Growing Up
Chapter 2
Pulling into Bromma Stockholm Airport, Niklas paid the taxi driver and entered the airport. He pulled his suitcase along behind him, passport in hand. He checked in and waited for his flight to be called. He looked over the NHL pamphlet he'd received in the mail only a couple weeks ago.
Just give it your all...that's all you can do....
His thoughts were interrupted by a middle aged woman and her son. She looked frantic and scared.
"Vet du var terminal nio är ? Vi är på väg att missa vår flygning och min mamma är riktigt sjuk . Vänligen...." (Do you know where terminal nine is? We're about to miss our flight and my mom is really sick. Please....)
Niklas gently smiled and pointed her to the correct terminal. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gratefully hugged him.
"Tack, Gud jag är så orolig för henne..." (Thank you, god I'm so worried about her...)
She ran off with her son, leaving Niklas to wait by himself.
I hope they get there safely....
Finally he heard his flight being called, so he rushed on board and sat back, determined to enjoy the flight as much as he could. He closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep....
"Niklas Kronwall, please show us why you should be drafted for the team."
With his skates laced up, stick in hand, he skated for the puck not stopping to look behind him. He reached for it....and missed!
No, no come on! Focus!
He raced back to it, closing in on it....he was almost there...
He tumbled onto the ice, feeling dazed. He looked up at the judges panel and noticed them laughing at him. His face burned with embarrassment and tears stung his eyes. He felt hurt, he knew he could do it, but they wouldn't give him another chance. Not after that. He picked himself up and left, not daring to look back...
He felt a small pressure on his shoulder and he awoke suddenly. He was still on the plane with the flight attendant next to him.
"Sir, är du okej?" (Sir, are you ok?)
He nodded up at her forcing a smile.
"Ja frun. Är vi på grund av att landa snart?" (Yes ma'am, are we due to land soon?)
She nodded.
"Cirka fem minuter till och vi kommer att vara i Detroit, Michigan." (About five more minutes and we'll be in Detroit, Michigan.)
He laid back and forced himself to remain awake for the rest of the flight. He looked out the window as the descended to land. He was a bit nervous about being in a strange place, but he shook it off. Filing out of the plane, he looked around.
This isn't too much different from Stockholm....
He shrugged and made his way to the City Sports Center. He went up to customer service and got his attention.
"Sir ? Var är NHL uttagningen hålls här?" (Sir? Where are the NHL tryouts held here?)
The man turned around and wrinkled his eyebrows looking very confused.
"We speak English here...."
Niklas blushed. He had forgotten to remind himself of that.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I just got here from Sweden."
He showed him the pamphlet and was escorted to the arena. Not many people were there, so that made him feel a little more comfortable.
"Thank you for the assistance."
He went up to the table where the coach of the Red Wings team was and tried to be as confident as he could.
"Hello, sir. I'm here for..."
Coach Mike stopped him.
"I know why you're here. Go get ready and get on the ice."
He followed his orders and was soon playing with a small team of wannabe NHL players. His shots were mostly on key, and his defensive skills were top dog. At the end, Coach Mike called him over.
"Kid, you've done well. We'll see if you make it in the drafts next summer."
They shook hands and he was on his way to his hotel when he bumped into a young girl, who looked his age. She looked up at him with big blue eyes. Her brown hair flowed down her back and she was bouncing on her feet.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I should have been watching where I was going. Are you alright?"
She giggled and nodded.
"I'm Elizabeth. Who are you? You don't sound American..."
She tilted her head and grinned widely. He bit his lip and smiled back at her.
"I'm Niklas Kronwall. I just got here from Sweden..."
She squealed with excitement.
"I've always wanted to go there! It sounds amazing..."
He nodded.
"It is. Um, I'm new here...would you want to show me around sometime?"
Elizabeth gasped. He wanted her to show him around? No one ever wanted to be friends with her because they say her as a freak show. She had Autism, and no one wanted to be friends with someone who they saw as diseased.
"A-are you sure? I-I have Autism...you'll get made fun of a lot..."
He rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"I don't care what they think of me. It's so stupid how people are about Autism. It's not bad and I'm not embarrassed to be your friend."
He offered her a sincere smile and a hug. She accepted it gratefully.
"Thank you. This means so much to me."
He took her hand and led her out the door.
"Hey, why don't we grab some lunch, on me?"
