One of the Boys

Chapter 1

Delaney

"Great game out there Delaney!" My mom says greeting me with open arms as I appear in the lobby after my team's game against the Belleville Senators. "Thanks mom." I smile giving her a hug. "Yeah Laney, nice goal to win it for the team!" My brother Matthew exclaims.

I pulled my medium length dark brown hair up into a ponytail as I continue to make conversation with my mom and brother who had come to watch my game in town tonight. "Hey Del, bus is leaving in ten!" Jason said as he came over to inform me I have a few minutes left to talk to my mom and Matthew.

In case you were wondering, Jason is my best friend and my teammate. We both play for the Manitoba Moose. We've been on the same hockey team since we were little kids and have been best friends ever since. It's great to have my best friend on the same team especially since I live in an entire different province from my family. Although we're a year apart, Jason is like another older brother to me in a way. Both of my actual brothers are pro hockey players in the NHL now so I don't get to see them much but I'm happy that I still have Jason around.

"Okay, thanks Jace." I smile. "Hi Jason, great win tonight man!" Matthew smiles. "Oh hey! Thanks man!" He replied. "Well I guess I should get going now. Don't want to be left behind!" I say fiddling with my fingers. "Alright, have a safe trip back okay sweetheart. Text me when you guys get home." My mom says pulling me into a hug. "Don't worry, I will. Love you mom." I reply. "Hey what about me? I know you'll miss me for sure! Don't u get a hug too?" Matthew smiles pulling me into a hug. "Yeah, yeah, whatever! Thanks for coming to watch me play on your night off." I reply looking up at my six foot tall brother. "You know I never pass up an opportunity to watch my favourite sibling play!" He smiles. "I know!" I smile before walking away.

If you were wondering, I have two older brothers, Mason and Matthew. Both of my brothers play hockey in the NHL but for different teams. My oldest brother Mason, he's 24 years old and plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs while my other brother Matthew who's 22 plays in Ottawa for the Ottawa Senators. They both play much closer to home more often than I do which kinda sucks because I don't see them much now that I play in the AHL for the Moose in Winnipeg.

When Jace and I got on the bus, we took a seat in the back. "It felt great to see my parents tonight. I haven't seen them in so long!" Jason said with a huge smile on his face. "Yeah, I miss being close to home but it's great to see my family when we come play in town." I replied. The bus left the parking lot of the arena and soon we were back on the road towards the airport to catch a flight back to Winnipeg.

While on our flight back to Manitoba, Jason and I watched a movie before he fell asleep halfway through. When our movie was over, I plugged my earbuds in and turned my music on before turning my head and leaning it against the window as I watched the clouds below us float by.

******

"Jason wake up dude! We're back." I said gently shaking him awake as his eyes fluttered open and he gave me a confused look. "What's going on Del?" He asked. "We're back in Manitoba. Now let's get off this plane, grab our bags and go home!" I said as we both got up from our seats and followed our teammates off the plane.

When Jason and I arrived to his car, he popped the trunk open and we both put our bags in the car before going around to the side and getting in. "Want to grab a bite to eat before I take you home?" He asked as he started the car. "Yeah sure! Subway?" I look over with a smile. "Sure thing girl!" Jason smiled.

As we drove on down the street towards the nearest Subway, I unlocked my phone and went straight to my text messages hitting my mom and Matthew's contact before texting them both that we made it back safely. "Here we are." Jason said putting his car in park as I looked up to see the building in front of us.

Jason and I always carpool to the arena for practice and games. And we definitely always carpool to the airport to catch our flights but the best part is that we also live in the same apartment building right across the hall from each other so whenever one of us is bored, we can hangout without having to actually leave the building.

"What are you having today?" Jason asks holding the door open and letting me step inside before him. "I'm thinking maybe a steak and cheese sub. What about you?" I reply. "Turkey sub with bacon and cheese." He says giving me his goofy smile.

"So what do you think is going to happen with the trade deadline coming up soon?" Jason asks sitting at the table and looking at me. The trade deadline is not something we tend to talk about much because there was never really a reason for it. But now there's talk that Jace and I are possibly being traded to Toronto. "To be completely honest with you Jace, I'm not too sure. I mean sure I'd love to play for a team closer to home but at the same time, this is only our second year with the Moose." I reply before taking a bite from my sub.

"I see where you're coming from Del. I'm still trying to adjust to playing for the Moose too but wouldn't it be nice to go back home and play for Toronto? You'd be closer to your family and playing for your hometown." Jason smiled. Before I answered his question, I took a sip from my water and took a moment to collect my thoughts. "Jace, I do want to play for my home team it's just... It's just that I'm scared to start over on a new team again. These guys had adjusted so well to having a girl play with them but what if... What if it's not like that when we do get traded to another team? What if they hate me?" I ask before an awkward silence fell between us.

"Del, not everyone in the league adjusts well to change right away. Even if we do get traded, our new team will have to accept the fact that you're a girl who worked hard to get where she's at today and if they don't like it then it sucks to be them!" Jason said putting a small smile on my face.

"You're right Jace. Thanks." I smile before a comfortable silence fell upon us as we finish our subs. I honestly don't know what I'd do without Jason in my life. He's always finding the right words to say and always sees the positive side of things. But what if this time it's wrong? What if I do get traded and my new team doesn't like me?

"Del?" Jason said snapping me from my thoughts. I look up at him with a small smile and nod. "You ready to head home now?" He asks collecting both our our garbage from the table. "Hmm, yeah let's get out of here!" I reply getting up from the table and one step in front of the other, I'm making my way towards the exit behind Jason.

******
"Thanks for the ride Jace." I say before the elevator made a stop on the 9th floor of the apartment building. "No problem, anytime Dels." He smiles before the doors of the elevator opened. "See you at practice tomorrow morning?" I ask as we both step off the elevator. "Sure thing!" He grinned. "Alright, I'll text you when I'm ready to go, we'll take my car tomorrow." I reply before we stopped at our respective apartment doors. "Night Dels!" He says. "Night Jace." I reply before turning the key in the lock.