Online Songs || Kendall Knight

Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

Kendall Knight usually found the Mountain Aire High School hockey arena a place of comfort. Coach Finnstock had given him the keys to the facility after he'd been unanimously voted captain of the team, and there was rarely a time when Kendall wasn't spotted inside shooting across the ice on his skates.

He'd led the school hockey team to the state championships last year - youngest captain in the school's history at age sixteen - through hard work, determination, and hours and hours of practice on the ice. It wasn't a position just handed over to any sophomore; It was a spot he'd been vying for his entire freshman year and had rightfully earned through his impressive physical prowess and natural leadership skills.

The home of the fighting Albatross was supposed to be packed this time of day, from his teammates warming up for practice, coaches and managers noisily discussing which warm-ups to start with, classmates filling the stands to catch a glimpse of the finest athletes MAHS had to offer, but for now, it was quiet. Kendall was the only one around.

Finnstock had sent out an email earlier stating he'd gone home sick in the middle of the day, so practice was canceled for the afternoon.

The team already had a hard workout that morning, one that left his best friends practically crawling into first-period pre-calc, so Kendall supposed, for the first day of school, things could be a lot worse.

As he slowly made his way to the metal stands overlooking the playing field, the blonde shook his head to no one in particular. James, Logan, and Carlos are always trying to get out of practice.

Though he loved his three best friends, he could tell hockey was only a fun pastime for them. It wasn't their passion, their purpose. At least, not like it was for him.

James Diamond, from the ripe age of five years old, has been shooting for the stars... Of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There was hardly a moment where he wasn't rattling off about some daydream he had about starring in the world's biggest and most popular movie musical alongside whoever he deemed the hottest celebrity at the time. One of the centers on the team, such a showboating position certainly fit well for him and his fantastical ego.

Logan Mitchell, resident sports statistician, and all-around know-it-all knew he wanted to be a doctor from the moment he learned the meaning of the word. His brain absorbed information like a sponge, and his friends often relied on him for help with their schoolwork. He and Kendall often worked on game strategies to determine which plays would run best against their opponents. While this was his unofficial team role, on the ice, Logan was an impressive right-winger and quite the speed demon.

Carlos Garcia, like most other teens their age, was still trying to figure out his life's passion. Often found volunteering at local animal shelters or his church, his calling seemed to be helping just about anyone he could out of the pure kindness of his heart. He was probably one of the most loyal people the three of them knew, which translated well to his role on the team. Though he would never admit it if asked, Carlos was one of the best goalies, Kendall would gladly argue, in all of Minnesota. Maybe even in the entire Midwest.

And while Kendall loved that they had goals of their own, just like he did, it often led to distractions when it came to game time.

He couldn't afford distractions, not if he wanted to make the Minnesota Wild starting lineup right out of college.

Air from the massive AC units cooling the space nipped at the pieces of bare skin poking out from his heavy flannel and jeans; Kendall preferred to be a bit colder than was comfortable. It reminded him of the adrenaline rush of flying down the ice, the roar of a jam-packed arena. Duluth, Minnesota often had the perfect weather for that feeling to hang around permanently, so that even if he was nowhere near the arena, simply stepping outside and taking a breath of the fresh air helped emulate those sensations.