HOAX ~M.Sturniolo

002• Tryouts

Tryouts. It had been a few days since the party, and Jess was ready, but nervous. She had stated she was going to tryout, so no backing out now.

The ice rink the hockey team practiced at was across the street from their school, so they could leave their stuff in the locker room and walk across the street. Logan and a few friends waited for Jess to leave the girls locker room, before walking with her across the street. Jess was actually pretty friendly with Logan's closer friends on the team, like Hayden. They all walked together, the boys talking about Logan's captaincy. Basically a whole lot of nothing that Jess didn't listen to.

When Jess was suited up on the ice, she didn't look so out of place. She didn't play out of place either, because she made the team. Some of the boys on the team obviously thought it was bullshit, but they wouldn't say anything, because Logan was her brother. Nothing mattered to Jess anyway. She knew she deserved that spot.

The teams first practice was the next day after school. Jess was actually full smiles. Not the fake ones she put on around the team because Logan begged her to. Logan and Jess got in the car together after hockey, something they would repeat often now.

"You know, your even better than some guys on the team" Logan started a conversation. Jess looked over at him with a 'cmon on' look.

"Stop buttering me up" Jess replies.

"I'm serious! You are like way better than I thought" Logan laughed.

"Thank you?" Jess shunted her eyes in confusion.

"I just mean, you have improved. And you deserve your spot. Any of them tell you otherwise, tell me" Logan took a quick glance at her. Jess huffed and then nodded.

Jess knew she was going to have to be more friendly than she liked to the guys on the team, or else it just wouldn't work. She knew you didn't have to be friends with your teammates, but you did have to be friendly. It was definitely something she would need to work on.

But she also wasn't going to try that hard, if they didn't also. All of the boys on the team also had to try to be friendly, or else she wouldn't try. Because no way was she putting in that effort for them to put a cold shoulder to her.

Matt walked through the door of his house, just getting back from practice, Chris following after him. Chris had been asking about this "girl" who he met according to Troy.

"Cmon, what's so bad about her?" He questioned, putting his bags down on the floor.

"She goes to north High" Matt said.

"Oh"

"And she's on their hockey team"

"Yikes"

"And her brother is Logan Alden"

"God damn! And you like her because...?" Chris asked confused.

"I don't like her" Matt defended.

"Then why is all the guys who went to that party with you saying otherwise? I mean, you, actually flirting back with a girl?" Chris was appalled. His brother was pretty picky with people. So he was confused on what was so special about her.

"I wasn't flirting back. She was pretty clear with me when she said she would punch me" Matt's lips formed a straight line. Chris just laughed at this, right in Matt's face.

"Are you fucking serious? That's hilarious! And you still like this girl?" Chris was still laughing, which was annoying Matt.

"I don't like her. I just need her to like me" Matt wasn't planning on telling Chris the real reason he was so persistent about this girl who obviously wanted nothing to do with him, but he was annoyed by Chris laughing in his face like he was stupid.