Chapter 6

When I walked out into the sunshine around 7:45am I saw Mattie, Consti, Carrol and Marty all standing in a group waiting for me. It was an absolutly prefect day out and I was fairly pleased with the weather and my outfit selection. I was wearing an extremely short pair of black spandex shorts, a white CROSBY shirt, and some running sneakers. After giving up on trying to do anything more attractive with my hair, I had opted to pull it back into a long ponytail.

As I approached the circle they were standing in, I caught wind of their conversation. "I'm just freaking out, you know? There's always been pressure but every since we got here... I'm just terrified this is going to end badly. I can't consentrate on anything else, I feel like I'm watching everything slipping away from me..."
Mattie had his back to me, but I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was on the verge of tears. I was surprised that he was this upset. He had never mentioned anything to me about this... Oh, maybe that's what he was trying to tell me last night!

I felt awful. Some friend I was! Mattie was so upset about the tryouts and I hadn't even talked to him about it... why hadn't I realized this sooner? As I reached the group, they all turned around to greet me; I quickly pulled Mattie into a tight embrace. "Don't worry about it Mattie," I said holding him close, "Everythings gonna work out, I promise." As I pulled away he gave me a small smile, I looked around and saw Carrol, Marty and Consti all grinning at each other; obviously they weren't as nervous about today as Mattie was.

"Well, we should get going." Carrol finally said breaking up the silence. "Sucks that we're being separated again though..."

"Pfft!" Consti exclamed throwin his muscular arm around Marty. "Speak for yourself - wimpy forward - us defencemen stick together!" Marty slung his arm around Constis' shoulders too and we all laughed at the looks they recieved, as we headed down to the ampitheater.


"Alright everyone! Alright!" Dean was standing at the podeum trying to get everyone to stop talking; there was alot of energy in the room for 8am. "So as I said last night, today you'll be divided into groups based on your positions. First however, allow me to introduce to you our special guest instructors."

I scanned the room quickly, trying to find Jake through the crowd. I finally found him a few rows ahead of me. He smiled and I waved before turning my attention back to Dean at the podeum.

"Goalies!" Dean roared, getting the full attention of the room. "Let me introduce you to your specialty instructor, from the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mike McKenna."

"Holy shit!" Consti half jumped out of his seat as the room errupted with applause and Mike McKenna took to the stage. "You mean the speicalty instructors are NHL players?!"

"Right Wings, say hello to Boston Bruins' Blake Wheeler!"

"SHUT UP!" Carrol jumped out his seat, "Chillin with Wheeler?! Yah right!"

"Left Wings, give a warm welcome to Erik Cole of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Defence, let's hear it for the Pittsburgh Penguins own Hal Gill!"

That was it for me, I couldn't care less that I wasn't a defencemen... Hal Gill?! Here! I jumped up and down screaming at the top of my lungs, until Marty pulled me back down into my seat, laughing. "Wishing you were coming with me today I take it?"

"OH MY GOD I HATE YOU!" I shouted slapping his arm, "Ugh! A Penguin?! So not fair!"

As Dean went to announce the name of the centre instructure I couldn't help but pray in my head; Crosby, Crosby, Crosby... I don't care that he's Canadian.... Please be Crosby! As if reading my mind Mattie whispered in my ear "You know Crosby's probably not gonna be here right?"

I gave him my best puppy dog face and he laughed, "If it was up to me I would buy him for you." I giggled and turned back to Dean who was still laughing with Hal about the commotion his appereance had caused in the camp.

"Don't worry centers, I haven't forgotten about you! Meet your instructor for the week, from the Washington Capitals', David Steckel. " Steckel took the stage and gave the crowd a warm smile.

"Hmmmm..." I said leaning back in mock contemplation, "Yes... that'll do nicely!" I concluded, nodding. Mattie, Consti and Marty all burst into laughter.

"Let me tell you each where you'll be heading, and then our NHL guests and their world junior assistants will meet you there and hand out your schedules for the rest of the week. You're time will be divided between the rinks, the weight gym, the cardio gym and some free time." Dean announced over the speakers, drawing the crowds attention once again. "Goalies, to Rink A. Defence to Rink B. Right Wings to Rink C. Centers to the weight gym and then finally Left Wings to the cardio gym."

