*NOT EDITED*
"Why does the coach to the boys hockey team want to see you?" My bestfriend, Lexi Morgan asks me as I pour my coffee.
I bring my mug up to my lips, "I have no idea," I say before taking a sip. "He emailed me yesterday asking to meet in his office." I walk over to the barstool.
"It's the end of September, what would he want to talk about?" She pauses "Wait isn't his office in the arena?" Lexi asks, while cooking her eggs.
I take another sip, "Yup. I'm supposed to go after my first class, I have a half hour break in between my classes."
Lexi's eggs are done, she turns off the oven and scrapes her eggs onto a plate. She turns around and leans against the counter while eating her eggs, "How are you? About transferring from Columbia?" She asks wryly.
I stay silent. I just transferred to Delcour last week, I still haven't unpacked my room, though Lexi has. It was too late to stay in the dorms so me and Lexi got an apartment together off-campus, before she was staying with her aunt while she was in her freshman year and sophomore, until last week. So as I got here late I missed the tryouts for the girls hockey team which is a bust but there's always next year.
I used to go to Columbia in New York but I transferred here because of the hockey opportunities I'd get, even if it meant waiting until my junior year. Chicago is a huge difference from New York, but then again I was used to New York, I'll get used to Chicago.
I finally answer, "I'm okay. Columbia was fun, but if I'm being honest, I didn't like the hockey team." I shrug. I look at Lexi and grin, "And I missed you."
She rolls her eyes as a smile spreads over her face, "Shut up, we saw each other during the summer."
I take another sip of my coffee, "I know." I mumble. Lexi and I have been bestfriends our entire lives. Our mothers are bestfriends, and have been since college, and then when they got married our dad's became bestfriends. Lexi's parents got a divorce when she was little but they remain friends, they all do.
As if Lexi's reading my mind she asks, "How are your parents?" She takes a bite of eggs.
"Dad's good, got interviewed yesterday, their going to stream it next week 'Life of James Mitchell after hockey'." I say dramatically which causes a chuckle from Lexi. "Mom's good, went to a signing for her new book."
A lot of people might know my dad, maybe even my mom. But my dad is more well know in the sports industry as James Mitchell 'the hockey legend'. He played for the Bruins, so I grew up around hockey. Either travelling with him to his games and watching them with my mother, or staying in New York, watching him play on tv.
Though he had to stay in Boston most of the time he was active in my life, came to every hockey game he could, talent show, science fair, anything he could.
And then my mother, Cecilia Mitchell is a New York Times best selling author, she wrote books most of the time but like dad she was very involved in my life. They both support me no matter what, which I'm so grateful for.
"How's your parents?" I ask her, taking another sip of coffee.
"Mom spends most of her time in the lab━" Gracelynn is a science professor at Princeton. "but she calls a lot. And dad's construction business is blooming." Daniel is the owner of Morgan's Construction in Texas.
"God I miss them. Oh how is Brayden?" I ask, running my finger around the rim of my mug. Brayden is Lexi's boyfriend, they started dating at the beginning of freshman year. She brought him home for thanksgiving but that's the only time I've met him.
I can see Lexi flush, "He's good━were good. He's been busy lately, with work and classes." She finishes her eggs. "Anywho, have fun with your 'meeting'." She says finishing her eggs and putting the plate in the sink.
As she goes to her room I put away my mug and walk to my own room. I look around the room and see boxes, unpacked and packed.
I walk over to my closet and grab a pair of light wash skinny jeans and a white wool sweater, a basic outfit for me and walk to my bathroom to take a shower.
🏒 🏒 🏒
"Fuck it's chilli." I swear as I walk away from the coffee cart and towards the parking lot where my truck is parked.
"I know right, it's only the beginning of October." Diana from my Lit class says from beside me.
"It's not even supposed to be this cold." I say wrapping both hands around my steaming cup of coffee.
"God I hate winter." She mumbles, but I don't agree with her because if I'm being honest I love winter, well I love any season that's not summer but I don't admit that.
Once we get to the parking lot I say bye to Diana and make my way toward my truck. The arena is on-campus but I'm late so I decided to drive the 5 minutes to the arena.
The minute I park I jump out of my truck and practically run inside the arena. Delcour has 2 different arena's, one for the boys hockey team and one for the girls hockey team.
As I get inside the first thing I notice is a picture of my dad in his hockey uniform. Did I forget to mention my dad went to Delcour. But I don't have time, so I move to find the coach's office.
But I immediately get distracted once I see the rink, and I start fangirling. I just stare at it imagining myself, skating on the same rink my dad did when he was drafted. That's half the reason why I transferred.
I'm still fangirling when I hear someone clear their voice. I swing around and am met with a man in his mid forties maybe early forties. I falter, "Um, Coach Davis?" I ask slowly.
"Katherine Mitchell, your the spitting image of your mother, with some of your fathers feature." I freeze, crap a hockey fan, well duh he's a coach. I guess he sees the thoughts sprawled on my faces, "I went to college with you parents." He confirms.
My eyebrows go up, "You went here?"
"Yes." His face doesn't change expressions, but there is a hint of...pride...in his tone?
My eyes go back to the arena, "So did you play here with him?" I ask not taking my eyes of the rink.
"For senior year, I transferred from Duke, so I only played with him for a year but god was he fast. I'm guessing you are too." He says in a tone I know all too well but again I don't mind.
"Well I guess I get my speed from him, that's what others say." I finally take my eyes off the rink, "I'm sorry Coach but you never said why you wanted to meet?"
"Come in my office." He says walking to a door, I follow and once I'm seated he tells me why I'm here. "I heard from Coach Hart that you transferred, then she mentioned you missed tryouts."
I nod slowly.
"I took a look at you hockey application and if I'm being honest I want you on my team, I'm offering you a spot on my team" I open my mouth but he speaks, "I know that's not allowed, so I pulled as many strings as I could and pulled favors and got the okay from the school, but that's only if you want to."
My jaw goes slack. Me playing on the boys hockey team, playing on the same team my dad did, the same rink he played on. Holy crap the odds, "Wouldn't I be the only girl on the team?" I ask.
He chuckles, "Yes you would be, but I'm sure the boys will love to have James Mitchell's daughter playing alongside them." When I'm silent for too long there's unease in his voice, "Is that a no?"
"Oh no, I would absolutely love to be on the team, I'm just in disbelieve."
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly "Of course I'll have to see if your really as good as what your application says, so if your free after your classes tonight, it'd be great if you could come by and 'tryout' ?"
"Tonight?" I think back, trying to figure out if I'm free, "Yeah I could make that work."