Hall of Fame

The rest of the weekend flew by, between practices and the scrimmage this morning, I was ready to be going home. I wasn’t lying earlier when I said I love to travel, but after 3 days I was ready to get back to the peace and quiet of my own apartment.
When we got back to the AAC I met coach in his office and we discussed possible lines for tomorrow night’s preseason game. Tomorrow night the boys would be facing the Hurricanes here at the AAC. Coach Ruff would be announcing who would be playing tomorrow at practice.
I smiled to myself as I drove back to my apartment, wasting no time when I got back to my apartment to slip into my pajamas and going on my computer. I looked though my emails, and cheeked Facebook but must have drifted off.
* * *
At practice the next day I once again found myself watching from the bench as the boys skated around completing another teamwork drill. I couldn’t help but laugh as I watched the guys protect their pucks. The purpose of this drill was easy, each group had a puck, one guy was to protect the puck well the other went and tried to steal the other pucks. When you lost your puck your team was done, and the group that had the most pucks at the end was the winner. The only catch was the guys only had a minute.
“No,” I heard Tyler yell from across the rink as his puck was stolen, signaling the end of the game for him and Demers. There were four groups left out of eleven.
I shook my head as checked the timer on the clock as it counted down.
“So close,” I laughed as Seguin skated by on his way to the other bench.
He shook his head at me as Coach Ruff blew his whistle when the timer dinged.
“Yes,” Jamie cheered with Eakin from the corner of the ice and I couldn’t help but laugh as Jordie playfully checked Jamie into the boards.
“How many pucks do you have Captain?” I yelled from across the rink, figuring he wouldn’t mind being the first to share considering him and Eakin were cheering there victory.
“Five,” he smiled, receiving another well-deserved check from Jordie, who in returned received a playful shove.
“What about you 24?” I questioned deciding to just stick with nicknames.
“Three.”
“What about you two?” I asked the two rookies.
“One,” Curtis shrugged, disappointed, but really he had nothing to be disappointed about because he still beat 7 other groups. It broke my heart though because I knew how much he wanted to prove that he belonged here. I believed he did, but unfortunately that was not my call to make. The only thing that I could do was make sure he kept his head up.
“16?” I nodded my head towards Horcoff and Daley, not really having a nickname for them, but figured the combination of their numbers worked just fine.
“Two,” Horcoff nodded.
“Well congrats Pumpkin and Chubbs. Looks like you are the winners.” I announced which caused a combination of cheers and stick taps, as well as boos and laugher.
After the ice was cleared we all gathered in the locker room where coached announced who would be playing in tonight’s game. Once that was all said and done he pulled me into his office.
“So here’s the plan Brittany,” Coach said as we sat on the couch in the office. “Tonight you will join the scratches in the press box. You will be on call in case one of the guys, or I feel that they need you.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way coach.” I smiled before we sat up the arrangements for when I was to arrive and what would happen if I was needed in the locker room. After that I bid my farewells so I could get some rest before the game tonight.
* * *
“So when we play the Avalanche, who are you going to root for?” That was Rousell asking the important questions in life.
“The Avalanche,” I smiled as I sat in between Rousell and Seguin as we watched the Stars/Hurricanes first pre – season game. To say I was excited would be an understatement; I was over the moon right now. It was now the end of the first period and the Stars were up 2 – 1.
Rousell just shook his head at me, “But you’ll root for us every other game right.”
“Of course,” I reassured him.
“In that case I will get you a better sweater?” Seguin smiled from next to me, receiving a shove from the captain who sat behind us.
“You’re going to get me a Rousell sweater.” I beamed as I watched his face fall.
“That wasn’t exactly who I was thinking of, but okay.”
I sucked in some air as I turned to look at him, “A game worn one with blood and sweat, right?”
“If that’s what you want,” he stared back at me, a glimmer in his dark eyes, “then yes.”
I smiled to myself as I studied his dark eyes, what was he getting at, I though before Rousell’s voice broke the silence.
“So when you two are done, there’s food.”
I blushed with a shake of my head as I everted my eyes back to Rousell.
“Thanks Antione.” Seguin spat as I stood up and followed Rousell.

Notes