Most people got up right away, streaming out of the doors anxious to begin; my friends and I however, stayed seated. "UGH! Cardio gym for the loss." Mattie sighed.

"Pretty sweet about time off though? Maybe we'll get some nights off together." Carrol suggested. With that we all got up and made our way back outside. Marty, Consti and Carrol all made their ways over to the Rinks and Mattie and I headed towards to gym.
Once we got inside Mattie sighed and waved goodbye to me as he started towards the cardio room. I laughed at his complete disappointment as I headed up the stairs with the other centers.
When we reached the weight room one of the assistant trainers called us over to the open floor and told us to take a seat on the floor. Steckel came in with a clipboard and began the roll call, when he called Jakes name I looked over towards where his voice had come from, to find him already looking in my direction.

"... Simone, Carlie..." Steckel stopped, taking special care to look directly at me when he called my name.

"Here." I smiled and waved my hand a bit, trying to ignore the fact that everyone in the room was watching my closely.

"Nice to meet you finally, I've heared alot about you." He smiled and continued with the roll call. Oh, that's just great! I sighed to myself, so much for trying to blend in.
Once Steckel was done checking off names he instructed us all to spend ten minutes stretching and announced that after lunch we would be heading to Rink A.

"The way this is going to work," Steckel started "is that we will be spending the morning - from 9-12 - in our designated area, taking a one hour lunch break and then moving onto our next area from 1-4. For those of you who are real go getters, I'll be willing to spend extra time from 4-6 working them with and answering questions. So, continue with your warm-up and we'll start our transit on the machines."

I made my way over to an empty area and started warming up. I sat down on the floor, went into a sideways split, grabbed my sneakers and leaned forward; becoming completly flat against the floor. "Well, now that's impressive I must say," Jake laughed coming up behind me. He plopped down infront of me and began to do the same exercise; not stretching quiet as much as me. We both looked up at each other and laughed. "Yah... doesn't really look the same."

We finished strectching just in time to see Steckle take to the middle of the room again. He began to go over his own personal workout routines and we spent the next couple hours working hard to gain his approval. I was on the leg press when he came over to talk to me.
"I'm really impressed, you're pressing twice your body weight... I didn't think you'd be able to do that."

"Yah well, most of my strength is in my legs so don't get to excited for the upperbody." We both chuckled. "Okay... I'm sorry" I said getting off the machine, "but I need to know... what's he like?" I asked trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"Umm, what's who like?" Steckel asked, looking confused.

"Alex Ovechkin!" I said, unable to hide my excitement this time.

"Of course, I should have known! All the ladies wanna know about Ovie." He laughed, shaking his head. "Wait a sec... aren't you from the Burgh?"

I started to blush, "Shhhh..." I said pushing my finger against my lips, "don't tell anyone about my dirty secret!"

"It's safe with me, well... he's a goofball, a little crazy and loud sometimes but he's a good guy. Hell of a hockey player too."

"Prefers blondes though doesn't he?"

"Apparently, yah... there's a first for everything though." He said unable to contain his smile.

"I won't give up just yet then!" I laughed at him over my shoulder before running down the steps to lunch.


When I got back to the room Mattie had some pizza pockets in the microwave for me. "How was your morning?" I asked taking my plate out.

"Alright, I'm more excited to just get on the ice again though."

"Yah I know, same here... how was Cole?"

"He seems pretty cool, just watched us run really, it'll be sweet to say that I got to skate with him though!" Mattie laughed

"Yah, Steckel seems pretty cool too... GOD I can't wait to skate!" I exclaimed finishing off my pizza pocket.

"Hey, wanna head over early? Get some skating in?"

"Sounds sweet!" I shouted, grabbing my skate bag and ran out the door. I was almost outside when Mattie caught up to me, he was laughing. I slowed down so we could walk the rest of the way but he blasted past me out the door. "Oh it's on now!" I yelled, taking off again.

