Skate On {NHL Fanfic}

Chapter 20: The Day

CHAPTER 20: The Day

February 25th 2010

Today was the day. I got up very early and jogged to the gym, where I just needed a little workout before our official last practice and before it all ended. My first Olympic experience and it was already almost over. The practice was at 10am and I arrived at the gym at 9am, all dressed in workout clothes.

I stepped in expecting it to be very empty and to my surprise, it was filled with people. Of course, it was all of the players from the Canadian hockey team. A few of them stared at me and I frowned, they didn’t have a practice today or a game, and yet so many of them were here.

Sidney came towards me, and smiled. “You look pretty surprised to see us?”

“Yeah, I thought you guys had the day off. What are you all doing here?” Now, they were pretty much all looking towards me, forming a line behind Sidney Crosby.

“Well, we got to thinking.” He said, looking back at the guys. “You’re good on the ice, but are you really that good off the ice.”

I frowned, a little smile on my lip. “What, you want to beat me at something else to win back your pride, Mr. Sidney Crosby?”

He grinned, “No. Not me.”

Someone stepped behind Sid, and I groaned. Not him.

“I want to challenge you to a push-up contest.” He smiled at me, confidently. Just the sight of Duncan Keith’s face made me want to puke.

I forced it back down and smiled, staring him in the face. “Okay, what do I win if I beat you?”

“We’ll see if that happens.” He smiled and I shook my head at him. Pig.

“Fine. You’re on.” I smiled.

I made my way to the mat near the end of the gym and I got down on my knees, looking up at John who was actually encouraging this as was everyone. I couldn’t help but find it funny and I knew that’s what Sidney Crosby thought as well, throwing me a smile.

“No girl push-ups.” Keith said, already on the ground next to me.

I looked over at him, “How unfortunate for you.”

He shook his head and got back down on the mat, waiting for someone to say go. I looked over at John, and sighed with a smile. “John just say go.”

“Wait, we need music.” He said, turning away and disappearing into the crowd of all the players.

After a few seconds of waiting, I was surprised to hear ‘The Final Countdown’ by Europe spread through the gym, almost like it’d been waiting to be played. I looked over at John, who was coming back and I laughed at him. “Really?”

He smiled, “Just Go.”

Duncan Keith laughed and when John said Go, we both began at the same time to do push-ups, following the beat of the song. It was a bit slow but when the music kicked up, I started going faster, everyone in the room counting out-loud and Duncan Keith trying to follow my rhythm.

Every now and then, I could feel him glance towards me. And when we met gazes, I could tell he was getting a bit tired when I was only gaining energy with every push-up I did. I was a pro at doing push-ups, I use to train with my brother before he left—