The first day of training camp went well, as I reflected on it during my ride home.

I arrived home before the boys thankfully. It was very, very common for me to come home on any given day at any given hour and find a few hockey players hanging around. But once the season started, it seemed like half of them lived here.

Mom prepared mounds of food, enough to feed the entire army, marines, navy, and air force, twice. I took advantage of the little time I had left before my house would be invaded. After taking a quick shower, I dressed in a plain pair of jeans and a three quarter length shirt.

The boys arrived not too long after I finished getting dressed. They all headed down to the basement, otherwise called the bonus room. A large sectional couch was situated downstairs, facing a flat screen tv mounted to the wall.

I went and joined them, noticing that my spot wasn't open. Brayden Schenn was sitting in my spot on the couch.

"Oh Schenner, you might wanna move." Claude warned him with a smirk and a chorus of chuckles from the other guys.

"She won't hesitate to knee you!" His brother warned him as well. Nothing else had to be said because he moved across the couch to a smaller spot, squished on the end next to Hartsy.

"Ah, good choice." Scott nudged him playfully. The boys had Sports Center on the tv, showing the highlights of the football game from yesterday.

"Food's ready!" Mom called from upstairs. The guys jumped off the couch and bombarded up the stairs like a herd of elephants. Schenn walked slower than the others, apparently knowing how they are.

"Not hungry?" I asked him.

"Oh no, I am, just didn't wanna get trampled." He said with a smirk.

"Me too." I smiled widely at him.

"So, do you still play hockey?" He asked me curiously with a smile.

"How do you know I played in the first place?" I teased.

"I don't know many girls that can skate that well in hockey skates or handle a hockey stick like you." Well, someone is observant.

"I don't play anymore." I answered. "But I played from the time I was five until I graduated high school."

"Are you just as good as your brother?" He asked, seeming interested.

"We all know I skate better than him, I mean he has almost a closet full of casts just from falling." Brayden was chuckling, and it was cute! "But he's got a better shot than I do." I hated admitting it, but it's true. Then again, my small arms couldn't ever stand up to his long, muscly, ape-like limbs.

"You and I should go to the rink this weekend." He suggested with a bright smile.

"Really?" I asked, being very surprised.

"Yes, really." He let out a deep breath and flashed me a breathtaking smile.

"You two better not be making out!" Luke yelled from the top of the stairs.

"What's it called?" Giroux asked someone quietly, but just loud enough for us to hear. "Oh yeah! Hand check!" He yelled, barely getting it out before nearly all of the guys busted out laughing.

Brayden and I looked at each other, very frightened.

"What the actual fuck did he just say?" Brayden said, obviously shell shocked.

"They really said that?" I was in disbelief. "I'm hungry." I announced and started up the stairs. At least four idiotic hockey players were sprawled on the floor, still laughing.

"Better get a plate fast, you two." My mom forewarned Brayden and I.

"He eats more than I do, Mrs. C!" Luke said as he emerged from the hallway, trying to compose himself.

"Then we might have a problem. I don't know if I'll have enough food!" She threw her hands up in exasperation.

"It's alright, we'll go over to Danny's and raid his house if there isn't enough!" Claude suggested.

"Good idea." Bryz agreed. The six boys were all looking at each other and nodding with smirks. Yes, definitely not going over to Danny's tonight with the grins they have on their faces

"Well, dig in!" Mom announced.

"Wait! I want to get some first! Form a line!" I wished I had a whistle to use! The boys were shoving each other out of the way to get behind me, but somehow Schenner wormed himself directly behind me, as in very close.

"It all looks so good." He murmured to me.

"It is." I told him promisingly. I filled my plate as best as I could before anything could fall off.

I was the first to take a seat at the large dining room table. It could comfortably seat ten, but we had fit more than that in the past. Dad took a spot at one head of the table, and Giroux at the other end. Luke and Brayden took seats on either sides of me.

"Luke! You were right!" Brayden exclaimed after he took several bites. "These are the best mashed potatoes!" He said excitedly, like a little boy. Several of the guys laughed at Schenner's excitement.

"Ma, this ham is so good." Gavin said with a mouthful. She smacked him on the head after he'd swallowed. This got a rise out of this rest of us, but left a pout on Gavin's face.

"Alli, you have a shift tomorrow afternoon, forgot to tell you. Izzie needed the day off." Mom said as the boys devoured everything on their plates.

"Alright." I nodded easily. I worked part-time at my mom's bakery in downtown Philly. I often helped her with large private orders and working the register. I glanced over at Brayden, seeing the slightly confused and curious look make its way across his face. Luke nudged him and quickly explained what he was most likely pondering in his head.

--

When dinner was over, I helped mom clean up in the kitchen briefly, and then went upstairs to my bedroom. The boys and my father had gone down to the bonus room, probably to get drinks and watch Sportscenter.

I was laying in bed, reading a book on my Kindle when I heard a knock snap me away from my thoughts, to see Brayden standing in my doorway, staring straight at me.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey." I sat up in bed and moved over a bit, hoping he would get the hint to join me. Luckily, he did.

"Sick of them already?" I asked teasingly.

"Nah, sick of Sportscenter though!" I laughed softly at him. "So, this weekend..." He started. "How about..." He stared at me with his deep brown eyes. He took one of my hands in his, and started making circles in my palm with his thumb. "I pick you up on Saturday at eleven, here."

"Sounds great." I said softly, still smiling.

"The fuck do you think you're doing!?" Gavin yelled at Brayden. Brayden leaped off the bed, holding his hands in the air, like my brother was pointing a gun in his face.

"He doesn't have to answer to you." I glared at Gavin, wishing I could incinerate him on the spot.

"The hell he doesn't!" Gavin yelled.

"I'll leave. Sorry Gavin." Brayden hung his head and made a move to leave, but Gavin blocked his path.

"No! Brayden you don't need to leave! Gavin can." I jumped across the room and took Brayden's arm. He took the cue and stepped back from the door. One hit to Gavin's balls was all it took for him to stumble backwards and allow me to slam the door.

Brayden's eyes were widening, like he couldn't believe I'd just done that.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. His brown eyes gazing into mine like they were searching for something.

"It's fine." I waved him off. "We yell and scream all the time. You didn't hear my mother get concerned, did you?" I joked with him.

"Nope." He chuckled too.

"Wanna see baby pictures of my brother so you have collateral damage against him?" I offered deviously.

"I love the way you think."

--

"Schenner! Leaving!" Giroux said from outside my door. Claude was Brayden's roommate for the time being, and his ride home.

"Thanks for tonight, Alli." Brayden gave me that smile that felt like it was lighting up the whole room.

"See you bright and early." I said to before reaching up to give him a lingering kiss on the cheek. "Bye Brayden."

He opened my door part way before he said his goodbye, probably to confirm to the immature guys standing in the hallway that we weren't making out.

Hockey boys are many things, and ridiculously over protective is definitely towards the top of that list.

Notes

Thanks for reading! Feedback is appreciated!