Girl Posing As A Boy

Chapter 4: Will

"Okay.", Nick returns.

I nod and walk through the double doors on the right. Inside the men's locker room. It's a classical hockey locker room; with locker/bench combos lining the wall and a set of tables in the middle. Behind the lockers on the right is a set of changing stalls. The floor is carpeted and has the Kensingburg Lions logo on it. The logo is a ten-point star with an eight-point star in the middle. In the center of those stars is a male lion's head. The lion looks like he's glaring, but it also has a look of determination in his eyes.

That's what Kensingburg stands for: determination and bravery.

Across the locker room from this entrance is another entrance/exit. There is a hallway there that leads to the indoor ice rink.

"Whoa!", Nick gasps, looking around. "This is so cool!".

Right now, all the lockers are empty, but in a few days, it'll smell like twenty, stinky, hockey-playing men. Later today, when we have our first practice, Coach North will let us pick our own lockers. Coach Brianna North is the junior men's hockey team coach. I already know which locker I want. The first one on the left. I had that locker last year when I was part of the team, and I want it again this year.

"It is pretty cool, isn't it?", I reply. "This is the locker room that we'll use.".

"Can we go to the ice rink?", Nick asks.

"Alright.", I nod.

I lead him through the other entrance/exit of the locker room. This hallway turns to the left halfway and merges with the one coming out of the women's locker room. Then, from there, it leads directly onto the ice rink. A few seconds later, me and Nick reach the dark ice rink. There is no one there right now, because there is no practice and it's only the first day of school. Normally, the junior women's hockey team would be practicing right now since it's Monday morning. There is a schedule for when the four hockey teams of Kensingburg practice.

Nick keeps walking past me and onto the ice. I walk a little faster to catch up with him.

"You know, this is my first time stepping on this hockey rink with the feeling of knowing that I'll be back.", Nick explains. "Sure, I was here in December for the tryouts, but I didn't know if I'd be back here ever again. Right now... it's just so different. And, of course, the feeling is awesome.".

"That's exactly how I felt when I stepped onto this rink a year ago. We held the tryouts, and I didn't know if I'd made it in or not. My friends and family kept telling me that I must have definitely made the team because I'm a good player -- I'm not trying to brag here -- but it's a whole another feeling when you step onto the rink. The feeling, the sensation, of feeling proud.".

I looked at Nick who was in front of me. The windows high up on the wall were opened and the sun was shining in brightly. Nick was standing right in the path of the sun, so he looked like he was glowing.

Wait.

No, no, no... NO!

What am I thinking about?

Why am I thinking this way of Nick?

He's just my new friend... right?

"I bet it's an even stronger feeling when you play a game for the first time, huh?", Nick commented.

I blinked my eyes, trying to focus on the conversation and not how amazing Nick looked. "Yeah. I remember, last year, when I stepped onto the ice for the first time wearing Kensingburg's colours, the lion, the jersey... there was that feeling of proudness... the feeling that you're going to do something... something influential. Now, that game wasn't even an important one, but, still, it felt amazing.".

"So... ten times what I'm feeling right now?", Nick turns around and grins.

"Try a hundred times what you're feeling now.", I match his grin.

Nick smiles and then starts walking back to the entrance of the rink, "I think we should go now. Class starts soon. I think.".

He pulls out his phone from his pocket -- probably to check the time. Just as he does that, he loses his balance and starts to fall backwards. If he hits his head on the ice, he would definitely end up with a concussion. I take a large step, being careful of not losing my balance as well, and catch Nick. My left arm went under his back and my right arm around his shoulders. Nick's hands land on my shoulders, gripping them in a tight grip.

Both of us are breathing heavily and staring into each other's eyes. I realize now that Nick's green eyes actually have flecks of gold in them. They are beautiful, almost mesmerizing.

Suddenly, I see Nick swallow nervously and that brings me out of my trance-like state. I accidentally let Nick go and he falls onto the ice with a heavy thud. I let out a string of curses and crouch beside him.

"Shoot, Nick, are you okay?", I ask, worried.

I offer Nick a hand to help him up, but he brushes my hand away. Ouch, that hurt a little. Nick gets up on his own and picks up his backpack from where it fell. He swings it onto his left shoulder and walks past me.

"I'm fine.", he says. "Don't worry about me.".

Okay, that really hurts for some reason. Nick giving me the cold shoulder. I run to catch up to him and we walk in silence through the hallway, locker room, and out to the lobby of the Hockey Department building. Then, again in silence, I lead him up to the second floor and to the classroom he told me his first class was in. The time is surprisingly 8:50. We spent nearly half an hour in the locker room and on the rink.

As he's about to walk into the classroom, I pause, realizing something. "Wait. You never answered my question from earlier.".

"What question?", Nick quietly asks, also pausing.

We're standing just outside his classroom's door. And, Nick is avoiding my eyes. I don't blame him. I think I'm also avoiding his eyes.

"The one where I asked you if you were part of the hockey team.", I respond. "Are you part of the junior men's hockey team?".

Nick looks at me for a second, giving me the "Are you seriously asking me this?" look. Then, he starts laughing, finally meeting my eyes. "Yes, Willy boy. Yes, I'm part of the hockey team.".

I also meet his eyes and we make eye contact. Suddenly, a spark passes between us and we drop that eye contact. 

End of Chapter 4

So... this is chapter 4. I'd like to say that Will and Laura's relationship (Will and Nick's, from Will's point of view) is getting stronger. Keep in mind that they still met the day before. 

This chapter was more about Will. He's a sweetheart, in my opinion. He's also my favourite ever character that I've written (sorry, Laura, you're a very close second). 

I woke up today thinking that I haven't updated in a while. So, I updated. Though... five years from now, it won't matter.

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Date: 05/07/2021 (DD/MM/YYYY)

P.S.: The date is the day I published this chapter, not the day that this chapter takes place on.