When the Ice Breaks

I

Run, skate, shoot, block, defend. Run, skate, shoot, defend, block. Run, skate, shoot, block, defend. Run, skate, shoot, defend, block.

These words ran through my mind every time I stepped on that ice. The ice was where I let everything out. Every emotion I put on the ice. I have loved hockey since I was three years old. From the moment I stumbled onto the Ice and held a hockey stick for the first time I was in love. Everyone in my family played hockey in some way. My dad played in college, my mom played through high school, and each one of my brothers played. I have four brothers two younger and two older. Sean, 21 is in his final year of college; Scott, 19 is in his second year in college; Sam and Sebastion, 14 as freshmen in high school.

 Besides me and my mom were the only girls in a house full of boys, so naturally when I came out in the sixth grade no one was surprised. "Bowers, get your ass over here," called out my coach. I skated over and said, "What's up Coach?" She opened her mouth and said, "Well you are captain, and you have been since you were a freshman, and as captain, we help out all. So as you know, Isabel Brown tore her ACL last spring and she is ready to get back on the ice and I want you to help her."

 I internally screamed in my head. Isabel Brown. Isabel fucking Brown was one of the most popular girls and Veracross High. She stood at about 5'4 and had very tan skin. For living in Michigan she looked like she had walked out of a swimsuit catalog. She had gorgeous ice-blue eyes and long brown hair. Me and Isabel weren't the best of friends. We hated each other. "But she's an Ice skater Coach," I replied. My coach looked at me with "the look" and I just nodded slightly. My coach immediately smiled and walked off the Ice as she had just won the lottery. I shook my head and went back to the other side of the Ice. 

Run, skate, shoot, block, defend. Run, skate, shoot, defend, block. Run, skate, shoot, block, defend. Run, skate, shoot, defend, block.

As soon as I walked into my house I dropped all my hockey stuff and ran to my mom. "Hello my ice cube," she said while kissing the top of my head. "Hi," I mumbled back. She gave me a perplexed look and before saying anything I vomited in one breathe, "Coach wants me to nurse Isabel brown back to health after she tore her ACL but I don't want to because one I need to focus on hockey, two Isabel is a figure skater, and three I don't even like her, she's fake." My mom looked at me with wide eyes and embraced me in a hug. I don't know what it was about a mother's hug that just made everything better.

 "Stella, if you had torn your ACL, it would destroy you. I would bet money that is what Isabel is going through. I raised you to help those in need no matter what. Understand me?" she said while stroking my head. I nodded and excused myself to my room.  When I got upstairs and into my room, I plopped down on my bed and started scrolling through my phone. After aimlessly scrolling on TikTok I started getting ready for bed. I took a shower allowing the scalding water to burn my aching muscles. I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I fell onto my bed allowing the covers to envelop me and I lay there and thought what the hell was I getting myself into?