Olympic Fire [Miracle on Ice]

CHAPTER 6: Old Rivalries

            

~KIMBERLY'S POV~

I meet guys from University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth in front of the hotel we are staying during the tryouts. It doesn't take long for me to realize joining those guys was a great choice. They are fun, outgoing people and even few of those, who aren't really the talkers, loosen up a bit and join the conversation. I try to talk with one of the guys from University of Minnesota-Duluth, Mark Pavelich, but he is one of the quiet ones. And I swear I have never met anyone who would talk as little as he did.

"So, how is UMD?" I ask him while waiting for few of the guys to show up.

"Just an ordinary university," he shrugs his shoulders and zips up his jacket. It's obvious he doesn't really like talking. Someone puts his hand on my shoulder and I turn around. A guy who patted my shoulder is John Harrington, also a student of University of Minnesota-Duluth, a really tall forward with huge smile, which never seems to disappear.

"Don't mind him, Pav doesn't talk a lot. Really, don't take it personally. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure thing. Uh, what do you guys usually do when you are out?"

John grins and I suspect what the answer could be. And I wasn't wrong.

"Just, ya know, normal things. Drink, chat, flirt with girls we will probably never have, stuff like that. Enjoy our time, to sum things up."

"Why did I even ask, I should've known?"
"What do you do when you go out?"

"I don't often go out...but when my teammates and I go out, we normally drink, dance, check cute guys out and maybe hook up with them, gossip about other girls and guys from our school...pretty normal things, I must say."

"And then you judge us?" he grins and drapes arm around me "Let's go while the night is still young."

And now I am here with guys from Minnesota. Thanks to them, no guy dares to approach me. Well, about ten well-built hockey players surround me and I am sure no guy at the right mind would be brave enough to try and get in their middle. Not that I am complaining, Schneider and Dave Christian turn out to be a great company. And Verchota keeps my glass full. If I started the evening with a beer, I continue it with glasses of water and juice since I don't want to spend my first practice holding back vomit or with dizzy head. Tried it several times and trust me, that is not even remotely fun. Especially with coach giving remarks all the time. Plus, this is an Olympic Team and going by the stories of the guys who either played or play for Brooks, coach doesn't want to have any players with hangover on his team.

"So why do you drink that much?" I yell over loud music to John, who apparently doesn't hear me, so I try again. This time I try to get his attention by pulling a sleeve of his shirt.

"Yes?"
"Why do you drink so much?"

He shrugs his shoulders and takes another sip before setting his glass down and heading over to the table where some blonde girls sit.

"So,Dave , how long have you been playing? And where" I turn to Davey, which caught my attention during the tryouts because of his amazing haircut. He looks up from his test and thinks for a bit: "For so long I don't really remember when I started playing. What about you? And I play for University of North Dakota. And if I am not mistaken, you play for...Brown, right?"
"Yeah, who told you that?"

He ruffles his hair: "Well, you are a girl...of course everyone talks of a wonder girl who made the team."

I feel blush creeping up my cheeks at his words. I should've expected something like that, but...still, it feels odd knowing the guys have been probably talking about the only girl on the team.