Like Perfection || Adrian Kempe

Ch. 2

Sophia's POV- October 2015

"Do you know any of the players?"

I shook my head and looked at Jackie.

"Nope" I answered.

She raised an eyebrow.

"You just told me your mom has been working for this team for about 3 years now"

I smiled and nodded.

"The current Ontario Reign were the Manchester Monarchs last season, and vice versa for the current Manchester Monarchs. The LA Kings swapped their AHL and ECHL team locations so it would be easier to reach their players if any injury happened" I explained.

She nodded and glanced towards the ice where two teams were warming up.

"So do you know how to skate?"

"Yes, Enzo actually taught me how to skate" I told her.

"That's nice of him"

"He helped me take my mind off gymnastics when I was recovering from my shoulder surgery" I stated.

She smiled.

"I'm excited for your college debut. You bet your butt that I am going to be the loudest in the student section"

Jackie had a good set of lungs, and I in no way doubted her.

"Let's take a picture" I said as I pulled my phone out of my purse.

I unlocked the screen and angled it to we were both on the screen. We both smiled and I looked down at my phone as I captioned the picture.

"Good?" I asked.

SophiaOrtiz: Hockey with my roomie 👯

"Looks like you've got an admirer"

"What?" I asked.

"Number 9"

My eyes scanned the black jerseys and I smiled as I made eye contact with Number 9. He immediately turned around skated over to one of his teammates.

"He's cute" I noted as I took note at his last name, KEMPE on the back of his jersey.

I looked at Jackie.

"Why do you assume he's admiring me? He could be looking at you" I stated.

She laughed.

"Because he's looking right now, and he's looking at you"

I turned back and smiled at him when we made eye contact with him. His cheeks turned pink and he looked down as he skated over to the team bench.

"Tell your mom to hook it up"

I laughed, I was certainly not asking my mom that. I had to admit, this team was much younger. No on on last season's team dared to flirt with me because I was a minor. I had turned 18 during the summer, so I was now considered 'legal'

"You're so weird" I told her.

I looked down at my phone that vibrated on my lap. I had a text from my mom telling me not to wait up for her because she had a meeting after the game.

"So I was thinking we should wake up at around 9?" I stated.

"Ok, what do you have planned?"

"We could go to the grocery store and get food to make since I'm sure you'd like a homemade meal or we could go to a small cafe and have breakfast" I offered.

"I had a homemade meal for dinner, let's go to that cafe. I want to see more of your hometown"

I moved to Ontario, California from Plano, Texas where I used to train at WOGA. I trained there from age 12 to 16. I was considered a top elite gymnast for the United States at a very young age. I got injured half way through my first year as a senior and I needed surgery. I was 16 years old and at the prime of my elite career, and it all ended because of an injury. My father passed away shortly after I had surgery, he had cancer and he kept that from me because he thought it would distract me. His death certainly distracted me because no one saw it coming, and my mom did what was best for me at the time. She packed up my life and moved me to California with where she and her boyfriend Lorenzo lived. My parents never married, but they did live together up until I was 9 years old. After that, my dad was granted custody of me because my mom worked a lot. Dad and I lived in St. Louis where I trained and then in 2009 he moved with me to Plano, Texas. My dad was my biggest fan, and it killed me that he wouldn't be there to see my college debut. I knew my mom and Enzo would be one of the loudest people at Pauley though. Enzo was a father figure, he stepped up after my dad passed away. The first few nights were rough, he sat with me and let me cry on his shoulder. I returned to WOGA when I was 17 and I competed level 10. I returned to say goodbye to everyone there. With a heavy heart I retired from Elite gymnastics, but before that I signed my letter of intent with UCLA. I was a Freshmen at UCLA majoring in Cognitive Science.

"Alright, let's enjoy the game" I said.

"Maybe number 9 will throw you a hockey puck"

I rolled my eyes and lightly shoved her to which she laughed. I was completely oblivious at the fact that number 9 had been staring at us the whole time.

A/N: Sophia is loosely based off of Katelyn Ohashi.