her devil

1

"c'mon esme. tell us about him." willow pleaded, trying to get esmeray to tell her about the boy she had met the previous night,

"why should i tell you? you left me last night." esmeray defended.

"im sorry! but please tell me." willow frowned, taking the mug of tea esmeray was holding out to her.

"he plays hockey. that's all i'm going to say." esmeray smiled, sipping her tea.

"a hockey boy?" auriella shrieked. she ran to the kitchen and sat down at the island. "a hockey boy! that's like totally perfect for you!"

"i know. now, i have to get rid of this headache then get ready for my interview." esmeray put her empty cup in the sink and went to the bathroom to take some advil.

"okay. you never told us you have an interview." willow said, coming into the bathroom.

"sorry. it's been pushed in the back of my mind with class. i almost forgot about." esmeray replied.

"who got you the interview? your sexy hot teacher." willow smirked.

"yes. my not-so-sexy and hot teacher willow." esmeray rolled her eyes. "now, i have to get dressed."

esmeray went to her bedroom to get ready for the interview. she was nervous, especially since she was only 19, and her teacher said this was a really big deal.

"how do i look?" esmeray asked, stepping out of her bedroom.

"professional. i like it." auriella complimented.

"great. now i gotta leave, otherwise i'll be late." esmeray grabbed her purse and ran out the apartment door.

it didn't take her long to get to campus where her teacher was waiting. the ride to where they had to go was only five minutes, so they would be there a couple minutes early.

"it's nice to see you esmeray." her teacher said as he gave her a hug.

"it's nice to see you too, mr. ciocca. thank you so much for getting me this interview." esmeray smiled. she got into the car and they soon arrived at the building.

prudential center

that's what the sign said.

home of the new jersey devils

"you never told me i was getting an interview here!" esmeray smiled.

"i never thought you were really into hockey." mr. ciocca chuckled.

"uhh, yeah. biggest devils fan since forever." esmeray smiled brightly, looking at the big sign on the center.

"well we better get in then."

the two entered the center, esmeray following behind her teacher.

"hi, i'm chris stockpole. head of athlete care. you are mr. ciocca, and you are ms. esmeray miller?" chris asked.

"yes. it's nice to meet you." esmeray smiled, sticking her hand out for chris to shake.

"nice to meet you too. i've heard some good things about you from your professor." chris said.

"i gotta get running. you can handle yourself?" mr. ciocca asked esmeray.

"i got it." esmeray assured. her teacher said his goodbyes and left the center, leaving esmeray in awe over the job she could potentially be getting.

"i'll show you around, and ask you some questions if that's alright." chris said.

"that's totally fine." esmeray followed chris as he showed her around the building.

"i know you're professor reached out to us about the job, but why did you agree to an interview?" chris asked.

"i've always wanted to help people, especially working with people in the sports world. getting this job while still in college is a big accomplishment. i can learn as i go through everything, and i already know a lot." esmeray explained. chris nodded his head.

"there are our stanley cups. pretty nice right?"

"they're beautiful. i remember my first devils game like it was yesterday." esmeray admired the cups, then looked back at chris.

"you're a devils fan?"

"yeah. ever since i was a little kid," esmeray chuckled, "i think i still have kevin weekes' stick back home."

"wow! you really are a big fan." chris smiled.

the two continued to talk as they walked around the building. eventually chris showed esmeray around where she would be working, if she got the job.

"and here's the arena." chris said opening the big doors. esmeray looked down at the rink, smiling at how far she had come, then she felt her chest get tight.

"it's amazing," esmeray choked out, "it looks so much different from the last time i was here."

"well we did change some things around." chris laughed.

the boys were hitting the hockey puck back and forth, and esmeray watched them. it brought her back to when she used to play with her dad.

•

"daddy! i cant skate that fast." little esmeray yelled out to her dad. she had just stepped on the ice, and her dad was already skating away.

"yes you can. you just gotta believe in yourself!" her dad chuckled.

esmeray held onto the wall as she started to skate. once she felt comfortable, she didn't hold onto the wall.

"there you go baby!"

esmeray's dad handed her a small stick, then getting one himself.

"ready?" her dad asked.

"you're going down." esmeray threatened.