oh there he is, there's my future son in-law!"

"Dad!" Malayna exclaimed, slapping him on the arm.

"What?" He asked, rubbing the spot Malayna's hand had hit.

"We've only been an actual couple for like a... day!" Malayna exclaimed, rubbing her cheek, deep in thought. She couldn't believe its only been a week, she felt like she's spent months with Carter.

"Okay yes," her father turned to face the blonde, pointing his index finger at her. "But I see the way he looks at you. He looks at you the way I look at your mother. And look where we are," he explained, his expression completely serious.

Malayna's heart warmed at her father's words, a wide smile splayed across her face as she remembered her parents reaction when she told them Carter and her were officially dating.

Despite what her dad usually says, he was happy, he didn't say he was going to get his shotgun, which is what he normally teases her with. Her mother on the other hand was over the moon, she was happy Malayna had found someone who was "athletic and good looking", Malayna couldn't agree more.

The ref blew the whistle, both teams lining up for the face-off. Malayna focussed her attention on the game, as did her father. Although Malayna shrugged off what her father had told her, she was still thinking about it. She's seen the way her father looks at her mother when she thinks he isn't looking, and the thought that Carter looked at her the same way, made Malayna's heart jump with joy.

The game started and both teams were playing with equal amounts of hard work put into every shift. However, Malayna had to admit, the Swedes were playing really good. That worried her to no end.

Luckily, by the end of the first period, the score was still even with zero, Carter defying everyones expectations and playing even better than he has been throughout the tournament.

At intermission, Malayna took the opportunity to go to the concession to get more fries for her dad, and a hotdog for herself. Malayna's guilty of being a stress eater, and given the circumstances, a hotdog sounds quite fitting for this situation.

Malayna bought her two things, the lady handing her a hotdog before letting her know the fries would be a couple of minutes. Saying thank you, Malayna tok a few steps, squirting ketchup on her hotdog before digging right in.

Malayna took a bit of her hotdog, moaning slightly in pleasure due to how good it was and how much she needed to calm down. Just as she was going in for another bite, a voice sounded and a person came directly towards her.

"Excuse me?" It was an older lady wearing a team Canada jersey, probably in her late forties, early fifties.

"Yes?" Malayna responded, pausing with the hotdog inches from her open mouth.

"Are you Malayna?" The lady asked with a large grin on her face.

"Yes..." She trailed off in confusion, her hand dropping slightly so the hotdog wasn't in front of her face.

"Hi! It's so nice to meet you! I'm Shauna, Carter's mom," her voice was sweet and filled with excitement, her smile instantly making one appear on Malayna's, after she quickly covered up the look of pure terror and shock of course.

"Oh." Se squeaked out, why does everyone always catch me devouring a bloody hotdog? She thought to herself, taking a deep breath. "It's so nice to meet you too!" She managed to get out, calming down from the surprise.

"Carter sent me a picture of you two together, I was so happy he found someone!" She exclaimed with the type of grin Carter always wears.

"Yeah, he's great. So so sweet, you raised a good one," she chuckled, her words were laced with pure affection, it wouldn't take a lot to see they were both so infatuated with each other.

"I'm glad to hear that. And if he ever miss behaves, let me know and I'll kick his ass," she nodded seriously before breaking out into laughter.

Malayna noticed for the first time that Shauna wore a Hart team Canada jersey (for obvious reasons) and one red maple leaf tattoo was on her left cheek. And although her smile was huge, Malayna could see how nervous she was.

"Fries!" The lady at the concession yelled, Malayna spinning around to take them in her free hand.

"Alright, well I'll let you get back to your seat, I gotta get my husband some fries. Men," she laughed.

"Oh I feel ya, these are for my dad," Malayna held up the fries, chuckling as well.

"Okay, well it was really nice meeting you, I hope to see you again soon!" She grinned.

"Yes for sure! I'd give you a hug but my hands are kinda full," Malayna explained, Carter's mom brushing her off.

"Oh next time, next time. I'll see you soon Malayna!"

"Yes for sure!" She said before spinning on her heels, heading back towards her seat.

Once she got a good distance away, she let out a sigh of relief. She liked Carter's mom, and she thought their first meeting went well, however she was not expecting that to happen when she left to get herself a hotdog.

Malayna plopped back down in her seat, the second period already started. The game was quick, both teams looking very equal. Canada seemed to wake up a bit more as the play wasn't just in their end like it was in the first period.

Canada really brought it to the Swedes, playing with so much intensity. Finally with a minute left to go in the second period, Dillon Dube scored to put them ahead.

But that didn't stop the Swede's from retaliating early in the third. The third period was torture for the fans. Malayna was biting her nails, absolutely terrified the Swedes were going to get a go ahead goal.

With less than two minutes left in the period, Conor Timmins dumped the puck into the Swede's zone, Canada wanting to score a late goal. The puck circled around in the offensive zone before it came back to Conor Timmins once again.

After shooting the puck, Tyler Steenbergen who had his stick down on the ice, redirected it right into the back of the net. Malayna and everyone around jumped out of their seats, screaming their lungs out. Malayna and her dad hugged, giving high fives to anyone and everyone around them. Canada took the lead, with one minute left.

Of course, the Swedes being within one goal, pulled their goalie once they got possession of the puck. The puck circled around in Canada's end, the crowd and the boys on the bench going nuts in anticipation.

With forty-five seconds left to go, Alex Nylander let a shot go, it deflected off a skate and went into the corner. Jake Bean picked up the puck and flipped it over everyones heads, clearing the puck to the neutral zone.

A Sweden defence-man picked up the puck and tried to pass it over to Nylander, however Bean's stick got in the way and the puck deflected, flipping over everyone's stick, sliding into Canada's end, right in front of Carter.

Everything went by so fast. As everyone immediately darted to the puck, Carter took two quick strides out of his crease, the puck on his goalie stick, before it was gone a second later, it flying up over the heads of everyone before landing on the ice and sliding right into the net before anyone could stop it.

Everyone went nuts, especially Carter who had wanted to score a goal so bad. He had thrown his arms up in the air, his goalie stick flying unintentionally. He was freaking out, the boys and coaches on the bench were freaking out as well, Canada had pretty much just sealed the deal.

Fans cheered, however as Canada's goal song played, Carter even skating over and going past the bench to fist pump everyone, Malayna froze, blinked and then smiled. She couldn't believe it.

Carter Fucking Hart, just scored a fucking goal.

im so conflicted with this book rn, i dont want this to end but i dont know where to go from the tournament. would anyone read a sequel, probably social media? side note; wattpad has been completely screwed up for me and its really pissing me off.