Breaking The Ice

Chapter 1~ Connections

"So how's it going with you and Ava?" I ask Jack my best friend and also my teammate. "Good, I mean better than your love life," he says and everyone laughs as I just smile and shake my head. Then the door bursts open "What are y'all waiting for? I know I'm late but y'all could've already started with warmups" Coach says, everyone just laughs a bit as we walk out of the locker room and get onto the ice and start to warm up.

"No seriously, it's good between me and Ava. You should come over again. Plus I didn't mean what I said about your love life" Jack says as he comes and skates next to me as we skate up and down the rink to warm up

"That's good. I'm happy for you man. And I mean you were right about my love life, it sucks." I say and he just smiles "Trust me, man, there's someone out there that's meant for you. I mean look at me. I never thought I'd find a woman that could make me feel this happy but I did. And let me tell you I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with her" he says

"That's good, I'm invited to the wedding right?" I ask "Wheeler, Brown?! Want a cup of tea and a biscuit too or what?! This ain't a place to gossip! Get to work!" Coach yells which makes us laugh as we continue to skate

"Just so you know. You'll be my best man at my wedding" Jack says hitting my chest with the back of his hand before speeding up which makes me smile.

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It's been about an hour and I'm really thirsty but I left my bottle in the locker room so I skate up to coach. "What did you forget Wheeler?" He asks annoyed "My water bottle. I'll be quick, I swear one minute" I say "You got thirty seconds, hurry," he says, and as soon as he does I get off the ice and run to the locker room to grab my water bottle

When I have it I realize it's empty so I quickly go and fill it up but it takes forever. And while I'm filling up my bottle I see a woman coming in the locker room looking around.

She's quite beautiful, she has brown wavy hair and I think she's around my age so 24-26 if I had to guess.

"Are you lost?" I ask and she immediately turns around a bit shocked "god, I didn't realize anyone was here" "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" I say turning off the water tap and putting the cap back on my water bottle and drink some before walking over to her.

"I'm Noah btw" I say extending my hand. "I know but thanks for reminding me," she says shaking my hand "How do you know my name?" I ask a little confused

"Dude, you're the best hockey player alive right now, plus your name is on you're water bottle." She says "shit" I whisper and she just laughs

"It's ok though, don't be embarrassed," she says and now that I look at her she seems familiar to me "So uh do you know where Pete is?" "Right, yeah he's at the ice rink. I can take you there if you want. I have to go back too so." I say and she just smiles "Sure, lead the way" She smiles and so we begin to walk

"So what's your name? I mean you know mine but I still don't know yours" "I guess you'll never know. Cause I'm not gonna tell." She says with a smirk "Oh a riddle huh?" I ask and she laughs a bit, god her laugh is so cute.

"How do you know Pete?" "Another mystery that you can try and figure out," she says with a mischievous smirk on her face as we arrive at the ice rink

"Oh hey, you made it," Pete says turning around and looking at us "You, back on the ice right now and three laps. You took longer than thirty seconds," coach says sternly to me.

"It's kinda my fault though, he helped me to find you," the woman says as I put my bottle down and run on the ice "It's true though, she was lost," I say "Fine, one lap" coach says and I just give the woman a grateful smile and she gives me one back before I do one lap around the ice rink before joining my teammates in a match.