Drafted, Love, Hockey Life.

Chapter 2

Ellie POV
I had just gotten to my hotel room when I needed to start getting ready. This year the NHL draft is different because all the players off of all 31 teams are going to be at the draft. I get changed into a nice shirt and some black sweatpants as the league says I don't need to wear dresses and I can't get any other pants over my cast. I look in the mirror one last time before grabbing my crutches and heading towards the elevator.

When I reach the stadium I am speechless there is so many people sitting in here that either play in the NHL or are getting drafted. This year they are doing something different in the draft, the team that won the Stanley Cup gets the first pick of the draft. I already knew I wasn't going to be picked until the later rounds but everyone knows the first player gets to go to the Pittsburgh Penguins who have won the cup for the past 2 years. I'm still holding out a little hope that they choose me but then again I think everybody is.

It starts and I see Sidney Crosby, Jim Rutherford, Mario Lemieux, and Mike Sullivan go up to the mike...

Crosby starts to speak, "With the first pick of the 2018 NHL draft, my team the Pittsburgh Penguins are proud to select from the Islanders in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ellie Lynch!"

I sit there for a second and then I realize they just said my name, I just got drafted first overall to the best the in the league. I stand up and crutch myself carefully to the stage, when I get up there Mario tells me I need to say a speech about myself and my story, I of course had no clue about this so I decided to wing it.

" Hi everyone, as you may know I'm Ellie Lynch, I was born in a little town in Colorado called Littleton. I was adopted at the age of 2 after being in a foster home for a year because my parents passed away. I got adopted by my two loving parents Mark and Stormie Lynch, I have 5 siblings and another guy who is basically a sixth sibling. Their names are Riker who is 22, Ratliff who is 21, Rydel who is 20, Rocky who is 19, Ross who is 18 and Ryland who is 17. At the age of only 15 I had to make a big decision, to stay in Littleton with my family or to follow my dreams and move to a little province in Canada called PEI. Now this was a difficult decision because no matter how much I wanted to be a NHL player I loved my family. But my family kept telling me to follow my dreams so that's exactly what I did, I went to PEI and I worked my ass off to be the best and I think I became that. I made to close friends Welsh and Grouchy who were both on my team who are like my brothers. I am now 18 years old and 2 days ago my team won the Memorial Cup, sadly I couldn't be playing because I broke my ankle in the Semis. Now here I am and I just got drafted to the best team in the league and the one most important thing I can say is to all the girls out there, never give up on your dreams no matter what someone tells you, push through all the hate and work as hard as you can and I promise it will pay off. Thank you." I say and walk back to Sidney and Mario.

It's quiet for a second and then everyone stands up and starts clapping, I look around smiling. I made it, I'm here and now I just wish my family was here with me.

3 hours later

The team and I are back at my hotel, they are telling me about themselves and I'm telling them more about me.

" So where's your family, I saw they weren't there to celebrate with you tonight." Letang said
" Um I actually haven't seen them in 3 years, when I went to PEI, they all went to LA to follow their own dreams. I guess we've all just been to busy." I say looking down

" I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." He says
Just before I'm going to reply I hear my name being called behind me. I turn and there is my youngest brother Ryland.
" Oh my god, Ryland " I say with my voice cracking. I get up and sprint the best I could with crutches towards him pulling him into my arms.

" Hey big sis, I see your finally living your dreams." He says
I pull away and finally speak
" What are you doing here, where are the rest"
" the rest aren't here they are still in LA, and I'm here because I was wondering if I could stay with you in Pittsburgh."
" Well I haven't found a place yet but of course you can but why."
" I'll explain later, your team looks confused." He says

We walk back over to the team,
" Guys this is my little brother Ryland or Ry as I call him, Ry this is my team."
" Nice to meet you all" Ry says
" You too" they all say back

We all chat for a while before me and Ryland go to my room since I have two beds and the boys go to there because it turns out there staying in the same hotel.