Stolen Jerseys / ✓

0.07: chapter six

Elle turned and caught my eye. But, instead of shooting me a glare like I expected, her lips twitched up into a grin. She waved and walked the other way, leaving the guy staring at her, jaw slack in surprise. I snorted and the guy turned to me, his brown eyes still wide, even though Elle was long gone.

"She's a nut," he muttered to me, "absolutely crazy."

Snorting, I nodded in agreement and slid into my skates. Lacing them up, I couldn't help but laugh at his shocked expression, "You don't know the half of it, man."

Before the guy and I could talk more about just how crazy Elle could be, Coach Monroe walked in. I stood up quickly and snatched my practice jersey out of my bag, slipping it over my t-shirt. Coach Monroe clapped and motioned for everyone to get on the ice. Grabbing my helmet with one hand, I - clumsily - maneuvered my way through the benches and onto the ice.

I leaned against the wall and adjusted my mouth-piece. I had to loosen up the straps of my helmet - which wasn't exactly the best idea. But, otherwise, it would've been pressing against my nose and that would've been unbearable.

"All right, today's practice is a little different," Coach called out and I bit down on my lip. Different in hockey wasn't always a good thing, "I know the designated positions most of you are used to playing, and I want to switch that up. If you're going to try and make it into the pro's, you need to be able to cover for someone else, and do more than just one position."

I cursed under my breath. All my life, I had played offensive man. I was a center. I was good at skating quickly and handling the puck, hence why I had always been an offensive player. I rarely ever played any other position besides center. I knew an offensive player never played a defensive position, but I didn't have much practice with playing a winger, either.

Judging by the quiet of groans of everyone, I could tell no one else liked the idea, either.

"I want to see how well you can play another position. I know this is different than what we've been doing, but adjustment is good! I want to see if you all can work as a team and help each other out, even when you aren't at your prime positions."

Coach Monroe called out everyone who would be playing a defensive position, and I let out a sigh when I didn't get called. I knew he wouldn't put me on defense - it wouldn't make sense - but I was still relieved. The two goalies had been kept as goalies, while Coach Monroe switched up the typical defense players spots. Everyone who played defense, though, still played defense.

Next, he went through and finished assigning the offensive positions.. I crossed my fingers as best I could and prayed I'd be called for center. I wasn't the biggest fan of wingers - I had played center my entire life, and, the few times I had played winger, I didn't really like it.

My hopes were crushed, though, when he finished the calling out the positions.

There was one other person and myself. Two people for the last two positions on each team. The last position, which just so happened to be my least fucking favorite to play.

"Scott Wilson and Jake Montgomery," Coach called out, and I glared at him for giving me the one position I had the least experience in, "Scott - right winger for blue team. Jake - right winger for white!"

Jake grinned and I shot him back a cocky smirk, though I wasn't very confident at all. I shook my head and skated to the left, sliding into the position of the right winter.

An hour later and I understood why I absolutely hated playing a winger. You always had to stay a little bit behind the center, and stay to your side. I was used to being the center; to being the one in the middle, skating forward for the puck. Instead, as a winger, I had to stay to the side and wait until the puck came to me.