The Hive

15

Darcy was nice enough. Wally couldn't bring herself to say anything nice to Laila. Alina wouldn't be happy if she did. The rest of the team was home for summer vacation meaning the only three they met so far was Ashton, Laila, and Darcy.

"So you are a... shooter right?" Wally nodded, she looked at the rest of the girls at the booth. Wally was the only one who acknowledged them, turned the other way to stare. "Are all of you offense?" She asked, Wally glanced at Joan and shook her head. "Joan's defense." Darcy nodded and glanced at Laila, also defense.

"Maybe we can go to the stadium after this and see how good you guys really are." It was a disguised challenge but Wally didn't care. The thought of getting back on the ice made her heart beat against her chest. "Uh huh. I guess we'll meet you there then, hmm?"

The only car they had was Joan's Blue monstrosity considering Wally had bought it, unlike Alina and Natalia's cars that Coach has bought. So they all piled in and drove to the court behind the rest of the team.

The Pile Driver's stadium was smaller than the Hornets. Wally had never been before but the red and white walls were off-putting. She ran her fingers along the white bricks of the girl's locker room and pulled on one of the practice jerseys they'd been given. They're actual jerseys would come in next week. For now though, these would have to do.

She grabbed a racquet, turning it over in her hands. It was red instead of the usual black. Everything was, even the stands and the banners and the skates. As she stepped onto the rink she found herself stumbling. Everything was too overwhelming and she found herself looking at her new teammates and the excitement of getting on the court again was gone and replaced by this suffocating feeling in her chest and suddenly she was running back to the locker room.

She didn't care about her skates dulling or the pain of throwing herself into her wall. She couldn't breath and if she stood any longer she was sure she'd fall over.

She drew her knife when Laila jogged into the locker room. She stood just out of arms reach, watching her struggle to breathe. She crouched to her level and shook her head, "You're scared," she said quietly, "or overwhelmed or something I don't know but I get it. This isn't like the Hive. These people are nice and they don't even have their coach here right now. You're safe, Wally."

Wally shook her head, imagining what Coach would do to her for running out on practice like this. She looked at her hands, still bandaged from her fight with the shower wall. "You still have a month to get used to this. I know you don't like me but you can ask for help, or even Darcy or Ashton. They helped me and they know a little about the Hive. You're okay Wally."

She walked back on the court shivering. She'd dumped a bottle of water on her head in the locker room after Laila had left and walked back to the court and let herself on. She skated to the open spot beside Natalia. They were doing drills, Ashton dropped several cones on one side of the court and brought out two buckets of balls and they went at it. Wally missed two of the three and found herself glancing to the side, expecting to see Coach but finding the stands empty. Ashton put a hand on her shoulder and shot her a smile, "Nice job, just focus on where the ball is instead of where it's going next time, okay?" Wally nodded and he skated away. She found herself staring at Laila who stared right back, a hidden smile on her face.

She found herself going to bed and expecting to wake up by being dragged out of it. Instead she woke up to Joan crawling into it. She accept her presence gratefully yet still found herself glancing at the digital clock on the wall to see when they'd have to get up for morning practice before she reminded herself that there wouldn't be one. Not until July at least.

They met the coach the following week. She brought them their jerseys and took them all out to dinner. "Some if you already know me of course, but for those of you who don't, it's Lindsey Ross. Coach Ross." The ex-hornets all nodded and said nothing as they ate, not even giving her a goodbye as she left again, saying she'd be back a day or two before summer practices began.