Anyone But The Hockey Boy

-2-

Gavin:

"Did you just get Regan Vega's number," one of my new teammates gawks at me as I place an assortment of sandwiches on the table? I'm not new to being the team's newbie. I know for the next while I'll have to do all their errands, at least until we have our first game and I smash them on the ice.

The University of Waterloo reached out to me at the end of last season offering me a scholarship I simply couldn't refuse. Because of it I picked up my life in Michigan and came running to Ontario Canada.

It's almost comical how big hockey is here. For such a high-performing academic school they spare no expense to have one of the country's nicest college training facilities.

I grab a chair from an empty table and pull it to the edge of the group. "What about it?" I ask taking a seat. I don't know why I asked her out if I'm completely honest.

I thought she was pretty cute with her brown eyes and messy hair. I could tell she was an athlete just based on her outfit and the clear exhaustion on her face. I've always liked girls in sports, since I was so busy with hockey it made me feel better knowing they were also busy and weren't just sitting around waiting for me.

"Dude, she hates hockey players more than anything. How did you manage that?" Cliff, our team's goalie leans in with an intrigued expression.

"She doesn't know I play," I shrug opening one of the sandwiches. We had a morning training session today and even though I've eaten the weight of a cow today I'm still famished.

"Well that'll be a deal breaker," Gavin snorts. He's one of the two best defensemen on the team, defiantly not as good as some I've worked with but better than most. He works alongside Jackson, one of the seniors and this season's caption.

From what I've gathered from my few short weeks of training with G, as we call him, is that he wants all the success with none of the work. I've seen him go to parties on practice nights, show up to sessions completely hungover and high and just miss practices because he's fucking some new girl. I honestly don't even know why the girls around here are so into him. The guy a complete ass.

"Why's that?" I ask. I've only ever had hockey to my advantage. No girl has ever turned me down because of it.

"Because Gav, she hates me. She hates all of us it's just her thing," he takes a bite of his sandwich. I hate being called Gav. Or Gavin. It might be my first name but over the years I've been called by my last name, Hunter so many times it's just what I'm called. Plus there's already a Gavin on this team, there's no need for two.

"It could just be you," I half joke.

"Nah." He shakes his hair. He has it cut in an awful mullet, too short at the front and sides and over-curled. You can tell it was an at-home job. "Trust me I've been going to school with Ria since the sixth grade. That bitch hated hockey boys long before we met."

I don't interrupt or say anything I just continue eating. She seemed nice enough and if I have it my way we'll be going out soon enough.

"I'm surprised she even gave you her contact at all," G continues, shaking his head. "I remember in like grade nine English she said something about how guys that ask for snaps and Instagrams just like that only want to fuck. If that's your intention Hunter, congrats because you just got the untouchable gem."

"Wouldn't even be that surprised if she was still a virgin," Allen pipes up. "Wouldn't mind breaking that one in," he reaches out to give me a fist bump, but I only glare at him.

He's only about six feet and a hundred and fifty pounds. I could break him in half without even sweating if I wanted to. Al knows it too because he sinks back into the booth's cushions.