She blushed and nodded. She knew she shouldn't decide so soon, but she really liked him. He was so sweet and he seemed to like her...maybe they had a chance.
"Sure, that sounds amazing."
Just give it your all...that's all you can do....
His thoughts were interrupted by a middle aged woman and her son. She looked frantic and scared.
"Vet du var terminal nio är ? Vi är på väg att missa vår flygning och min mamma är riktigt sjuk . Vänligen...." (Do you know where terminal nine is? We're about to miss our flight and my mom is really sick. Please....)
Niklas gently smiled and pointed her to the correct terminal. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gratefully hugged him.
"Tack, Gud jag är så orolig för henne..." (Thank you, god I'm so worried about her...)
She ran off with her son, leaving Niklas to wait by himself.
I hope they get there safely....
Finally he heard his flight being called, so he rushed on board and sat back, determined to enjoy the flight as much as he could. He closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep....
"Niklas Kronwall, please show us why you should be drafted for the team."
With his skates laced up, stick in hand, he skated for the puck not stopping to look behind him. He reached for it....and missed!
No, no come on! Focus!
He raced back to it, closing in on it....he was almost there...
He tumbled onto the ice, feeling dazed. He looked up at the judges panel and noticed them laughing at him. His face burned with embarrassment and tears stung his eyes. He felt hurt, he knew he could do it, but they wouldn't give him another chance. Not after that. He picked himself up and left, not daring to look back...
He felt a small pressure on his shoulder and he awoke suddenly. He was still on the plane with the flight attendant next to him.
"Sir, är du okej?" (Sir, are you ok?)
He nodded up at her forcing a smile.
"Ja frun. Är vi på grund av att landa snart?" (Yes ma'am, are we due to land soon?)
She nodded.
"Cirka fem minuter till och vi kommer att vara i Detroit, Michigan." (About five more minutes and we'll be in Detroit, Michigan.)
He laid back and forced himself to remain awake for the rest of the flight. He looked out the window as the descended to land. He was a bit nervous about being in a strange place, but he shook it off. Filing out of the plane, he looked around.
This isn't too much different from Stockholm....
He shrugged and made his way to the City Sports Center. He went up to customer service and got his attention.
"Sir ? Var är NHL uttagningen hålls här?" (Sir? Where are the NHL tryouts held here?)
The man turned around and wrinkled his eyebrows looking very confused.
"We speak English here...."
Niklas blushed. He had forgotten to remind himself of that.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I just got here from Sweden."
He showed him the pamphlet and was escorted to the arena. Not many people were there, so that made him feel a little more comfortable.
"Thank you for the assistance."
He went up to the table where the coach of the Red Wings team was and tried to be as confident as he could.
"Hello, sir. I'm here for..."
Coach Mike stopped him.
"I know why you're here. Go get ready and get on the ice."
He followed his orders and was soon playing with a small team of wannabe NHL players. His shots were mostly on key, and his defensive skills were top dog. At the end, Coach Mike called him over.
"Kid, you've done well. We'll see if you make it in the drafts next summer."
They shook hands and he was on his way to his hotel when he bumped into a young girl, who looked his age. She looked up at him with big blue eyes. Her brown hair flowed down her back and she was bouncing on her feet.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I should have been watching where I was going. Are you alright?"
She giggled and nodded.
"I'm Elizabeth. Who are you? You don't sound American..."
She tilted her head and grinned widely. He bit his lip and smiled back at her.
"I'm Niklas Kronwall. I just got here from Sweden..."
She squealed with excitement.
"I've always wanted to go there! It sounds amazing..."
He nodded.
"It is. Um, I'm new here...would you want to show me around sometime?"
Elizabeth gasped. He wanted her to show him around? No one ever wanted to be friends with her because they say her as a freak show. She had Autism, and no one wanted to be friends with someone who they saw as diseased.
"A-are you sure? I-I have Autism...you'll get made fun of a lot..."
He rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"I don't care what they think of me. It's so stupid how people are about Autism. It's not bad and I'm not embarrassed to be your friend."
He offered her a sincere smile and a hug. She accepted it gratefully.
"Thank you. This means so much to me."
He took her hand and led her out the door.
"Hey, why don't we grab some lunch, on me?"
She blushed and nodded. She knew she shouldn't decide so soon, but she really liked him. He was so sweet and he seemed to like her...maybe they had a chance.
"Sure, that sounds amazing."