Rookie

“You are awfully chipper,” Jon pointed out as I got to morning practice. Corey drove me as usual and he was super quiet.

“I just had a great time last night is all,” I replied as I went to get ready in the lockable shower room so the boys could get ready on their own.

Once clad in my gear, I stumbled my way to my locker to put my bag in it and grab my stick and helmet before heading to the ice. I ran into the Pens by the rink entrance.

“Max, Geno, Sid, and Jordan; staying out of trouble, I presume?”

“Of course, mi amour,” Max said kissing my hand.

“Don’t lose your skirt tonight, BAM SAM,” Jordan joked. This time I didn’t bite his head off except in a joking manner. I had managed to get to know him and some of the other Pens recently which really helped.

“Kiss my ass, Staalsy.”

“Bend over,” he continued.

“Enough,” Geno shouted.

“Yeah, Geno?”

“Kiss my ass instead!” he replied as he bent over. We all laughed.

“If I didn’t have skates on, I’d kick your ass.”

“Oh, then don’t,” he replied in his heavily accented voice.

“Maybe Sid should get an accent so the skirt will kiss his ass, sorry, kick,” Jordan added.

“Haha, Jordy. I gotta go, but see you all on the ice tonight.”

“Don’t call me Jordy!” he yelled as I went to skate on the freshly zambonied ice. The zamboni was still going, so I skated right behind it.

“You look so at peace,” Corey said popping up. He didn’t dare touch the ice yet because this was part of my routine.

“That’s because I am,” I finished my laps and Corey asked permission to join me. I nodded and we went to stretch.

“So, Sidney came to visit last night?”

“Yeah, we watched movies.”

“That’s nice of you to lie to my face.”

“Why would I lie to you, Corey?”

“Because you slept with him in my house, didn’t you?”

“I told you in October that I wasn’t any where ready to have sex, Cor. Nothings changed!” I tried to lie my ass off.

“Except you keep forgetting I’m one of your best friends and I know when you are lying.”

“He and I aren’t in that kind of relationship, Crawf. But if we did why would it be your business?”

“Just looking out for you is all I’m trying to do. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m a big girl, but thanks for the concern,” I skated towards Jon and Sharpie.

“Did you and goalie boy get in a fight?” Jon asked sarcastically.

“Shut up and get everyone’s attention so this practice can start.”

“Team, front and center!” Jon got attention.

“Shooting and passing have been lacking the last few games, guys. We need to score more if we want to continue to be the best. We need to show the fans that we are not going to slow down just because it’s post season. Teamwork is key. Break into shifts and work with either goalie or another shift in the middle to get some shooting and passing drills done with.”

Practice went by in a second. It could’ve been because I was between anger and pure bliss or because I was on a roll. I wasn’t quite sure.

I rode back with Jon since Jackie was babysitting. We then went to lunch as the four of us. They dropped Ava and I off at home afterwards. I checked for the mail and phone messages before putting Ava down for her nap. I went to Corey’s room after that.

“Corey?” I said into his room. He grumbled and sat up in bed. He couldn’t sleep.

“I’m sorry, Soph. I acted like a major asshole earlier. It was uncalled for.”

“I’m sorry I was just as bad back to you.”

“Were you going to take your pre-game nap?”

“Yeah, but I wanted to make sure we were good because I can’t sleep when I’m fighting with you, Corey.”

“Come here,” he patted the bed and lay down. I went to be next to him. It was our ritual; we’d share his bed for the pre-game nap. There was no use in changing it now.

We napped for two hours before the rest of the ritual was performed.