Oh Captain, My Captain

Chapter One
It feels good to have that big ring propped on my right ring finger; I've been staring at it with a huge smile on my face for the past two days. To win the Stanley cup was a big honor, and I'm happy to say that the honor was all mine.

The 2012 Stanley cup Champions were the L.A. Kings, and I, Alexandra Conners, Left Wing for the Kings, first and only woman to play for the NHL, was happy to say that I was the person who shot the final goal to make the six to one lead against the Jersey Devils, winning the Championship.
After winning the game everyone went out to celebrate. I woke up the next morning with a huge hangover and my dog, Sarabi, sprawled across my bed. I suffered in silence the next day with four of my teammates, who are also my roommates, as we each stayed in our bedrooms with the shades down and lights off, we slept our troubles away.

I lived in a five bedroom house, and share it with four of my fellow teammates; Center, Trevor Lewis; Right Wing and Captain, Dustin Brown; Left Wing, Kyle Clifford; and Defenseman, Slava Voynov. We got along great, and took care of each other when it came to hangovers and such.

However, on the second day of our celebration, I got a call that changed my life, TRADED, a word that made people worry about their future and possibly their career. My coach, Darryl Sutter, called me into his office and I sat in front of his desk. I sighed as he just sat in his seat and stared at me. There was another knock on the door, and the team's Captain, Dustin Brown, walked in as well.

"What's going on?" he asked and I shook my head and sighed.

"Alex here is being traded," Coach said and Dustin gasped.

"What? No way!"

"Not up to me. Anschutz, is the one who decided this, the greedy bastard!" Coach grumbled and then pounded his fist on his desk.

Philip Anschutz was the owner of the L.A. Kings, and what a greedy bastard he was indeed. The man would do anything to get more money in his pocket, even though he was a millionaire.
Dustin sat down next to me and placed his hand on my knee and sighed. He patted my knee and then rubbed his face.

"Do we know where I'm going?" I asked and Coach looked up towards me.

"I don't know yet. All I know is that it's either, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, or New Jersey Devils."

"Lovely," I grumbled and shook my head.

"If you get on the Pens, you get to play with that 'Golden Boy'," Dustin teased and I glared towards him. The ‘Golden Boy’ he was talking about was Sidney Crosby, someone who I’ve never met, but was anxious to play against, because I hear that he’s very good, "So how are you going to tell the boys?"

"I'll tell them when I find out what team I'm going to be on. I'm still a King as of now!" I said and then stood up and walked out of the office leaving the two guys.

I scratched my forehead and walked out of the building, heading towards my 2012 Chevy Traverse, and headed home, where I was greeted by my Great Dane, Sarabi. I smiled and bent down to pet her and then kissed her head and looked to see that two of my teammates, Trevor and Kyle sitting on the couch watching a movie.

"What's up, Angel!"

"I wish you wouldn't call me that, Trevor, it's annoying."

"Well, that's why I call you it. Come on, we've been through this before," he said and I smirked and shook my head.

I stood up and walked Sarabi to the backyard and let her outside. I sat on the back porch and watched as my dog ran around. All I was thinking about was being traded, I had been a King for two years now, and I had worked my butt off to get where I was now, only to be traded. I enjoyed living in L.A. and just to think that I would be leaving here, that made me sad.

"What are you thinking about?"

I turned my head to see Kyle walking outside and then he sat down next to me. I shook my head and then watched to see Sarabi chasing after a rabbit.

"Well, I know you're thinking about something. We've lived together for two years now; I'd like to think that I know you by now."

"I've been traded."

"WHAT???" Kyle yelled and I looked towards him to see he was shocked, "I never would have thought that they were ever going to trade you. You're like our secret weapon."

"Well I'm not so secret," I laughed and Kyle wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gave me a hug.

"It'll be all right. Do you know where you're going?"

"Not yet, somewhere on the East though."

"Aw man! So I won't even be able to see you!"

"I know."

"Well, do you know what the possible teams are?"

"Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils."

"Oh, of course the Devils want you! One look at you during the Championship and they knew they wanted you."

"I know, but if I'm traded to the Penguins or Flyers, I'll actually be close to home."

"Oh yeah, you use to live in Pennsylvania."

"Yup, the first twenty years of my life were spent there," I said and then watched as Sarabi came up to Kyle and started to rub her head all over him.

"Well, I'm going to miss you, Alex."

"Thanks, I'm going to miss you and everyone else too. You guys are my second family."

"So when you going to tell everyone else?"

"When I find out my team, so please don't say anything to anyone."

"No problem," he said and I nodded my head.

The rest of that day was spent basking in the L.A. sunlight, because back East, I wasn't going to get it like this. When the sun went down, I decided that I was going to go back into the house and start to pack my things. I ended up having to explain to my other roommates that I was being traded and asked them not to tell anyone.

By the end of the night, most of my things were packed and Kyle and Trevor ended up having to go out to get some more boxes, because I had ran out. That night we ordered pizza, and got some beer and stayed in and watched some movies. The whole team might be my second family, but these four boys were my brothers, and I was going to miss them the most.

The next day I woke up to my phone going off. It was my Coach telling me that the decision was made and that I had to come in to find out who my new team was and what arrangements were going to be made. I had asked Coach if he could announce it in front of the team to make it easier on myself, he agreed and the team was called. Everyone was to meet in the locker room, and no one except the Coach, myself, and my roommates knew what was going on, and no one said anything.

The five of us piled into my Traverse and headed over towards the arena where Coach asked for everyone to meet. When we got there, we saw that some of the other players were there. We all sat in the locker room in casual clothes, sitting in front of our lockers. I was acting like nothing was wrong, and just kept remembering the moment that I found out that I was going to be on the team two years ago. Thinking about this made me realize, that I didn't want to leave. Everyone was wondering what was going on and they were all asking one another. The Coach walked in and everyone shut their mouths and their eyes were on the Coach.

"Hello team."

"Coach."

"Well, I bet you're wondering why you're all here," he said and then paused to look around the room. I sighed and then looked at the floor and rubbed my hands together, "Well, one of our players has been traded."

Murmurs were going around the room trying to figure out who was the one who was traded.

"Who's being traded, Coach?" Center, Jarret Stoll asked and then looked around the room.

Coach sighed and then rubbed his forehead, "I- Well, before I say, I just want to thank you all for a terrific season and congratulate you for winning the cup," the team cheered and then died down when the Coach held up his hands, "and just want to tell you that this was not my idea, and I'm not happy with it. But," the Coach paused and then looked over towards me. Dustin Brown placed his hand on my knee and squeezed it, "So with great sadness, we say goodbye to, Alex."

There was silence in the room and I sighed and nodded my head as I absorbed the information, "Where am I going, Coach?"

"You've been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins," he said and I nodded my head.

'... So I'll be back in Pennsylvania again. Great...'