Except when I walk out into the tunnel, loud laughter accosts my ears and skate blades echo around the space.
I walk out to find hockey practice underway, and I panic for the barest of moments thinking I fucked something up. But that’s not it. These voices are female, so I make my way to a hidden spot in the bleachers to spot our female counterparts on the ice. It’s the women’s team.
Right. They moved some things around on the schedule, so they’ve got practice directly before ours now. I haven’t been to any of their games, but I know they’ve been doing well this season, and I’ve heard their captain is a solid player. Curiosity pulls me into a seat, and the action sucks me in. They’re doing some shooting drills, and she’s nailed every shot, no matter the awkward angle it arrives to her at. Wilder. That’s their captain, and it looks like the rumors are true. She’s got skill and serious composure to match.
I glance at my phone to check the time and realize I’ve gotten so wrapped up in the action I’m cutting it real close on my pre-practice routine. One of the ways I keep everything in check is by following a very specific routine. Now I’m going to be rushing. This day is completely throwing me off. I should have stayed at the house and driven in with the rest of the guys. I could have hidden in my room to avoid catching sight of anything that makes me uncomfortable with my sister hanging around. Lucy doesn’t seem like the type to be too into PDAs, but Cece and her exuberance seem to have rubbed off on him.
The chatter and laughter coming from the dressing room could almost be a competition with the ladies’ team I left behind.
“Bo Bo! I thought we were going to have to send a search party out for you.” JJ hurls himself at my feet, looking up at me from the mess of hair hanging in his eyes. Our goalie is seriously in need of a haircut. “You’re always the first one here.”
My eyes stray over to glance at Lucy, and he crosses his arms, shifting in his seat as if he knows the reason I left the house early. “Was watching the girls play.”
“The girls?” JJ’s face is scrunched up in confusion. Probably his most common expression.
“The women’s team has practice right before us now. New year, new schedule.”
He jumps up at the same time I’m trying to step over him, and I trip.
“JJ, fuck!”
“Sorry, Captain.”
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “It’s fine. Just settle down. We’re halfway through the season already. It’s time to focus.”
That weight is pressing on my chest again. The winter break was hell without Cece there as a buffer. My dad spent every single moment he had with me going over plans for the company. Plans that I’m going to be directly involved in.Because this is it. I’ve only got a few months left to enjoy the life I actually want.
Playing hockey has been the one good thing. The one thing I love more than anything else. I came back to school hoping to throw myself into the team. But already it’s hard. It feels like the walls are closing in around me. Pressing in closer and closer until I can’t breathe. The lump in my throat makes it difficult to swallow.
“You okay, man?” Dev’s soft voice breaks through my reverie, and I turn to my best friend.
“I’m fine. I got this.”
He narrows his eyes, but lets it slide as I pull on my gear. This day started out messy and just keeps spiraling. Cole beats me out the door, and I have to restrain myself from telling him to walk back in so I can leave first. So my brain is already a mess as I’m walking down the tunnel to hit the ice.
I would have expected to run into the women as they’re clearing out, but they’re still on the ice. Irritation flares up at the further interruption to my routine. All that rushing and they can’t even vacate the ice on time? This had better not be a sign of what’s to come this year.
I’m annoyed, but I can be professional about it. They’re not used to this schedule either. They’ve probably lost track of time. But then I catch sight of what they’re doing, and it’s not drills or even a rundown. Nope. They’re brushing each other’s hair and shooting a video. Their captain seems to be in charge of the operation. She’s directing them and resetting the camera.
“They must be filming a video for Luna’s social media account. She has like a million followers. Maybe they’ll let me be in it.” JJ skates off to join the nonsense. He’s been working on his own accounts, but the difference is he does it on his own time. And if he tried to derail practice for it, I would have strong words withhim. Especially if he was cutting into someone else’s ice time. That’s just rude.
All my admiration of her play seeps away. Another influencer. That’s all I need in my life. I wouldn’t be surprised if she asks me to be in one of her videos too. And I’ve spent enough of my life under the media microscope as the Whitaker heir to want nothing to do with that.
She has the audacity to tell me she needs more time to finish up, and then JJ gets involved, trying to join them. The irritation is now full-blown anger. I hate losing control of a situation. This day started out a mess, and it’s only gotten worse. My breath is coming faster, and I’m afraid I’m about to lose it. Which I can’t afford to do in front of my team.
She finally gets her team together, sending me targeted glares as she skates by. She’s got her helmet tucked under her arm, long hair falling around her shoulders in waves. It’s blonde near the roots, fading to a golden-brown color that reeks of an expensive salon job. Maybe I should have worded it a little better, but she’s the one in the wrong here, not me.
“Wilder!”
Her hair flies out around her as she whips around to look at me. “What?”
“Aren’t you cleaning up after yourself?” I gesture to the cones her team was using for drills. Things are already off-kilter. I can’t start practice with a mess on the ice.
“Are you serious?” She’s squinting at me through narrowed eyes.
“Yes.”
I ignore her muttering under her breath as she picks up the cones, dumping them with a clatter near the other equipment. My hand twitches, but I wait until she’s cleared out before I skate over to straighten them out.
