One in 2330 ~ Connor Bedard Love Story

11. Celebrations and Roommates

The rest of the summer blew by in an instant. 

Me, the Hughes Brothers and my brothers all headed down to Ottawa, as the boys wanted to throw me a giant party to celebrate me getting drafted. 

Chabby, Ridly, Timmy, Jacob and Shane had arranged for this giant party to be held at Brady's place, Ridly and Timmy dragging me out of the house at ten in the morning, as I wasn't allowed to see them set everything up.

"Come on, guys," I whined. "Why do we have to leave?"

"Becauze, Lia. You're not alloved to zee vhat ve're planning." Timmy answered, shoving me into the passenger seat of the car.

"And you thought that dragging me out of Brady's house, where I'm staying no less, shoving me into your car and drive me all around the city was the best way to do that?" I asked him sarcastically. 

"Hey, don't blame us!" Ridly defended. "Chabby, Jake and Pinty gave Timmy and I specific instructions to make sure you don't come back to the house before five, and that if we did, they'd kill us."

"Very well, then." I sighed. "Take me wherever it is you need. Just know that if you end up taking me to some sketchy ass place, it won't be the guys killing you, got it?" I asked them, glaring, making them try to shrink into their seats. 

*  *  *

Timmy and Ridly had taken me all over the city to places I didn't even know existed. First, we all kayaked across the Rideau Canal, then we went to an indoor hockey rink before we headed back to Brady and Emma's place for the party. 

"Attention, everyone!" Timmy declared as soon as him and Ridly led me into the house. "Everyone, give a round of applause for Sophie Tkachuk! One week ago, she got drafted to the Chicago Blackhawks, and finally gets to live out her dream of playing in the NHL with her brothers, Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes, and, of course, us! Tonight, we celebrate Sophie and everything she's done to make it to where she is right now. No one deserves this more than you, Soph. I hope you have an amazing time in the NHL, and although you're not a Senator, I do hope that you'll go easy on us when we do eventually face you."

"Speech!" I heard Jacob shout through all of the applause, making me send him a glare. 

"You suck, Jake." I said. "Well... being completely honest, I didn't even think that this would ever happen. I didn't even think that I would make the World Juniors, but here we are. I'm looking forward to hopefully spending the next few years of my life in the NHL, and I'm sorry, but no, I won't be going easy on any of you guys when I meet you. If you don't know how to guard me, then that's not my problem." I chuckled.

*  *  *

September 14th, 2023. 

I had made the team. I had just signed a three-year deal with the Blackhawks for  thirteen million dollars, along with a two hundred fifty thousand signing bonus, thirteen million dollars guaranteed and an annual average salary of approximately four million, three hundred thirty three thousand, three hundred thirty three dollars and thirty three cents a year. 

Don't get me wrong, I was ecstatic that I had made the team, it just didn't feel like I quite belonged. When I had gotten to the rink for one of our practices before training camp, all of the guys who had made the team were all chatting with each other while I was just standing off to the side, completely ignored. I'm pretty sure the only time I was spoken to that entire practice was when Derek, my head coach, told me to do something. 

It hurt. Imagine being the only girl playing a sport that is dominated by boys, all of the boys completely ignoring you. The worst part about this whole ordeal was the fact that not only was I completely ignored, but every time we would have to partner up for drills, I would always be only one without a partner, having to resort to the coach being my partner.