Shooting Star

Chapter 23

This was officially nuts. Absolutely bonkers. I was going to go CRAZY.

From St. Catharines last night, I'd driven back from competition to Toronto, where I'd slept. Then I played a 7:00am hockey game, and then I'd gotten back at 11:00am. THEN I had to write my Principles of Mathematics exam, which was insane since I didn't get ANY studying done this weekend. Once that was done, I had to rush over to the dance studio for a last minute rehearsal for about an hour. By then it was about 6:00. Then I had a 6:30 game, and I am going to get to bed at around 1:00, assuming I get home in time. 

Oh yeah, did I mention that the games were all in OTTAWA?

Shit.

I yawned as I stumbled into the shotgun of Mom's SUV with Adrian and Jake in the back. I was playing my last round-robin playoff game, and if we won this one, we'd advance straight to the semis. If we lost, we'd have to play another game tomorrow, which I was eager to avoid. I'd rather just go straight to the semis, which were on Friday. Which meant 4 days of good, sleeping nights.

"Are you okay?" Mom asked, concerned as we drove past the same rest stations as we'd done so this morning.

I nodded, my eyes closing. "Just tired, that's all."

"You're amazing," Jake commented. "A 7 o'clock game, then a math exam, then a dance rehearsal, and yet ANOTHER game!"

"Don't remind me," I groaned. "This is insanity."

Mom smiled. Although I couldn't see, I could hear the smile in her voice: "I'm so proud of you, sweetie. You've really pulled through."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

We drove in silence. The next thing I knew was Mom shaking my shoulder. "Brianna, wake up. You're almost late."

I guess I must've fallen asleep. At the words 'almost late', I bolted upright, jumped out of the car, grabbed my bag from the trunk, and ran off inside to the locker room.

"Nice of you to show," Kylie said. "I was surprised you did, after everything today."

I groaned, and started putting my equipment on, not even bothering to make small talk.

Ruby studied me, concerned. "You have circles on your eyes," she announced. "Are you tired?"

"Wouldn't you be if you got back from St. Catharines last night after midnight, had to wake up at 5 to get ready to play another hockey game, then write a math exam, then go to cardio and conditioning at dance, and then play another stupid game tonight?" I snapped, finally cracking.

Ruby flinched and retreated to the other side of the room. 

Guilt filled me. "I'm sorry," I sighed. "I get nasty when I'm tired and cranky."

"Don't worry about it," Alyssa replied.

"Yeah, we know you're tired," Ruby told me. "Take it easy."

"If we lose," I muttered darkly, "I'm never gonna live 'til the end of the month."

I could see the gears in Kylie's mind turning. "Okay guys, for Breeze's sake, we need to win this because if we lose, and she has to play yet another game tomorrow, I don't know if we're gonna have her on the team much longer."

I stared at Kylie, grateful. "Thanks," I murmured.

"No problemo," Kylie said, adjusting her helmet.

"GIRLS, BENCH NOW!" Coach Hiller called, holding open the locker room door.

We all filed out. I stepped onto the ice after Alyssa, doing my usual laps around our side of the ice.