𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓, charlie conway

one; new girl

AFTER A LONG DRIVE, aurelia evans was more than ready to settle into her new life in minnesota. her family had just moved from chicago, and while she missed the bustling city and her old hockey team, she couldn't help but notice the abundance of rinks scattered around minneapolis. on the way to her new home, her eyes lit up when she spotted an ice rink nearby, the familiar sight filling her with excitement. maybe this won't be so bad, she thought. if there were rinks here, there was hockey, and if there was hockey, she could play.

as soon as they pulled into the driveway, aurelia unpacked her things as fast as she could, her room quickly taking shape. she didn't waste time—there was no way she was staying inside when there was a rink so close by. tugging on her blue jacket, red beanie, and lacing up her boots, she grabbed her hockey stick and headed out the door.

when aurelia arrived at the rink, she saw a group of kids her age on the ice, sticks in hand, pucks scattered across the surface. they didn't have uniforms, just a mismatch of jackets and old gear. from the way they skated she figured they weren't exactly the best team. she found a bench, brushed off some snow, and sat down, leaning forward as she studied them. if you could even call them a team, she thought to herself, chuckling.

on the ice, a  boy who was clearly the goalie was getting a handful from a boy who seemed frustrated beyond belief.

"come on, goldberg, at least try to stop it! i'm getting tired of chasing the puck!" the boy shouted.

"be careful, man! it almost hit me that time!" goldberg shot back, shrugging.

"goldberg, you're the goalie. it's supposed to hit you," the kid replied, exasperated.

"does that sound stupid to anyone else?" goldberg asked, raising his hands in confusion. his teammates groaned in frustration.

aurelia chuckled softly, shaking her head at the exchange. this wasn't just a bad team—it was a disaster. they were more focused on arguing than actually playing. she watched as they stumbled around the ice, barely managing to pass the puck without falling over. this might be the worst hockey i've ever seen, she thought, her amusement growing.

then, suddenly, her attention was pulled to the sound of a car approaching. but it wasn't just any car—it was a limo. aurelia's eyebrows shot up as the limo glided onto the ice, tires skidding slightly on the slick surface. the whole rink went silent, the kids freezing in their spots, wide-eyed and confused.

"what the heck is this guy doing?" aurelia mumbled, watching with curiosity. the entire team huddled together like penguins, mumbling among themselves as they cautiously approached the limo.

the door of the limo swung open, and out stepped a man in a sharp tuxedo. he looked a little out of place—a middle-aged guy with dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes—definitely not what you'd expect to see at a rundown outdoor rink. he stood tall in front of the kids, surveying them with an unimpressed look.

before he could say anything, the boy who had been arguing with goldberg stepped forward, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. "yo, dude, you obviously in the wrong hood. this is my dominion. this is a drug-free zone, you understand? we ain't buyin' nothin'. but i'm feelin' generous today, so i'm gonna let you get your sorry vanilla bootie outta here before we be usin' your eyeballs as hockey pucks."

the rest of the team chuckled, a few smirking as they nodded in agreement.

the man in the tuxedo didn't even flinch. "thanks, bro, but i'm goin' nowhere 'til i take care of business."

without another word, he reached inside his jacket. the kids immediately panicked, stepping back in fear. aurelia's heart skipped a beat as she tensed up, her eyes widening. is he reaching for a gun?