carved in ice | cayden

1

〖 chapter one 〗

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Connor Finnerty had grown up loving hockey. His father had taught it to him as soon as he could walk, out on the driveway of there large detached house on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado. Ever since then hockey had been his life.

"We have Connor Finnerty scoring the final and winning goal for the Rays, what a great way to start the season" the commentator blurted through the speakers in the typical informative tone, the home crowd cheered as Connor glided around the rink, his stick high in the air, cheering as his teammates began to pile onto him in celebration. No matter how weary he felt, the kick of winning was always much greater.

The 'Rays' short for stingrays and was the high school team, they were the purple and whites, the champs of the junior Colorado games three years in a row. Stanton was a brilliant school to play for too as it opened up so many doors to opportunity come graduation which is what Connor will be doing by the end of the year. Moving on to bigger things.

This year every training session, goal and win counted, he could not afford to waste any time. 

The dirty blonde collapsed in exhaustion the second he reached the changing rooms, tugging at the thick padding on his chest.

"Nice one Finnerty" the coach praised as he joined the team in the changing rooms. Coach Dayton was a smaller, older man, with wrinkles that he visibly wore upon his forehead. He too held pure passion for hockey, everyone in that room did.

"Thanks coach" Connor replied, smiling slightly as he dragged a cloth over the sweat dripping down his face.

"Finnerty, your going to have to show us how you did that in training tomorrow" Another voice added from next to him. The voice belonging to his brown, curly haired teammate, Hayden Summerall, who stood but a little taller then he and played foreword along side him.

"Course" The blonde nodded as he finished packing all his gear together, stuffing it in his 'Stanton Stingrays' light purple gym bag.

Connor made his way into the parking lot where he expected his father to be waiting after the game.

"That was a decent game Connor, not your best, but you can still up it before the next game" His father immediately attacked him as he clambered into his car. He nodded as a response.

Although he loved hockey, he certainly didn't as much as his dad, whom he'd figured was living vicariously through him.

"Are you going in the gym tonight?" His dad asked, reversing the car from the lot, eyes stern and focused on the road ahead. "No I have to study for this exam tomorrow, I'll just train harder in the morning" Connor explained, pulling his phone from his pocket to avoid more degrading conversations with his dad.

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The morning came early for Connor, at 4 am he was already lapping the rink. Skates gliding across the ice graciously.

The schools rink was empty, it always was at that time, he had been in this routine since he'd started the school, in order to stay well trained and at his best for each season.

Once his training finished, he headed to the rink gates, and there sat in a plastic audience seat was a girl.

She had short brunette hair that just slightly sat past her shoulders, she had big hazel eyes that met his. Sat with her legs crossed the girl watched him.

"Your quite good" She stated in admiration.

"And you are?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed, helmet in hand.

"Jayden, new student and avid hockey fan" she introduced. Standing to her feet and reaching her hand out for him to shake.

He looked down at it in confusing before slowly grasping her pasty hands.

"Connor, captain of the team" he introduced, looking down in the skinny girl. She smiled brightly.

"I could tell" Jayden stated looking upon his 'c' badge stitched into his jersey.

"Why are you here?" He questioned, curiosity getting the best of him. Connor gazed upon the smaller brunette whom was dressed in a jacket that labeled a different hockey team on the sleeve, in colours of green and black.

"Was checking out what the rink was like" Jayden replied, her hands now shoved into her pockets.

The brunette girl recognized that there was not much else to talk of and turned on her heal to take a swift departure.

The dirty blonde struck by wonder of the girl, debated just letting her leave with the possibility he might see her again.

"We have a game on Thursday night, come and watch, you might enjoy" Connor shouted after her.

She turned back towards him, eyes wide and a smirk dancing on her lips.

"Guess I'll see you then, captain".

The blonde huffed a subtle chuckle, shaking his head, as she left the building.