out of the woods • jack hughes

003

NEW BEGINNINGS
Quinn's Point of View
📍New York City, New York
🕰️ 4/13/23

I should be in Washington D.C. right now, but instead i'm here in New York City about to skate with the team before they play the Maple Leafs. A few of them reached out to me last night, just to get acquainted, but today I'll meet them all formally and skate with them.

I won't be playing tonight, but I will once the playoffs start which I'm absolutely dreading. I've typed and deleted 18 different texts to the group chat, but I finally found one I think I should send.

the crew

good luck today

nico knee caps
come back to nj

mercdawg
just swim across the hudson

jacky boy
i don't want my girlfriend to
die by swimming across the
fucking river

little bro
but seriously come back

i can't, i'm sorry

haula
we should kidnap her tn

johnny
good idea

you are all idiots

I swipe out of the tab and set my phone down next to me. I change in the bathroom, which is really nice here at MSG, and make my way out of the locker room. Earlier today, I put all my stuff in my locker.

"Brooks, nice to finally meet." He says. I've only ever seen him from the other side of the ice and he seems really rude. "Between us, I think what's going on is really messed up." I stand corrected.

"Nice to meet you, coach." I say.

"I'm actively working with the NHL player protection committee, the Rangers staff, and the Devils staff to get you back with you team." He says.

"Thank you so much, that's really sweet of you." I say. I didn't expect anyone to really care about this, but the fact he's trying to help me get back to Jersey is really thoughtful.

"While I'm working on that, which it might take a little bit, get aquatinted with the team." He says.

I skate onto the ice. Before I talk to any players, I look at the banners in the room, specifically Harry Styles' banner. I came to one of the shows here during his residency.

"Patrick Kane," He takes off his glove. He doesn't need an introduction, I've grown up watching him play. "Nice to meet you."

"Quinn Brooks." I shake his hand.

"It's really unfortunate what happened, by the way." He says. I just smile slightly, which is more just me turning my lips upward for a second.

Kane introduces me to some of the other guys on the team, Kreider, Trocheck, Kakko, Tarasenko, Fox, and head trauma Trouba. I gave Trouba that nickname. I meet the famous Shesterkin and the rest of the team as well.

"Hi." I can tell by the last name and number that it's Braden Schneider, but he isn't facing me, he's fixing the laces on his skates.

When he hears me, he looks up grinning like a devil. "Quinn?" I guess his resting face is a fucking devilish smirk.

"Yeah, that's me. It's nice to meet you." I say.

"The pleasure is all mine." He says. "I think you'll fit in pretty well here." Compared to what everyone else has said to me about being here on the Rangers, Braden's answer is the complete opposite.

"After the game, some of the guys and I are going to this restaurant down the street, Mustang Harry's. You can come if you want." He says.

"Yeah, sure, thanks for the invite." I say. I've been to that restaurant a couple of times before.

I wait for everyone to come out of the locker room before I go in. I shower and change while the first period is going on.

I join everyone at the bench area, but instead of sitting down, I just stand behind it. I occasionally check on the Devils game, and I see Luke get his first point. I wish I was there to actually see it.

I send him a text he'll see after the game. The Devils are losing 1-3 right now, but they'll definitely have time to turn it around.

For the team that I'm currently on, the first period ends 0-0.

-

The Devils game ends 5-4, Luke got his first goal in over time. I'm so proud of him. So many people doubted him and claimed he wasn't ready, he had the chance to prove them wrong and he did. I send him another text radiating my happiness.

For the Rangers, they lost, well, I guess we lost 3-2. The Maple Leafs are a good team, a great team actually, so the game could've gone either way.

I know the team has to shower and do conferences, so it'll be a while before they are ready to head to the restaurant.

I head to my car, and get in it. I want to charge my phone a little bit while I'm waiting.

"Luke!"

"Hey, it's Quinn, guys." He turns the camera around to the locker room, they seem like they're having so much fun.

"Congratulations on the goal, Luke! That's amazing, I wish I was there to see it." The way I said it, it sounded upbeat and light, but the way I mean it is sad. I really wish I was there, I miss them all so much.

"Well, we'll see you on the eighteenth here in Jersey if that makes you feel any better." He says.

"Yeah, I guess." The game isn't with them, it's against them, that just makes is worse for me.

"I, um... I gotta go, I'll talk to you guys later, congrats on the win." I say. I see the Rangers, well, my teammates, start to file out of MSG, so I don't have to wait much longer.

Mustang Harry's is down the street, so I'll just walk there and back once dinner is over. I get out of my car, my phone didn't get to charge too much.

The post-game traffic has died down and it's just usually city traffic now. I see the restaurant sign about a block away.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

a lot happened today.

olivia (joe burrow's gf) posted a story with joe in it. so i can't wait for football season anymore.

luke gets to play tmr!!! i love luke sm and the press conference he had was amazing especially when they asked ab jack's tooth 😭😭