Heartstrings on the Blue Line - Quinn Hughes

chapter one: an unfamiliar face

"Wake up Gen!" I can hear Eva harshly talking. She's shaking my shoulder and it wakes me up.

"You're not gonna have a lot of time to get ready for practice!" She shrieks.

" shit," I rush out of bed and hurriedly get some sweatpants and a comfy bra and shirt.

The dorm room is in havoc as Eva and I rush out to skate at the Bird Center. Coach Val is going to kill us if we are late. I hope the other girls on the skating team won't be bitches about it.

Since none of us have a car, we're forced to wait for the bus. We usually get on the Blue trip bus that stops right at the arena by 6:45. Gives us fifteen minutes to get ready.

It was 6:45 when we got to the bus station so we were going to be late.

"Fuck Gen, you made us late!" Quietly yelled Eva.
"We're fucked! Val is going to fucking kill us."

"The next bus comes in 5 minutes.." I add. "We're only going to be five minutes late." Still, I knew she was frustrated with me.

I can see Eva pacing slightly around the bus Station. She sometimes overthinks things.

Five minutes pass and the next bus does show up. Hurriedly, we get on the bus.

When I sit down beside Ava with our bags slung around our shoulders, I can see her knee, going up and down with nervousness.

" I'm sure Val will understand Eva, just please try to relax." I say to her trying to relax her.

" well, if she doesn't get pissed, I'm blaming it on you." She replies not looking at me.

Minutes pass and we arrive at the arena. Ava sprints out of the bus and into the arena while I just casually walk in.

After we get all changed and ready, we step out of the dressing room and into the rink. There she was in all of her glory. Val was standing on her phone looking pissed off. Once she looks up and sees Ava and I, she crosses her arms.

"Why are you guys late?" She asks.

"Well we- I mean I slept in and we missed our regular bus ride to the arena that got us on time for practices.." I explain.

She sighs and moves so we can get onto the ice.

"Two extra laps for you ladies!" She yells as we get father and farther away. She walks away from the ice to get her skates on I presume. She likes to teach by showing us and helping us grow.

Eva and I start with our regular warm ups, some stretches, and some laps. With the two extra laps pasted on, we were gassed by the time coach pulled all of us in to talk.

"We are going to be having the hockey team watching us practice. Their arena is under repair and since this is the only other rink, they have no other choice." Everyone groans and protests. "They all are assholes.." groans Kenzie.

"We can't do anything about it, it's all figured out by the board of athletics at this University." I roll my eyes hearing this.

There was only one person on that hockey team that I could actually tolerate and it was Kayde. He was nice to me. Him and I had some classes together and were paired up.

_______________________

While we were all sorted into groups of drills and exercises, a group of guys filed into the rink. Seeing the yellow and blue hats and coats, I connected the dots. It was the hockey team.