We ran right past Jake and a group of his friends. He looked like he had something to say but I just continued to run and flashed him a smile over my shoulder.
By the time we reached the gym I was a full 30 seconds ahead of Mattie. I stopped inside the doors and laughed at his how out of breath he was. "Someone needs to lay off the junk food!" I giggled poking him in his rockhard stomach; pretending my finger was getting sucked in.

"Kids a freak!" he said bending over "Fastest kid in the world... fastest kid in the world!" He laughed quoting my favorite scene in Superbad.

We both went into the dressing room and laced up our skates. I was suppose to be heading to Rink A for 1 o'clock and Mattie was suppose to be meeting the other Left Wings on Rink B. We checked the schedule on the wall and decided to spend the next 30 minutes on Rink C, which was free all night.

We had been goofing around for about twenty minutes; pushing each other and chasing each other around the rink, when I felt someone watching us. I was pretending to be a speed skater, pushing myself as fast as I could around the rink, leaving Mattie unable to keep up; when I circled back around to face the window's overlooking the rink I saw a group of people watching us.
"Looks like we got a fanclub, or should I say... the sexy lady in the spandex has a fan club" Mattie laughed from the otherside of the rink, obviously he had noticed too. Two men were standing on the far left of the windows and there was four other people - three men and one woman - watching me. When I got close enough to the two men I recognized Dean and one of the 'centre' training staff smiling down at me. They looked extatic as they talked to each other quickly, pointing all over the ice and moving their hands quickly; that seemed like a good sign. My curiousity carried me at a slow speed over towards the other set of windows, but the people were too far away for me to make them out.
I headed back towards Mattie and he suggested we head to the right rinks. I waddled in my skates across the hall to Rink A and saw that some of the centers were already on the ice. I opened the rink door and started walking down towards the ice surface when someone yelled my name.
"Carlie!" I turned to see Dean standing by the rink with the same trainer from before and a man in a suit. "Carlie come down here, there's someone I want you to meet."
I continued down to the ice and made my way over to Dean, Jake waved at me from the blueline; I smiled back.
"Carlie, Mario... Mario, Carlie." He said simply. The man in the suit held out his hand and I shook it, still paying more attention to Jake than the man that had my hand.

"You're fast!" He laughed, "I thought Sid was fast but, I don't think he could even catch you..."

"I'd pay to see that race though. It'd do him good to loose to someone... it doesn't happen to often." A woman laughed, coming up to put her arms around the man infront of me. This sudden new addition caused me to move my wandering eyes from Jake back to Dean and his companions.

"HOLY CROW!" I yelled covering my mouth and jumping backwards. "You're Mario Lemieux!!"

Mario and his wife both laughed. They were two of the people that had been watching me before. My yell had gotten some attention though and the two other men that had been watching me skate appeared beside Mario. Hal Gill and...

"Hi, I'm Sidney." He said simply, extending his hand. I just stared at it, my hands still infront of my mouth. After what seemed like forever, I still hadn't moved a muscle. Mario, his wife, Dean and Hal all started to chuckle; Sidney blushed and pulled his hand back, looking uncomfortable.

"Ummm," I said slowly walking backwards. "I should... go... I love you!" I yelled before jumping out onto the ice and speeding towards the rest of my class.

My appearance caused everyone to turn around, and someone yelled "Is that Sidney Crosby?!" I turned bright red as everyone turned to look over at Sidney and Mario. Jake looked at my flush cheeks confused. I skated up beside him.

"I just told him that I loved him..." I sighed covering my face with my hands. Jake and the guys around him laughed loudly.

Steckel took the ice and talked to us about what it was like to play at a high level of hockey and started going over plays on a board that had been brought onto the ice. While he was talking the assistant trainers were setting up pilons on the ice, and they brought out a bucket of pucks and a net, complete with a goalie. Everyone was given a stick and we were told to line up. in two teams. We were suppose to go through the pilons as fat as we could and shoot the puck. Each person had to go 5 times we would see what team could finish first.

I was at the start of the line, Jake was very close behind me. "Good luck Carlie." He whispered in my ear, sending chills up my spin. God, why am I still wearing spandex shorts? I sighed, I was shaking from cold and Jake wasn't helping at all. Then I looked up and saw Sidney and company watching from behind the net. OH NO! Oh no... I'm wearing a shirt that says CROSBY on the back... He probably thinks I'm the biggest dork ever...

