1980

One

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Anastasia took a deep breath. She was embarrassed to say the least. She should have been in Spain with her friends. Spending ridiculous amounts of money on hotels and clothes, but instead he she was standing alone in the summer heat in front of an ice-rink. Her parents had decided that Anastasia needed a change of scenery, something to calm down her wild and irresponsible attitude, something to make her presentable and keep their family's reputation intact. For the next seven months she would be tagging along with her uncle Herb who coached the US olympic hockey team. Her parents were sure that this experience would teach her to be a responsible adult and give her a rude awakening to reality.

She walked into the bleak looking building confidently, like one of the models she had grown up watching.

The butterflies in her stomach flew around as if they were having a seizure as she forcefully swung the door open.

Ana stood in front of the desk expecting to have the full attention of the receptionist, instead she was watching the woman flirt with a guy who had a huge duffel bag slung over his shoulder. After waiting a few minutes Ana placed a smooth polished finger on the bell that sat on the desk and pressed it repeatedly until the receptionist turned and glared her.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The receptionist monotonously asked with a thick minnesotan accent as her pale eyes glaring at Ana's stoic face.

Ana glanced at the formal name tag that read Betty. "...Betty, would happen to know where Herb Brooks was?" Ana asked barely holding in a scoff. She wanted to get out of this ice-rink as soon as possible.

"I need proof of identification," Betty said. The boy looked at the receptionist with a confused look, but said a quick goodbye and walked over to a group of similar looking boys who were huddled around a door.

"Proof of identification?"

"Yes, like and i.d or a drivers license," Betty sighed.

"I don't have a a driver's license and I don't have my i.d on me."

"Well then I'm sorry hun I can't let you in," Betty said as if she was anything but sorry.

"What is this place Fort fucking Knox. Like what the hell I'm I gonna do in an ice-rink. Steal ice skates. Well, that would be dumb because I can't even ice-skate, but still," Ana said her annoyance reaching a high.

The two woman glared at each other for a moments until Betty gave in. "Follow the arrows you'll find it."

"Thanks," Ana smirked, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head. Following the arrows Ana finally reached the office that belonged to her uncle. She knocked three times before she heard a faint 'come in.'

"Close the door behind you," her uncle said continuing to read the folder he was looking at. Ana closed the door quickly and made her way to his desk, plopping down on a polyester seat. He finally glanced up and said, "Oh Anastasia it's you."

"Were you expecting someone else?" Ana asked raising a carefully trimmed brow.

"No." Her uncle who had gone back to reading his file. Ana played quietly with the strings on her purse. Her uncle did not make idle conversation. At times it was nice to not have to reply with pointless remarks and having to pretend she cared, but this was not one of those times.

The door abruptly opened, ending the period of silence. The door opened to boy who looked extremely nervous.

"Rizzo," Herb acknowledged. Ana twisted her head so she could see.

"Hey coach," the boy who was apparently named Rizzo greeted, clutching a hideous mustard colored wallet. "We found this, thought you'd want it." The boy tried reaching over Ana to place it on the desk. However, since he was so far away, Ana held out her hand, expecting the boy to hand over the wallet so she could give it to her uncle.

"Thank you," Herb said as he opened the wallet looking for some sort of identification card. "Oh and by the way this is Ana, my niece."

She gave him a quick once over and then a tight smile.

"Mike Eruzione, but people call me Rizzo."

She nodded. "Anastasia Westwood," she replied before turning her head back. She didn't recognize or care who this Mike character was.

"Oh and next time Rizzo...knock," Herb said curtly.

"Sorry," Rizzo sheepishly said looking at the ground before turning to leave.

Once he left her uncle put his folder away and took off his glasses. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Yeah?"

"I need you to live in the dorms. Your parents have agreed to it, and my previous RA just quit."

Ana stared at him blankly. "You want me to baby-sit a bunch of high school boys? The whole reason I am here is because of irresponsible I am."

"Ok, A) most of this boys have graduated college and B) there is a divide between them and it's better if I have someone there that I can trust. Plus it will teach you how to be more responsible," her uncle resigned as he pack up his brief case. "All your stuff has been moved to the dorms, and you get your own room with a bathroom.

Ana's ears perked up. She knew that if she stayed with her aunt and uncle she would have to share a bathroom with her cousins, but on the other hand did she really want to spend the next nine months with a bunch prepubescent hockey players? No, she most definitely did not.

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"What do you mean a girl? Is she hot?" Jack asked as he and Rizzo both made there way to the bleachers near the rink. Their coach had scheduled a team meeting, but after the boys had planned to meet up at the local bar since it was Friday.

"Very," Rizzo said sheepishly as they sat down on the mostly filled bleachers.

"What does she look like?" Jack asked again holding back yawn. Today had been their first practice, but it had proven to be ten times more exhausting then the ones they had been used to.

"What does who look like?" Silky asked, as both he and Jimmy sat down next to them. Rizzo, Silky, Jimmy, and Jack had all met at Boston University, they played together in college and now hopefully they were going to make it to the olympics.

"Coach Brook's niece," Jack replied as he continued staring at Rizzo.

"She's right over there, Rizzo said pointing to a girl reading a magazine who sat alone on the top bleacher. Three heads turned to stare at her causing her to glance up. She looked at them for moment and then wrinkled her nose and returned back to reading her magazine.

"Woah," Silky sighed as he stared up at her.

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