Take Two

Chapter 2- Matthew

My alarm was blaring, I rolled over and slapped the snooze button with mighty force. I reached for my phone and checked my notifications and socials, I had some messages from my teammates about day one and I just wanted to go back to sleep. I got out of bed and threw on my sweats, I made my morning smoothie and packed up my bag. Back to the season grind. Don't get me wrong I love playing hockey but I played juniors and waking up at 5 am for practice sucks. But I still head out on time. I pull up to the rink at 6:30 so I can be ready for 7am. Some of the boys were already in the dressing room and lobby getting ready.

"Ayyyy! McConnors good to see you again buddy!"

Samuels was one of the few guys I met at the spring camp back in April before graduation. He was a good guy, all the guys were. So I set up camp in my dressing stall and got ready to roll. All of the guys stood on the blue line and the coaches stood in front of us.

"Good morning! Welcome to Big Red Hockey! You are here because you are the 24 best players out of hundreds to try out for this team. So keep that in mind when you are playing because your spot has many people to fill it with. I am coach Berns, head coach and GM, this is Assistant coach Douglas he is my right hand man."

Coach D waved and smiled, "Lets pass it onto the non-coach staff."

"Hi I am Sunny. I am the trainer and I will not chase after you. I have set times for skate sharpening and other equipment needs, so be prompt or figure it out yourself."

"I'm Mac, I do the commentary for the team and some of the media, my media buddy is somewhere and she is also a vital part of the team."

A girl with a Big Reds jacket came jogging onto the ice and slid to where the others were standing, it was a flawless slide and she stood tall. My mouth dropped.

"Ah there you are!" Mac smiled.

"Hello everyone, I am Olivia, but everyone calls me Olly! I am Mac's right hand man!"

Standing in front of me was Olly Addison. She was wearing a team jacket and holding a coffee mug, she went to high school with me, she even asked me out. We were friends and she came to every junior game I played with her brother. I was shocked. Coach Berns let the office staff go back to their jobs and started pracky, but I couldn't focus. After we had finished a rather grueling practice I quickly showered and changed, I needed to talk to Olly. I went upstairs and found her sitting in her office. Mac had already left for the day.

I tap on the door, "Olly?"

"Hey Matthew!" she didn't look up from her computer.

"What are you doing here?"

"Working," she states simply.

"But I mean here, at Cornell and with the team."

"Working."

"But I'm here."

"So?" she asks, finally looking at me.

"You knew I signed here half way through senior year."

"Oh don't flatter yourself McConnors, I got asked to work here personally by Mac last year after I had been working with another Junior team. I didn't even know you were coming here."

"Oh."

"Yeah so don't be such a douche about it," she states sharply.

"Okay, but I don't think you can call me a douche in your position."

"I just did," her lip curved into a line and she started typing again. This cueed me to leave.

I went back to grab my bag and then left the rink heading to my dorm. When I got there I got a text in the chat.

Party at me and Smithers place 7.

Fuck yeah, I need a place to drink tonight.