Steckel blew the whistle and I shot off. I flew through the pilons easily, took my first shot on the goalie, scored and was on my way back through the pilons before my opponent had even gotten through the pilons the first time. I was the fastest person by ALOT and I knew it. Not only was no one able to touch me in speed, but besides me, Jake was the only other person who had scored everytime. My final shot on net, I put it up in the 5 hole and glanced up in time to see Sidney smiling at me and clapping. That's it... I'm gonna puke! I thought as I rushed back.

The rest of the night went just as good. I was feeling sooo good about making the team, I felt like a shoe-in. I opted to keep skating once 4 o'clock came, Jake and his friends stayed too. "Looks like we'll be going to Russia together" he winked at me as I did a few laps around.

"I gotta make the team first!" I laughed back, as he feel into stride behind me. I returned to the center of the ice and Steckel asked if anyone wanted to do a shootout. We all agreed and then someone came up behind me.

"Can I play too?" Sidney Crosby said, coming up to stop beside me.

Steckel laughed "Fine, don't show off too much though! You don't wanna hurt anyone's ego." We all laughed and started our game.

Sidney and I were playing against each other more than anyone else. When I had seen him off the ice I had felt awkward and scared, but now that we were skating around together I felt confident, comfortable. I was able to laugh at his jokes and poke fun at him. The shootout came down to me and Sidney, he ended up winning of course, but I was super stocked that I had beaten everyone else.

We all left the ice and I headed back to the change room to take off my skates. Sidney followed. "So, you're pretty great, you know that?"

"So I've been told." I laughed, now that we were off the ice I was starting to get nervous again. After a few minutes of silence I decided that I should say something... but what does one say to Sidney Crosby? "So... you going to be hanging around for the week?" I asked.

"No, we're leaving tonight. I just came by the visit Hal with Mario. Well, and to see you of course!"

This floored me. "Me?" I asked looking up at him. "Why would you want to see me?"

"First girl ever invited to try out for the World Juniors? That's big stuff, wanted to see what all the hype was about."

"Oh! And did I live up to it?"

He pretended to think hard about this "Well," he said bringing his beautiful caramel eyes down to meet mine "I'd say... yes!" He decided finally.

"That's good to know!" I laughed, pretending to whipe sweat off my forhead. "Now that that's settled I have nothing left to worry about!"

We both laughed and headed down to the doors. "Hey!" he exclaimed suddenly "You wanna come grab something to eat with us?" He had just spotted Mario outside, waiting for him by the car.

"Thank but, I really shouldn't. Mattie's probably wondering where I am."

"Oh... well some other time then. I guess I'll see you around... good luck Carlie! Not that you'll need it." He said shaking my hand goodbye.

I headed back over to the dorms. Once I got inside I saw Jake, I gave him a smile that he didn't return, after this Consti got up from the seat beside him and headed over to me. We walked back to our room together.

"That was weird, Jake didn't say hi or anything." I said, unable to hide my disappointment.

"I'd not think too much of it... let's just say from what I can tell, he doesn't like the fact that you're a better hockey player then him."

"What?!" I exclaimed

"He was talking about your training session today. He seems pretty sour about it."

"But I didn't try to... I didn't want to..."

"Don't worry about it Carlie, the guys just use to being top shit."

Consti opened the door for me and I fell down on the bed beside Mattie exhausted.

"So basically..." I began after all three of us were in bed, Mattie getting comfortable next to me. "I'll never be able to have a guy wanna date me, unless I let him beat me in hockey."

"What's this about?!" Mattie said sitting up and looking at me.

"No!" Consti shot back "What I'm saying is you won't be able to date a dickhead unless you let him beat you in hockey."

We all went quiet for a bit. "Should have known... who wants to date the hockey girl right?"

"I can think of a few people." Consti mumbled. He seemed pissed and I couldn't place it. I decided he might just be tired. I let out a disappointed sigh.

Mattie turned on his side and I could feel him breathing on the back of my neck. Fighting off unexplainable tears I turned into him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He never tried to stop the tears or talk to me, he just held me, and at some point wrapped around him I feel asleep.