Ignition

Part 34

•Present time the five are 18•

''What a crazy night it has been so far! After all these years the night we've been waiting for! Only 18 years in the making, the night the five get drafted!'' A random announcer exclaimed and I looked over at him. We're getting drafted tonight. Mitch, Dylan, Connor, Jack, and I. It's so hard to believe how far we've come to get here. Through that tournament when we were 13, the ohl, the world juniors, now here, we're about to be drafted into the NHL.'' A reporter said and  I looked around. Tonight's the night, I just want to burst out in tears. I've come this far. I've made it. I look behind me and see Mitch sitting there peacefully, Connor's in an interview, Jack and Dylan are goofing around and are getting now getting yelled at by Ellen.

''Kelsea Hughes!'' A voice exclaimed and shoved a microphone in my face.

''Uh hello.'' I said surprised but happily.

''Tell us how are you feeling with tonight's anticipation?'' The female reporter asked her anxiously.

''Oh I'm feeling pretty good. I'm actually quite emotional, seeing how far I've come. It all started that day with the rink brawl, to the scouting tournament, to the ohl, to world juniors. It's hard to believe how far the boys and I have come.'' Kelsea smiled.

''You really are a legend, you're going to go places Kelsea. Have a great evening.''  The woman smiled and left me alone. God she was harsh... until the end.

I sat anxiously waiting as everything was starting. I looked up to my boyfriend of five years with the biggest smile on my face.

Mitch slowly made his way over to me, he looked at me with his beautiful eyes and it was like all of our best hockey memories just swept my mind.

Come on Kelsea PUSH. Harder! You can skate faster! Go! Skate! You have to beat Connor! Skate! Push! As I skate to the red line, the last line I skate harder.  Come on Sea! I stop at the goal line hardly out of breath. That was our last round out of 30 rounds of suicides from ringette line, blue line, red line, blue line, ringette line, goal line, and back. Do that 30 times with one being what I just said. Wow new record ten minutes and I beat everyone I came first.

''Don't hurt him Sea!'' I hear Jack yell. Sea's my nickname he and the guys use for me. Kelsea-Sea I've got no idea how they came up with it but they did.

Yes, yes you are!'' I yelled while chasing them out of our hotel room. We've been staying here since Thursday and it's now Saturday. We're leaving Monday. Jack and Dylan run out of the room and went to the left. Mitch went right. Game plan. Jack and Strome probably went to the pool area because it is farthest away from here. Marner being the only smart one probably went to the lobby so he could run to the restaurant, front doors, pool, or washrooms. I'll chase Marner into the pool area from the stairs he probably went in the elevator. I basically jump into the stairs and sprint down.

''So it's down to the last three minutes of play in the third. So Harry it's so crazy how far McDavid, the Hughes's, Strome, and Marner have come along this tournament. They all finished top five in the combine and are now in the finals of the hockey part! Kelsea seems to be a natural leader. They have definitely set their legacy's in stone now.'' The announcer who I think is Dave says.
''Hughes line! Get ready you guys are on once the other guys come off.'' Coach exclaims. Connors line comes off at a whistle and my line goes on. Connor grabs my helmet cage and shakes it.
''You've got this Sea, you know what to do.'' He says. I skate onto the ice beside Mitch I look at him and smile. We do a small fist bump and I get into position for the faceoff. I look up and see Greg's eyes breaking into mine with hatred. TWEET! The whistle blows and I win the face off. Puck is with Mitch. Skate! Blue line their end! Okay no offsides.
''Marner!'' I yell for a pass. He passes me the puck and I see an opening in the net.
''AH!'' I yell going face first into the boards. Tweet! The whistle blows and I get up to see Greg. He crossed checked me.
''Hey! Asshat! If you want a fight let's go! Freaking try me!'' I yell at him and he goes off to the box.
''Hughes, 13. Penalty shot.'' The ref announces. What!? Oh fuck. I can't do this. ''Coach. I can't do this.'' I say to him.
''Kelsea get your ass out there. You're the captian you can do this. Go win this.'' He says with a pat on the back.
I skate up to the red line where the puck is. I look over to my left and see my parents, Luke, and Quinn sitting board side. I look to my right and see my family, my four looking at me. Tweet! And I'm off I take off at full speed I turn left. Left, right, stick handle. Wrist shot top corner. I shoot with all my might and fall into the boards. Ah fuck that hurt. No noise I didn't make it. I let everyone do-
''GOAL! KELSEA HUGHES JUST WON HER TEAM THE FINALS! LETS GO ONTARIO!'' The announcer screams.

''I'm going to miss you baby.'' I say crying into his arms. I'm leaving for Red Deer today and Mitch is leaving for London. We are both playing in Canada but I'm playing 32 hours away from him. I already said goodbye to everyone else.

We walk back to my place and I see Maeve's car parked in our drive way. Mitch and I walk in and everyone is silent.
''Kelsea go to your room and talk to Maeve.'' Jack tells me. I slowly walk upstairs and open my bedroom door. Maeve.... is... is... she's pregnant.
''Maeve... you-you're p-pregnant.'' I say quietly and in shock.
''Tucker, he r-raped me. Two Months ago. That's why I have been distant. Jack's known and he's going to help me through it. Tucker is gone now though. He took his life while in jail.'' Maeve says and I start balling.
''I'm so so sorry Maeve. I should've been there with you. I shouldn't have gone to play in Red Deer. I should've protected you from him, obviously Jack doesn't have enough balls to.'' I say crying.
''Kelsea! You dope head. None of this is your fault. And your brother beat the shit out of him. Jack is the one who got me out but it was too late. I've gone to therapy I'm okay.'' Maeve says hugging me. I start to calm down.
''Are you going to keep it? Adoption, abortion, or are you gonna keep the baby?'' I ask wiping tears away.
''Im going to give her to my aunt Layla to take a care of until she is six. By the time she is six I'll be done college and have a job. Jack wants to keep it though. That dork it isn't even his child but he's already taken the father figure. I want this baby to have the best life possible.''
''That's great Maeve. Jack loves you with all his heart so he's going to treat that baby as his own. You know that though.''
''Yeah. Also Sea I was wondering... If know you'll probably say no but Jack and I would love for you to be the god mother.''
''Of course!'' I scream, more tears.

''I still remember the day of the fight. That will go with me to my grave.'' Mitch says laughing at our ten year old stupidness.

''Come on let's go play some road hockey before Mitch and Sea leave.'' Jack says standing up.
''I call playing goalie!'' Dylan shouts making us all laugh. I grab my road hockey stick out of the garage and head out to the road. I grab an orange road hockey ball too.
''Jack, you got your equipment on yet?'' I yell out to my brother.
''Yep come on!" He calls back. Drop the ball and take a wrist shot, hitting Jack in the cage if his helmet.
''Aye!'' Jack calls out.
''Hey guys! Can we play?'' Our neighbors Landon and Jax come out with their hockey sticks. I look over to the guys and they smile and nod.
''Of course you can. Let's do teams. Landon Jax, either of you want to go goalie?''
''I'll go!'' Jax exclaims and I smile. They are both around nine or ten. Connor passes Jax the other set of goalie equipment and he puts it on.
''Let's figure out these teams. Landon, Dylan, and Mitch vs Connor and I. We'll take Jax as out goalie. Sound good?'' I say and Landon jumps up and down.
''Ya! Let's play!'' Landon shouts, I smile and drop the ball.

I start silently crying as I think back to all the memories I made, fuck I've made it.

Holy shit...

....I made it