The Evervalley Tigers

1.

I raise my stick. I get a little closer to the net before taking off. An opposing player tries to block me, but I nimbly sidestep him. Nothing can stop me from hitting the puck with my stick. It takes a second before the puck hits the back of the net, and I inhale the smell of victory and let out a huge cheer as I join my teammates. The end-of-period alarm sounds, almost as loud as the victory screams.

I open my eyes and realize it wasn't the arena alarm, but my alarm clock. I breathe a sigh of discouragement and, above all, disappointment.

My name is Crystalle Fuller and I live in Evervalley with my older brother, Sam, and my father. My mother abandoned us when I was barely three. She wanted to pursue her career, to go further. She's an actress. The only time I ever see her is on TV, in some movie or on a show interviewing artists. I can't blame her for abandoning us. She wasn't made to be a mother. My father still hasn't recovered from her departure. He still keeps all the photos of her.

When my mother left us, my brother discovered his passion: hockey. At first, he went to the arena to let off steam with his friends, but it got more and more serious, until he was accepted onto our local team, the Evervalley Tigers, after several years of hard work. He was so happy to have realized his dream. Sam is my role model. For a year now, I've been dreaming of joining the Tigers, but it's not that easy, much to my sorrow. I suck at hockey. I want to learn, but I don't have anyone to teach me. My father isn't fit enough to be on the ice three or four times a week, and my brother is far too busy. He's student president at school, he sometimes tutors the younger kids, he has field hockey often and he's in an advanced program, so he has more homework. His schedule is far too busy to teach his little sister.

In short, I have to endure being one of the many Tigers spectators. I also attend their practices. I go to every game. Of course, being the sister of one of the best players in the game, my place is reserved. I also sometimes have a seat on the bus when they go to other places. I hope one day to be able to play with them. To be good enough for everyone to recognize me when they hear my name. That'll probably never happen. My brother works hard to find me a teacher, but his search is not very fruitful. I find myself practicing again and again with the 12-year-old girl next door. Even her is better than me. I've got to learn, and fast.

I glance at my alarm clock and jump to my feet when I see the time. I've been deep in thought for ten minutes!

I set myself an alarm clock, even though it's Saturday. The Tigers have to play in Desmontagnes. It's their first game of the season. I'll be cheering them on with my dad. Desmontagnes is a two-hour drive away, which is why we're leaving early. Sam is already there, having been given a hotel room. Another privilege of being a field hockey player.

I hesitated before agreeing to go to Desmontagnes. It's the town where my enemy moved. Lukas Adams was my brother's best friend before he moved away. Lukas hated me, and I also hated him. He'd ruined my 11th birthday by burning the cake and then blaming me. He's also a hockey player, and I imagine he will be on Desmontagnes' team. I hope he won't bother me.

Two hours' drive later, we're in the almost empty arena. People haven't arrived yet; the game is in three hours, around noon. My father prefers us to arrive early, especially because my brother wanted to introduce me to the new members of his team.

All the hockey players are talking or practicing their stick movements when my brother takes me into the locker room. All eyes are on me as I wave 'hi'. Sam leads me to the back of the room, looking excited. My curiosity grows as we walk between all the players.

I recognize an all-too-familiar face as we stroll through the locker room. Will Prescott. He used to be my best friend, but he dumped me as soon as he met hockey players with whom he shared more in common. I was very angry and went to his house to ask him to explain what was going on. He was very vague before shutting the door in my face. I haven't spoken to him since. I must admit I had a crush on him, but it faded as soon as I saw his door close in my face. 

Just as I thought Sam would stop in front of Will, he keeps walking. I follow. He stops at the back of the locker room. A blond-haired boy has his back to us, but I don't pay too much attention. I scan the space with my eyes and realize that it's just my brother, the blond-haired guy and me. He turns around and I see, to my horror, that it's Lukas Adams. He too seems surprised to see me.

I take a step back as I try to think why he's here. Why is he in the Tigers' dressing room? Just because it's his town doesn't mean he can go around bothering other people! He still thinks he's king of the world, that's nothing new. I'm sure Sam invited him. My reasoning becomes more and more plausible until Sam says to me:

"Crystalle, do you remember Lukas? He's moved again because his father's contract came to an end and he's now with the Tigers! You'll be seeing a lot of him around the house, because we're friends again!"

I must be in a dream. I MUST be in a dream. Lukas can't come back! I'd rather Will move in with us than have to put up with Lukas Adams at school and when he visits. It's too much for me! I bet he's already got a plan to piss me off. 

I leave the dressing room in a rage. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn around sharply. The hand belongs to Will. I continue on my way, but not without pushing his hand away. I don't want to have to deal with Will on top of my resurgent enemy.

I sit down at a table in the Mc Donald's by the arena. It's still deserted, with two hours to go before the start of the match. I take out my cell phone to write to Jeanne.

Crystalle101

SOS 🚨!!! Lukas Adams is with the Tigers! And Will Prescott too!

I get no response from my best friend. She must be busy with her art classes. I don't understand what's the point of waving a brush over a canvas, but she doesn't understand what's the point of "chasing a piece of plastic to put it in a pile of string". To each his own!

I'm just about to go and buy something to eat when Will sits down opposite me.

"Hey, baby! What's up?"

"Don't call me that."

"Why'd you run off earlier? Are you still pouting at me for what happened, like, 8 years ago?"

"5", I answer him.

"Come on, Crystalle!" he says, bringing his face closer to mine. "That was a long time ago. We can be friends again!" 

"Uh, no," I said, rising from my chair. "That wasn't very nice, what you did to me. And, now that you've made the team, you're back talking to your old best friend who was there for you 5 years ago? I'm not anymore, and I never will be. Remember that."

I also wanted to tell him that I'm not swooning over him like I used to, but I still want to keep a few secrets to myself. Will Prescott doesn't need to know that I loved him. Loved, past tense.

I set off in an unknown direction and circle the arena at least twice, looking for a space to hide from Will, who wants to be back in my life, my brother, who embarrassed me in front of his whole team, and especially Lukas, who returns for no reason to make a mess. I finally choose the bathroom, the most pathetic place to go and cry. Well, I'm not really going to cry, but if I were in a movie, that's what I'd do.

 I spend the little time left before the match in the bathroom. I only come out when I hear the announcer's voice. I'm forced to sit next to my father, as the arena is packed. I watch the players as the announcer introduces them one by one.

My brother is nervous, as he always is. But what always happens is that as soon as he steps on the ice, his nervousness disappears. He wears the number 12 proudly.

Lukas is very confident. Mister best player isn't at all stressed about facing his former team. As far as I can see, he's as cocky as ever. Is it me or did he wink at me? Damn, he saw me looking at him through the glass. He's number 31. Why did his number have to coincide with my birthday, March 31?

Will scans the stands with his eyes, looking for someone. Realizing it must be me he's looking for, I lean forward, pretending to pick something up off the ground. As I stand up, the players get into position to start. Sam calls the roll.

Sam and the opposing player are determined. The first game of the season may not be worth anything, but it shows the other teams how they can defend themselves. It's good for their image. You can see the rage in the opposing player's face, and when the referee drops the puck, the game begins.

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