When The Whistle Blows

Chapter 2

Astrid (Aiden)

My whole body shook with effort as I lifted my bag and made to leave the locker room.

Since I had an extra twenty minutes to skate I spent that time putting in some extra conditioning. And by the end of practice, my body was done for.

Right as I reached for the door handle a voice in the locker room called out my name.

"Hey, Aiden!" I recognized the voice as Tucker, the other alternate captain.

"Sup?" I turned around and shifted my bag uncomfortably around on my shoulder.

"We're all going out tonight for a couple of drinks if you want to join us." Tucker paused in putting his shirt on as he talked to me.

It took everything in my female body to not run my eyes down his six-pack.

A rookie suddenly shot up out of his seat. The sudden movement making me flinch slightly. Luckily no one noticed. "I'll g-" Brandon, the rookie, was cut off by Tucker.

"You're underage." Tucker shook his head as he finally threw a shirt on. "I ain't getting in trouble with Coach because I invited one of the rookies to drink with the upperclassmen." Brandon frowned as he sat back down. He resumed talking to another rookie while he took his gear off.

"What do you say?" Tucker asked me.

A couple of "pleases" rung out around the locker room but I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I've got a paper for English to write that is due tomorrow and I really need to focus on it." A couple of groans and frowns broke out across the locker room.

I honestly don't know what they expected from me. I never risked hanging out with my teammates too much. The less they saw of me the better.

"Better luck next time," Ryder told Tucker as they both lifted their bags and headed for the door behind me.

They followed me down the hallway, talking about some recent NHL games and their outcomes. A voice suddenly boomed down the hallway towards the three of us.

"Ah, there's my three caps." Coach smiled as we reached the end of the hallway that led into the huge front lobby.

"Coach." Tucker and Ryder mumbled while politely nodding their heads.

Coach Kellner, or just Coach, was your typical boys hockey coach. He was in his late forties, early fifties. Streaks of grey hair coated his once solid black hair. He could yell the loudest of anyone I knew and he was one of the strictest coaches I've ever had. He is by far my most favorite coach ever. He, of course, knows that I'm a girl but he accepted my decision to keep it on the down-low for my first couple of years on the team. Coach has a perfect good cop-bad cop thing going with the assistant coach, Ryan. Coach being the bad cop and Ryan being the soft-hearted and caring good cop.

"This works out perfectly because I wanted to talk to you three." Coach ushered us closer together.

"This about Tipper?" Tucker asked as he quickly pulled out his phone and ignored whoever was currently calling him.

"Uh, no-no. He's done for. I ain't allowing any of that on my team." Coach made a subtle glance at me as he talked to all three of us.

"Whatcha need then Coach?" Ryder asked.

"Well the team dynamic seems to be faltering slightly and I just want to make sure that this whole Tipper thing doesn't ruin it. So I'd like to ask that the three of you plan some team activities in hopes of building back that trust and teamwork. Go crazy. I'll get the board to fund whatever you guys plan but just make sure it's legal." Coaches phone rang loudly as he finished talking. "Well anyways, you three know what I want. Make it happen. See you at the game tomorrow." Tucker and Ryder started walking away. Before I could too Coach spoke up again. "Hey, uh, Aiden, How's it going?" Coach covered the speaker on his phone as he spoke to me.

"Good," I said nodding slightly.

"Any plans yet to tell anyone?" Coach asked, his eyebrows curved in question.

"Um no not yet. I kinda just want to finish my senior year." I shifted my weight uncomfortably as I looked out the front glass doors to see Ryder and Tucker had stopped walking and were talking outside the door.

"Very well. I'll leave the decision up to you. But I think telling the team could also really help the team. Maybe help with the dynamic." He shrugged as he quickly bid me goodbye and went to yell at whoever was on the other end of that phone call.

I swiftly left the building only to be flanked by the other captains.

"What did Coach want?" Tucker asked.

"He's asked me to be the new captain and to not tell anyone that he plans on cutting Ryder." I shrugged nonchalantly as they followed me to my jeep.

Ryder faked a laugh, "hardy har har. hilarious." He adjusted his bag and glared at me with those piercing blue eyes. "Tucker only asks because he's waiting to hear back from a minor league team."

Oh right. Draft season.

"Tis the season." I huffed as I opened my jeep and threw my hockey bag in there.

I turned and was met with two hard stares.

"What did coach talk to you about?" Tucker practically whined.

"Nothing that has to do with your minor league spot. You're fine. Now if you two don't mind, I have a paper for science that I need to write." I jumped up into my jeep and shut the door before they could protest anymore.

I pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the highway that led to our team housing.

The upperclassman all lived in the same neighborhood. Most of the guys shared a three-bedroom/two-bath apartment home. Our apartments all were side to side.

(Authors note: how I picture housing situation)

Due to my unusual circumstances, I lived alone. Though sometimes it didn't feel like with how loud my neighbors are 24/7.

Ryder and his best friend/our teammate, Henrik, seemed to always be blasting some kind of music. The music really differed though. From hard rock, classical music, modern pop, and the occasional country playlist, their taste in music really gave me whiplash.

It has kinda become a game with myself. What music genre are they going to blare today?

The freshly fallen snow crunched under my tires as I drove down the familiar road.

Another winter in Minnesota and another winter at University.

The cold here was always so refreshing. Though most would complain, I absolutely love the insane temperatures that are an average for this crazy state.

I eventually pulled into my driveway. Another great day to be alive. I thought halfheartedly as I sighed deeply.

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Thank you so much for reading Chapter 2 of When The Whistle Blows. I sometimes forget that not everyone knows hockey lingo, so if at any point you come across something you don't understand-please let me know. I hope you liked reading this Chapter as much as I liked writing it.
~Until next chapter!