happier ~ evan morrow

five.

the first game.

"Hey Kat! Did you get the message from Evan?" Nick asked her as he walked into her room. She nodded, and the two of them told Nick's moms where they were going before they met up at the Morrow's. Logan was already there, and they would need to pick the rest of the team up.

They got to the Duck's complex, and Alex Morrow explained the plan in the car. They were going to 'borrow' some hockey gear from the Ducks.

Evan was the first to go in to ask her about his missing helmet. Everyone watched form the outside as he talked to the lady.

Then they sent Logan in as soon as the lady came back, and Evan was in the lost and found. As Logan turned the lady around, everyone started to go into the complex, heading into the lost and found.

Kathleen helped Maya and Lauren get their hockey gear since she already had hers. After everyone got their hockey gear, Alex dropped everyone off at their houses.

Kathleen called her parents who were in Florida before she went to bed. She told them about how good the team was going, and how everyone was so nice, and how she was doing at the Ganz's house.

The next day was Saturday, their first game. Before they went out, Alex gave them all a speech in the locker room. She then got everyone jerseys as a surprise for the team.

Everyone went through the box to find their jerseys and their numbers. Sam handed her jersey which said 'VOS' and had the number twelve which just happened to be Kathleen's favorite number.

Kathleen was very excited since it was her first ever hockey game. She was very nervous, but then she remember that most of the people on her team have never played a hockey game either which made her feel a bit better.

They skated onto the ice and the game started, and well... it went badly. Kathleen wasn't used to getting checked into the boards. Half of the time half of the team was helping the other half get up. At the end of the game, everyone was in the locker room, worn out.

Alex Morrow went on about how we started this team for fun, and it didn't matter if they lost or not. As long as if they were having fun.

"But the thing is," Evan started as he looked up. "getting your ass kicked that bad isn't fun at all." Everyone was quiet, and looked around awkwardly. Kathleen didn't think that they were going to win, but she at least hoped that maybe they would've at least scored once, maybe.

Evan went out of the locker room, and everyone else followed him as they started to skate on the ice. Everyone wanted to get better, but it was going to take a lot of practice and work.

Everyone was following behind Evan. Kathleen was behind the group, just in case Logan fell or someone else did. It was nice seeing everyone try, and Evan not getting mad at them for once.

———

The next day at practice, they were forced to watch their first game. Kathleen kept cringing every time someone got knocked down, or when the other team scored.

"This is like a masterclass, in sucking." Nick smiles at the tape. Alex goes on about positive feedback as she congratulated the other team for scoring.

Everyone starts looking over at Winnie who was talking to 'Cocoa Chad'. Nick, for some odd reason, knew exactly how long they have been seeing each other for.

"She does not look happy." Koob comments as everyone states at the man who is giving her stuff back. Maya them says that they are probably breaking up.

"I feel so bad, breakups can be harsh." Kathleen comments to what leads into Nick ranting about how she is amazing.

Evan turns around to face Nick to start talking about the next game which is against the Ducks.

"If only we had a sharpshooter, it would be such a game changer." Nick sighs. "Look, I know she said no before but,"

"Wait- you're not talking about Sofi, are you?" Evan questions Nick. "Her family is all about excellence, and excellence is not what we have to offer. Plus, I don't even know how well she will be happy to work with Kat, and vice versa."

"No we don't have excellence, but that just gave me an idea." Nick smirked.

———

"Hey, would you like to come over after practice today?" Kathleen asked Maya who was scrolling through Tiktok. Maya looked up, and smiled. "Sure."

The two girls walked with Nick to the Ganz's house after practice. Nick's mom told Kathleen they didn't mind if she had some friends over every once in awhile. Nick and Evan ended up walking with them since Evan was also coming over to discuss something that they 'can't disclose'.

The girls ran up to Kathleen's room once they got to the Ganz's house. Maya and Kathleen spent hours gossiping, doing tiktok dances, and more.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me, but you never did tell me what happening with you and Sofi Hanson-Bhatt." Maya says as she flopped onto Kathleen's bed. Kathleen sighs as she sits on the bed getting ready to tell Maya the story.

"Basically she went to the dance with Evan after he rejected me, and she started saying about how I should feel bad for her because I'm crazy, and obsessive." Kathleen told her, giving the short version of the whole story. Maya nodded as she sat up.

"I don't know how you do it, I would definitely not be on a team with my ex-boyfriend." Maya laughs. Kathleen shakes her head.

"Evan was never my ex, we never dated. I was just obsessed with him over the years, but now I don't get what younger me saw in him. He whines a lot, and uh I'm pretty sure he's in love with Sofi." Kathleen laughs it off as she said those things. She wasn't quite sure what her feelings were for Evan.

"Well, you could definitely find someone way better than Evan, that's for sure." Maya laughed which caused Kathleen to laugh along.

The two girls thought their conversations was confidential, but little did they know Evan Morrow was on the other side of the door, and he heard the whole thing.

He walked back into Nick's room, a little upset. He couldn't quite point why he was upset. Maybe it was because he just heard Kathleen call him whiny.

"Hey dude? What's wrong?" Nick looks up at his best friend. Evan looks at Nick, wondering if he could trust his best friend.

"It's nothing Nick, let's just review the plan we have to try, and convince Sofi tomorrow." As Nick went over the plan, Evan thought about it more. He always had thought he had liked Sofi, so why is he getting mad over the fact that Kathleen didn't really like him anymore? And why did his chest tighten when Maya made the comment that she deserved someone 'way better'. He then thought back to when he was walking her home the other day, how pretty her hair looked, and how cute she looked in his winter clothing- and he wasn't even sure why he was thinking about Kathleen this way.

He didn't know, but there was no way he would admit to having a crush on Kathleen Vos.