Achilles

Chapter 1: Lollipop

I rush into the sitting area around the ice rink and take a seat on a bench, pulling off my shoes. I turn my head up to look at the guys, none of them are on the ice, they're just hunched over the rink wall, facing the ice.

I pull on my beaten-up ice skates and carefully trudge over behind them. I lean onto Aiden and Liam's back, slinging my arms over their shoulders, "what are all of you shits standing around for, isn't this practice?" I ask, kneeing the back of Liam's leg.

He loses his balance and starts to tumble. I reach out and grab him from under the pits, holding him up. He cranks his head back slowly, "you betray me, then you save me?" He says, earning a gleeful nod from me, "scum!" He shouts.

"What are you even here for? You were suspended," the piece of shit James says.

"Shut the fuck up James, I'm still captain." I grab my duffel bag and dig around through my stuff.

"Uh uh, you were suspended, I'm captain now... and go get changed," Aiden asserts, patting my shoulder, pointing out the fact that I'm not wearing my gear.

"Interim-captain," I correct, pulling out a lollipop from my bag—I don't even know what 'interim' means but that's what Coach called him—Aiden just rolls his eyes. I pull the wrapping off my lollipop then look up at James. He's just staring at me, "the fuck you staring at?" I pop the lollipop into my mouth.

"Fucking asshole." James turns around, facing the ice again.

I pull the candy out of my mouth with a pop, "let me guess, you're still mad about me earning center... oh no... or is it because I got captain, not you?" He doesn't turn his head, I sigh, "did you ever consider that I'm just a better player than you?" I spit out.

James turns around and lunges at me, Aiden and Liam quickly jump in his path, holding him back.

"Are you trying to get suspended too? Just cool it, he's one of our bests and you can't deny that!" Liam exclaims, shoving his chest.

I smile at James's irritated face. He smacks Aiden and Liam's hands off of him then turns back around like the little bitch he is.

I walk up to the rink, standing between Aiden and Liam, "stop antagonizing him," Aiden scolds, slapping the back of my head.

"I'm not anstaguising anyone," I huff, leaning over the short wall between me and the ice, "can we practice now?"

Aiden sighs, "ansta-what? Ira... don't talk to me for 5 minutes." Aiden pinches the bridge of his nose.

I turn to Liam, "why can't we practice?" I question followed by a fat sigh.

Liam grabs my face, turning my head to face out onto the ice, "that's why," he answers.

On the far end of the ice is a girl, skating around. She starts skating backward, picking up her speed. Her knees bend slightly just before she leaps upward, spinning in a circle with her legs spread in the air. She lands onto the ice perfectly, sliding backward with her arms bowed in front of her.