1989 || Luke Hughes

Chapter 1: Welcome to New Jersey

     Standing outside the Prudential arena, with the cold wind biting at my face, I couldn't help but feel the heaviness of my history surrounding me. Being the second overall pick in the draft was a dream come true, but it also brought back the whispers and rumors that followed me. I wished I could erase my past and start anew.

       As I walked into the locker room, I could sense the curious glances from my new teammates. I knew that they had heard things about me, and the tension in the room was palpable. However, I realized that I needed to ease into it and find the right moment to address the elephant in the room without overshadowing the opportunity that lay ahead.

       The coaches welcomed me warmly, and I exchanged polite nods with the team's prospects. As practice was about to begin, I took a deep breath, ready to showcase my skills on the ice. But before diving into the game, I knew I had to navigate the delicate balance of acknowledging my past without letting it define me.

       During a break, as we caught our breaths, I looked around the room and met the eyes of my coach. "I know there are stories about me," I began, my voice measured as I walked up to him. "And I won't pretend they don't exist. But I'm here to play hockey, be a part of this team, and work hard. I've made mistakes, and I'm committed to learning from them."

        With that, I left the door open for questions, hoping that my sincerity would be the first step in breaking down the walls of skepticism that surrounded me. The journey to acceptance had begun, and I was determined to prove that I was more than the whispers of a questionable past.

        "Don't apologize for your past. None of it was your fault," the defensive coach replied. "We chose you because we knew you would show up and show out." I nodded, turned around, and headed back out onto the ice while everyone else slowly filed into the locker room to get ready to leave.

        As I stood alone at the center of the ice, I felt my heart race with anticipation and excitement. The rink that surrounded me was a sight to behold - a vast expanse of gleaming ice, surrounded by towering walls adorned with the echoes of victories past. The sheer size of the Prudential Stadium was awe-inspiring, and I couldn't help but feel humbled in its presence.

        Beneath my skates, the ice felt both cold and promising - a blank canvas where my rookie year would unfold. Every step I took echoed hollowly through the stadium, a reminder of the countless stories etched into the very foundation of the rink. The air was crisp and carried the unmistakable scent of freshly Zamboni-polished ice.

        As I took it all in, I couldn't shake the mix of excitement and nervous energy that coursed through me. This was my chance to redefine myself, to leave behind the shadows of a troubled past and emerge victorious. The Prudential Stadium wasn't just a playing field - it was an escape from my hometown, a place where I could prove to myself and the world that I was capable of greatness.

        The responsibility of this opportunity weighed heavily on my shoulders, but with each breath, a renewed sense of determination welled up within me. The Prudential Stadium wasn't just a venue; it was my proving ground, the space where I would paint my comeback on the canvas of the ice. I was ready to undertake this journey of redemption, to silence the doubters and make this place my home.

         I opened my eyes to the gleaming ice in front of me, marveling at the beauty of the arena. Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me and turned around to see a young man smiling at me. He asked if I was enjoying the ice, and I replied that it was breathtaking. He introduced himself as Jack, the first overall draftee of 2019.

        As we skated together, Jack began sharing his story with me. He spoke of the immense pressure he had felt from the media and the weight of expectations on his shoulders as a young athlete. He had made a mistake one night, and his coach, Lindy, had been furious with him for weeks afterward. Jack had been so hard on himself that he forced himself to stay on the ice every day until his teammate Nico dragged him off.

        One day, Lindy had approached him and said, "What defines you isn't the slip-up; it's how you respond. You're not the first player to make a mistake, and you won't be the last. Your potential goes beyond a single moment on the ice." These words had stayed with Jack, and he wanted to pass them on to me as I began my new journey as a devil.

        He skated towards the exit before turning towards me. "Come on. I'll give you a ride home." Can he even drive? I laugh at the thought. "What so funny" He asked as we walked down the hall together. "I thought you were a Passenger Princess." I laughed as Jack shoved me away. "Luke is the passenger princess, not me."

       "Yes you are. I see the tweets where fans post about me driving and then someone responds 'Everyone gets off the roads!'" Quince says laughing, "Yeah, Luke sends them to me all the time," Jack said, laughing a little. 

       "What did you say about me?" Luke asked, throwing his arm around Jack as they entered the locker room. 

       "Just about the tweets you send me," Jack replied. 

        "Oh yeah. The best ones are the ones where they take videos of us on the ice talking and try and decipher it. It's always the funniest thing ever," Luke added.

        "I've seen those! They're so funny," I joined in, and Luke smiled at me. 

       "I'm Luke. You are?" he asked. 

       "I'm Quince. It's nice to meet you," I replied.

       "Quince is riding home with us. I'm gonna drop her off," Jack said as he stripped his gear off. 

       "You mean I'm dropping her off. I'm the one driving," Luke said, holding the keys up as Jack rolled his eyes.

        "So you are a passenger princess!" I said, laughing as I headed to my makeshift locker room, which technically was just a bathroom.

        "I am not!" Jack protested.

It's a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat, beat forevermore
The lights are so bright but they never blind me

Thank you for reading!