On Thin Ice

The one where Woods got skills

With three seconds left on the clock, the puck shot through the air to bury itself into the top right corner of the net. The goal horn blared and Clarke Griffin cursed the hockey gods. As if reprimanding her, the horn sounded again, signaling the end of the game. The girls on the bench gave a collective sigh as they scooped up their water bottles and began filing back onto the ice. Clarke Griffin took her bottle and angrily sprayed water everywhere as she stepped onto the ice. She hates losing.

"Ten points from Gryffindor. Tsk, tsk." Clarke turned her head to see her friend and line mate Raven Reyes teasing her. Before she could respond with something equally as sarcastic, Octavia Blake intervened.

"Reyes chill. Can't you see she's royally pissed?" Octavia snorted. "Get it? Royally pissed? Because she's the princess." Octavia chuckled at her own lame attempt at a joke. Raven just sighed and started to shake the other team's sweaty hands. Clarke went through the line absentmindedly, wishing she could say exactly what she thought of them instead of a robotic 'good game'. If it had been a good game, we would have won, damn it.

"We should have had that game guys. We should have been all over them." Clarke growled as soon as they stepped in the dressing room. Raven and Octavia shared a look. They knew exactly what was coming; the three of them had been best friends since grade four when they all fought over the tire swing. Raven had won, but later felt bad and ended up sharing it.

But nooo. Instead, we get our butts kicked. The usually boisterous room was hushed tonight, due to their loss. There was only the sound of helmets being unbuckled, skates being untied, Velcro ripping, and gear being violently thrown into bags. Sixteen sweaty, exhausted, brooding teenage girls dealt with the disappointment of being the losing team. None of them were used to it. Their team, the Arkers, were known as one of the best varsity girls' hockey team in Atlantic Canada. They all went to Kenn Valley Academy, a prestigious boarding school that was well known for their outstanding education and, more importantly, their sports programs. KVA, as it was shortened to, had some of Canada's best athletic teams. They dominated the field of rugby, football, lacrosse, soccer, and even had a kick-ass swim team, but it was hockey that everyone tried to get their child into the school for.

"You're right Clarke, but there's no use in getting worked up about the past. Just remember," Octavia had bent down to untie her skates but looked up with deep, soulful eyes. "life is a collection of nows."

This time, both Clarke and Raven snorted at their friend. All three of them craned their necks up to the ceiling to look at the painted words Octavia had just spoken. They laughed at her silliness, and just like that, Clarke's moodiness faded away. They quickly undressed in silence until underwear-clad Clarke grabbed a small plastic bag and headed for the showers.

"Griffin!" Clarke turned her head to see Raven fighting with her shin pad. "Spot me some shampoo would ya? I forgot mine."

"Sure thing Ravenclaw." Clarke winked at the small, fiery girl before disappearing around the corner to the showers. It was a large rectangular area with four shower heads at each of the corners. Clarke placed her soap and stuff on the little platform and turned the water on. It usually takes a little fiddling to get the water so that it wasn't boiling hot or freezing cold, but Clarke had mastered the art of water-temperature-taming ages ago. She had gone to Kenn Valley since kindergarten because her mom was good friends with the Science professor. She played hockey since IP 2 and had always loved it. She made the varsity team as a freshman, which was rare, but if Clarke Griffin had anything, it was talent. For, like, everything. It was hard sometimes for her friends to watch as Clarke slayed at everything she did and not be a teensy bit envious. But that didn't matter anymore because the Golden Trio now played on the same team and snipped all the ginos.