Love For A Game

He walks up to me, the girl standing behind him. "Hello Jordan," Gillespie says. He points to the girl. "This little lady here is a new student. I'm gonna have her work with you today, show her the ropes. Behave yourselves."

Before I get a chance to protest, Gillespie walks off to check on other people's progress. The girl just stands there, looking at me quizzically.

"Um," I say. "Do you have a name?"

"Yes," she says, and I'm struck by her accent. I think it's French. "My name is Nicole, Nicole Lavoie."

"Interesting. Say, is that a French accent I hear? Are you from Quebec or something?"

"Yes, I am, she says. "Montreal, to be exact."

"Really? I've always wanted to go there!"

"That's awesome. Uh, your name is Jordan, right?"

"Yes, yes it is."

***

Jordan Devlin is a hockey player, and a good one at that. Although hockey has always been his passion, there is one thing that he hasn't been able to figure out: love. When he suddenly meets a girl he finds incredibly attractive, he is unsure of what to do.

What will Jordan do about this girl, now that he finds his life turned upside down?

***

"Tell me a bit about yourself. You're the first person here that I've talked to since coming here."

"Alright," I say, unsure of what to say next. "I spend a lot of my time playing hockey. That's where I strive to be professionally."

"You're a hockey player, huh? Nicole asks excitedly. "What position?"

"Centre."

"Cool. You do much of anything else?"

I shrug. "No. Just a hockey player."

"Are you any good?"

"How does fifty goals in twenty games sound to you?"

Her eyes widen. "That's near impossible, isn't it?"

"Apparently not."

"That's impressive. Now, let's get to work. The teacher is staring at us."

I nod, and we get to work. The whole time, I cannot help but smile stupidly, because Nicole took such an interest in me, and who I am. She seems so full of life, and not one to let it bring her down.

I'm beginning to like her already.