bound to happen

Chapter 3

Two weeks later.

Jack and I have been snapping since we last saw eachother. He responds to me really quickly, but his snap score is very high, so that could just be his normal. He texted me a week ago telling me that he got the call that he made the team. he would be leaving three days after. when he got to the facilities, he sent me a video of his dorm and the campus. It all looked very nice.

Today, I got the call that I made U18 team.
Instead of calling my friends, or my high school coach, I immediately texted jack.

jack hughes
Me
I made the team!

Jack Hughes
No way! Congrats!

Me
I'm so excited!

Jack Hughes:
You should be. It's super fun already. The people are great.

Me
See you soon, jack

Jack Hughes
Looking forward to it.

I smile at my phone. I then call my family and friends and my coach. She was sad to see me go but very excited for me and impressed that I made the 18s team. Then I get to packing as I have to move onto Campus in 5 days.
—
"Are you sure you have everything?" My mom asks worriedly. We moved everything into the car and I was in the drivers seat. My dad then comes up from behind the car.

"Everything is perfectly packed" he says smiling. "We couldn't be prouder."

"Thanks guys." I say, smiling. Im so excited to get to USLTDP (US Lacrosse Team Development Program) campus and meet everyone. And reunite with some people.

I say my final goodbyes to my brother and sister and then I start driving. I live an hour away, so. Not far at all.
—
11:30

I get to the parking lot and meet the coaches there. They tell me that Coach Hall will be right back and will take me around. Everyone has an arranged time slot where a coach will pick them up and help them get settled and then go get the next person. I cant believe the head coach is showing me around!

"Here is all of the gear you will be getting, but we have to wait until tonight to order it because that's when we will know your numbers." Coach Grant says as she points out the massive amount of gear on the foldable table.

Coach hall is now approaching me as I try to digest how much gear there is on the table.

"Hey lainy! Trip ok?" He says

"yeah, It was fine! Thanks for asking!" I say. " super excited to be here!"

" we're super excited to have you. You saw the merch I assume." he says, with a smile.

"Yes, I saw. Very impressive." I say

"well, let me show you around!" He says.

"what about my bags? Should I bring them with me?" I ask.

"no, it's OK. The staff will take them to your room."

"Ok, perfect." I say.

He takes me around and shows me the campus. We start at the parking lot and go to the edge of the 4 fields. They are all turf and they all have a big USA emblem in the middle. He explained to me that we practice next to the U18 and the U17's practice right next to us. He turns around and goes back past the merch table into the athletic facility.

We make our way through the doors of the big building and enter the main hallway. There is USA gear, jerseys, and trophies, everywhere. I'm overwhelmed at the amount of red white and blue. He shows me the weight room, which is enormous, the training, facilities with treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals. He takes me to the room next-door, which is the physical therapists. I get introduced to all of them and then we go downstairs.

"Here is my favorite part of the building." he says he opens the door.

It immediately gets very cold. I can tell this is an ice rink by the sound of pucks hitting the boards.

"This is the USNTDP hockey rink. Very famous and very cool to be playing on." he says.

I look around to see if I find Jack.

"What team is this?" I asked, still looking.

"Not sure, let's go a little closer."

We walked on the stands and half way down, he says , "this is U18. That's Coach Hank Gruff, one of the most famous hockey coaches in the world."

We are super close to the glass now and I sure enough find Jack. He is #86. I keep looking at him until his eyes start to wander from the ice. We make a contact, and I smile at him he enthusiastically waves at me. I made sure Coach Hall wasn't watching.

"Alright, let me take you to the dorms."

We walk across the quad through the other door of the athletic building, and I see the school building, a midsize building with two floors. He takes me to the left of the school building to two buildings right next to each other that are connected by the first floor. He explains that the one in the loft, his girls, and the one on the right is boys.

"And that's all! I'll take your room now." he says. He scans his card and we enter the building. I go to my room which is pretty standard size and all of my stuff is there including my key card, key, and all of my bags. there are two new USA lacrosse sticks on my bed.

"Wow! These are so nice! Thanks so much Coach Hall!" I say, holding one of them.

"Of course. Everyone wears everything USA here so get used to the red white and blue." He jokes.

"I'll leave you to get settled." He turns around and almost leaves until he turns back and says "some of the team is downstairs in the dining hall, when you're hungry and settled feel free to go find them and introduce yourself to some of your teammates. the dining hall is just downstairs and it's the first level of those buildings."