HOCKEY IMAGINES: BOOK 2 // REQUESTS CLOSED

#19: MIKKO RANTENAN - #96 COLORADO AVALANCHE

From the moment I could string words together I was singing. There is just something about a melody, holding a note, having the freedom to express yourself through a song that makes me feel whole. You would have always found me singing in the shower, in an empty room, in my car, or sitting at the dinner table. I love singing, it has always been a part of me. I never shared that I could sing with anyone but my family, they always pushed me to go further with it because to them my voice needed to be heard by the world but I never did. I kept that part of my life to myself, until one day I was caught by my music teacher singing in an empty music room and from that moment on she had me singing lead in every musical theatre play we had.

I grew out of my shell, my voice grew stronger and before I knew it, I had a permanent job as the professional national anthem singer of the Colorado Avalanche. It was thanks to my music teacher that I got this job, without her I would have been stuck at McDonalds working my ass off to pay for university. Being the national anthem singer I was doing something I loved, I was singing and that is all I wanted to do.

That was two years ago and still to this day I turn up to the Pepsi Arena ready to sing my heart out, even if it is for a few minutes on national television.

Like every time the Avalanche have a home game, I pull up into my parking spot in the arena carpark. I grab my Avalanche jersey and climb out of my car, I quickly lock it before making my way into the arena. Usually I am here early but this time around I am late, hopefully I can rush into the arena and make it to my spot before anyone can notice I am missing. I can't lose this job, most people will see it as pointless and that I could do something much better with my life, but this means so much to me. Singing is my passion and it is what I plan to do for the rest of my life.

I pull open the door and show my credentials to the security, they scan me in and give their head a nod before letting me go. I give them a quick thank you and rush off to my dressing room, as I round the corner I slam into something and I crash to the ground hard with something landing on top of me.

"Holy crap, I am so sorry." I hear a soft accented males voice apologises from above me. It takes a moment for me to register that I collided with someone and that someone is a male who is lying on top of me. I lower my gaze from the ceiling and look to the person lying against me, I blush deeply and die of embarrassment inside. He is cute, damn he is really cute, and very familiar looking. The blonde haired, blue eyed male sends a sheepish smile my way.

"Oh gosh I ran into you, I am so, so sorry." I usher out, my cheeks burning a deep shade of red. The male above me waves my apology off, his eyes meeting mine.

"No, it is my fault I wasn't paying attention." He says trying to shift his weight off me, but he doesn't move off me completely. I bite my lip when I feel him place his hand around the back of my head to keep it from hitting the concrete floor, his hand cradles my head.

"You look familiar." He says staring into my eyes. I tilt my head at him, wondering where he could have seen me from and then I remember, I am on live national television singing every time the Colorado Avalanche have a home game. When I remember that, I scramble out of his hold and push myself up from the ground. The male in my presence stands up, his brow creasing as he wonders why I did that.

"I am so sorry, but I have to go I am so late!" I usher out quickly. The male with the blonde hair and blue eye nods his head, he continues to look at me as if he is still trying to figure out who I am. I stare at him a little longer before rushing off down the corner, I come to a stop and turn around to see him still staring at me. I give him a little wave, which he returns, before rushing off down to my dressing room.

When I pull open the door, I instantly relax when I see that nobody is waiting for me. I collapse onto the sofa and spread out across it, I take a few seconds to regain myself again. The guy I rushed into was familiar too, but I don't know where I have seen him from. He is really cute though, very adorable. Being in his arms felt weird but it was a nice weird, it felt nice to be in his arms. Hopefully I can see him again and potentially get to know him.