Rules and Roses (Hockey)

2

   "Your phone's ringing!" Maddison yelled to her roommate, who was in the bathroom getting ready.

   She burst out of the bathroom with a half-washed face. She grabbed her phone off of her bed and slid the answer button to the right.

   "Hello?"

   "We've been trying to reach you concerning your car's extended warranty-"

   She hung up the call.

   "That was quick," Madison said, swinging her legs around to where she was on the side of her bed.

   "Scam. I don't know why I'm anticipating a call back," she sighed and tossed her phone back down.

   "Because you're highly intelligent and anyone should want your help, especially when it comes to hockey. You know so much," Madison tried reassuring. "Now, finish washing your face. I see all the little bubbles still there."

   She laughed and went back into the bathroom.

   It was Sunday, just two days after she had been to the arena. She had a routine she would do every weekend. She didn't have much on her list to complete, but it was refreshing when she did finish.

   She got dressed in sweatpants and a loose tee shirt. Her running shoes were pretty worn out, but they were really comfortable. She couldn't bring herself to buy a new pair.

   She said her 'goodbyes' to her best friend with her phone, pepper spray, and a water bottle in hand.

   It was only sixty-five degrees in Huntsville, Alabama. Southerners considered that a nice day. The campus had multiple sidewalks. She would run them every week, trying to keep in shape; though, she would miss a few.

   She started off with a walk. Her phone tracked how long she goes, and she would aim for a couple miles of straight running. It took a while for her to build up to that level. At first, she could only run half of a mile without stopping. She learned to safely push herself to start bringing up her mileage.

   She loved her time outside. Her feet hitting the pavement was a soothing sound when she wasn't listening to music. She would run to feel the wind, wanting to know the earth better than she knew herself. She would take paths in the woods close to her college for peace, letting go of all of her thoughts. There were many trails; she would take the ones less beaten. She felt as though she could touch the sky, reach the sun. The days became shorter. In her mind, they sat around like all the seconds to spare, wasting away the rest of their lives in a worn-out routine. She liked the consistency, however. It was everlasting, and she always knew what to expect.

   Her heart race quickened with every step. She was about halfway done when she turned to head back. The sun was in the middle of the sky. No clouds were visible, only the bright blue fading off into the distance. She decided she was hungry enough to have lunch. She texted Madison asking if she would like to join her.

   They met up at the dining hall. There were multiple different restaurants to choose from. Her go-to was always spaghetti with three cheese sticks on the side. Madison loved the chicken alfredo, and made fun of her friend for liking plain pasta.

   They went outside after waiting in line for what felt like hours. There were many open tables to choose from. They went to the most secluded one and sat across from one another.

   Without a second thought, she opened the lid of her meal and began to eat. After burning so many calories mid-morning, she always felt starved.

   "How was your run?" Madison asked between bites.

   "It was alright. I beat my time every week. What'd you do while I was gone?" she took a sip of her water and went back to her food.

   "Well, I showered, studied, found more hot guys on Tinder. You know, the usual," Madison laughed at her own joke.

   "Did you wash your face?" she raised an eyebrow at the clear-faced girl sitting across from her.

   "Of course I did. My skin hasn't been this good since before I started my period. You nagging me about my morning and evening beauty routine is the only reason why I look as good as I do," Madison nodded her head along with her response. Her friend loved giving her credit.

   "Very good. If you keep it up, you'll look forty when you turn ninety," she exaggerated.

   "You think I'll live that long?"

   "Not with all the soda you drink..."

   They laughed together.

   "How do you expect a call from the coach? He doesn't even know you," Madison asked when she saw her friend checking her phone.

   "I had written my name and phone number on the front page. It's kind of hard to miss," she shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, and I put my email, too. Just in case, you know?"

   "You are too over prepared. If I hadn't gotten a call at this point, I would just think it's not going to happen."

   "You're so pessimistic, Madi. I can't believe you would give up just like that," she snapped her fingers, signifying the speed.

   "That's what I'm here for."

   They finished their food with some more small talk. Madison went back to their dorm, and she needed to go to the library.

   Her math class was her favorite. A civil engineering major will make you enjoy it. She had to study for one of her upcoming projects. She understood almost all of it, but perfecting her knowledge would make her just that much better. She loved doing work: school work, homework, volunteer work. It is what she thought made her worthy. If she could prove she was good at someone, it proved her worth. To whom? She didn't really know that answer. She guessed that whoever had those expectations of her: her teacher, her mom. It was a sad thought, really. She needed to know that she was worthy, regardless. She didn't need to have good grades to determine whether or not she was important.

   She spent a while in her own corner of the library. The smell of old books was satisfying. Her mind could focus for hours if she truly wanted it to.

   Her phone rang. She stared at it for a second. The area code was the same as hers, but so was the scam call's from that morning. She sighed and picked it up, fully anticipating another automated message.

   "Hello?"

   "Is this Alia Hartley speaking?"