It's mornings like these where I can't decide if I like Philly better than our private secluded home in the Adirondack's.

My alarm went off like a warning bell for an explosion of atomic proportions. I replaced my sweatpants for skinny jeans and Under Armour.

My bag was already packed for today. It's been packed for nearly a week, because this morning is all I've been looking forward to for weeks.

Today is the start of the Philadelphia Flyers' training camp. In two weeks, games will start, and no words can express exactly how excited I am.

Mom already had a pot of coffee made for all of us. Dad was still coaching the Phantoms, but their season didn't start for at least another week.

My older, and only, brother Gavin had been drafted to the Philadelphia Flyers three years ago. And I now worked for the Philadelphia Flyers Association as well. Mainly I made sure that everything ran well on game night, but I was very close with many of the players.
Gav was just now stumbling down the hallway, in just a t-shirt and boxers. To him it wasn't a big deal that we had to be there in an hour and a half, but he takes forever to get ready.

"You better hurry." I warned him, and taking the full role of being an annoying younger sister. To be honest though, Gav and I had always gotten along great. Our age difference didn't matter to us at all.

He waved a hand at me dismissively.

"We aren't driving together anyways." He said.

"Yes we are." I argued.

"No. Claude, Schenn, Hartsy and Bryz are coming over afterward to watch the football game." He replied after taking a long sip of his hot and very strong coffee.

"Fine." I didn't want to argue anymore, and if he was bringing half of the team home, I would rather not be in a car with all of the smelly guys.

"I don't plan on showing up to the rink looking much different than I already do, anyways." True, he was probably just going to get ready in the locker room.

"Okay, I'll meet you there. I want to grab some Starbucks." I grabbed my set of keys from the counter.

"See you there Alli!" Gav called as he went back down the hallway.

----

"Can I get a grande double chocolatey chip?" I asked the lady in as innocent a voice I could conjure.

"Is that it?" She asked in a snarky tone. Well, I could be a bitch and buy the entire team what they each specifically like. I have a list written down in my phone of every detailed order.

"Yes, actually, this might be a long order." I whipped out my iPhone and opened the note that had each players' preference.

"I also need certain names written on each cup, thanks. For Claude, I need a Venti Hazelnut Macchiato. For Scott, I need a Grande Caramel Macchiato..." I went on for at least twenty for drinks. To say the least, I had pissed of the bitchy lady running the register, and everyone waiting in line behind me.

----

When you walk into an ice rink filled with players who, for the most part, have just woken up, and you have Starbucks for them, you are practically a goddess to them.

"Alli!" Claude yelled and rushed over to me, I was carrying two of the six trays filled with drinks for the guys. I had convinced Ryan and Isaac, two of the ushers to also help me carry the flimsy trays I was given. "Starbucks! You're the best." I set the tray down on the wall where the opposing team would sit under game time circumstances. Claude found his drink and nearly downed half of it right there. The amount of calories he consumes in one day is beyond ridiculous.

I only know one other person who can rival Claude. That would be Luke, who came over next to wrap me up in a big hug!

"A! Haven't seen you in forever it feels like!" Gavin is very keen on the big brother role, but Luke had also adopted those traits, along with Claude and Bryz.

"Lukey!" I squealed. Luke is fresh from Canada, and since he spends his summers there, I haven't seen him in months.

"Oh, I don't get one..." I seemingly depressed voice said from behind Luke.

"Oh, you must be new then." I said after I released myself from Luke. By now, most of the guy had crowded around to take their drinks.

"Yes, this is my pain in the ass brother." Luke groaned, pointing to the new guy.

"I'm Brayden." He held out an ungloved hand to me. Brayden was cute, as in very, very cute. He had a very bright smile and all of his teeth!

"Nice to meet you." I shook his hand firmly.

"You're Cosey's sister?" He asked for clarification.

"Yes, the one and only." At that moment, Gavin stopped short of me, his skate was less then a centimeter from my foot. I hadn't put my skates on quite yet.

"Thanks sis!" Gavin said dramatically. I shook my head at him, watching as skated away.

"What's your order then?" I asked Brayden.

"What?" He asked, seeming confused.

"What do you want me to get you at Starbucks?" I simplified.

"Oh! You don't need to go and get something just for me." He smiled, almost looking bashful.

"I'm not, Pretty Boy." I smirked up at him. He was pretty tall. He wasn't nearly as tall as Oli, but still close to a foot taller than me.

"Alright then, Grande Double Chocolatey Chip." He said with a smirk. How coincidental, that's my order too...

"McGinn!" I yelled across the rink. The startled newbie almost fell on his head!

"Hey A." Tye was also another new player, but I had met him a few days ago when he had come over with Gavin and Claude.

"Write down your Starbucks order." I handed him my phone. He quickly typed it in and then returned the phone to me.

All of the boys had taken their drinks by now, so I laced up my new skates and joined Mr. Laviolette at the edge of the rink.

"Hello Allison." He said politely. It's great to be such good friends with a man who has the connections that he possesses.

"Nice to see you Peter." I greeted him.

"Have you met Brayden and McGinn?" He asked.

"McGinn was at my house just the other day, but I was just introduced to Brayden a few minutes ago."

"That Brayden is a damn good center. McGinn might have to be whipped into shape, but he'll be great for the team." I nodded along with Peter. I thoroughly enjoyed talking about subjects like this with him. He saw a lot of things that an average hockey fan or player might not notice.

"I'm looking forward to this season." I told Peter excitedly.

"Me too Alli. We just have to worry about the damn Penguins." His face contorted with disgust as he said the name.

"I don't think we'll have much to worry about." I should my head with a smirk, hoping to seem optimistic. Peter chuckled a big. "Can I start warmups?" I asked him, still wearing the smirk.

"Have at it." Peter grinned evilly, knowing how I run this joint.

I skated to the center of the ice, watching as the guys talked in their own cliques. McGinn and Brayden were joking about something unknown. Gav and Claude were talking with Bryz about god knows what, but it seemed less joyous as the former. Once I made sure all of the boys were occupied, I sent a nod to Peter. He covered his ears as I stealthily took my hot pink whistle out from my shirt.

I let out the shrillest possible noise I could make! Many of the guys were so startled that they nearly fell on their asses.

"What the hell, A!?" Couturier yelled at me.

"You're welcome Coots!" I yelled back. "Line up!" I ordered. The rookies followed the veterans as they lined up on the ice to stretch out all of their muscles. I joined them too, having seen the painful expressions of torn hamstrings, groin muscles and even worse.

"Hey Brayden, you can stop eye raping my sister now!" Gavin said sharply to Brayden.

"Yes, Little Schenn, she's off limits!" Giroux barked. Brayden's eyes grew to the size of soda cans and his face flushed, but not too badly.

"Alright, Father." I looked Gav and Giroux in the eyes, trying to get then to stop tormenting poor Brayden!

"Not their fault, A. You're too beautiful for your own good." Hartsy joked with us all. A lot of the guys joked along with him.

"Aww, thanks Scotty." I sent him a great big smile for the compliment.

"Welcome Alli." He said politely. I stood up after that, and watched as the guys set up their passing and shooting lines.

The start of a season is always something I look forward too, but no matter how much I miss the hockey, I always miss the guys the most.