Frozen in Ice

Chapter 67

Luke's POV

I was trained even harder this summer than I did last summer because I wanted to make the team. I had a good time in Pittsburgh with all the guys that I knew but I couldn't spend long there. I had a lot of organised once I got back to New York and it started with finding somewhere to live.

I ended up with an apartment close to the practice rink and I really liked it. It wasn't very large but it was big enough for me and it was close to the rink. I was more excited than nervous before the first day of training camp and I was excited when I head in.

I spent a good chunk time getting gear organised and sorting out boring stuff but then I could finally get out onto the ice.

I didn't know a lot of the names yet but I was just pleased to get out onto the ice. It was harder and faster than I was used to but I could do it. Training was good and I found that I was really relaxed.

"Has anyone showed you around yet?" Sam asked.

Sam Williamson has been on the Rangers' team for seven years or so now and was one of the veterans. He was a couple of inches shorter than me and was a centre as well.

"No, I didn't really have a chance," I said.

"Then it is my job. Let's change and then I'll show you around properly," he suggested.

I nodded and we both changed quickly and I started to get to know some of the other guys and my tour was joined by Matt Wilkins, who is a defenceman on the team.

We headed around the rink and into in the one of the few rooms that I had been into. The equipment room. I got properly introduced to the equipment manager, Sam. He was very good at his job but we didn't spend long in there.

"Now these are the guys you want to be nice to," Sam teased.

We were walking into the physio rooms and I had to laugh at that. You didn't want to annoy them when you play a sport like hockey.

"This is our main physio, George and his niece, Brynn. She's studying at NYU this year so she's got a casual job working here," Matt said.

I introduced myself to George and then glanced over at his niece and realised that it was the same Brynn that I dated in Pittsburgh. I didn't say anything to her because she wasn't worth it.

"Had any major injuries yet?" George asked.

"No yet, I've been lucky," I admitted.

"Yes, you have, I'll see you in here soon," he smiled.

I nodded and the three of us headed out again. They showed me around the rest of the rink before heading back into the locker to find some of the guys still there.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," I said.

"Yeah, we are going to have to go out for lunch sometime," Calvin Kane, the captain, said.

"Of course, I've got a couple of things that I have to do so not today but maybe tomorrow," I suggested.

He nodded and I grabbed my bag and headed out. I hadn't even made it out into the parking lot when I heard my name being called and I frowned when I turned around to see that it was Brynn calling my name.

"What do you want?" I snapped.

"I wanted to tell you to not cause me any problems," she retorted.

"I decided a long time ago that you aren't worth it anymore. This is my job though and not just my casual job. I'm not going to argue with you. You can do your own thing and I'm pretty much going to ignore you," I told her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You mean that you don't know?"

"Of course not."

"I'm not going to go over it. You aren't worth it to me anymore. I have better things to be doing so I'm going to go," I told her.

She didn't say anything else and I headed out of the parking lot. I was glad that I lived close enough to walk because even though I have my licence I really don't want to get a car or drive it at the moment.

I was still angry about Brynn but I had to push that out. I hadn't even though about her in at last a year now because it wasn't worth it. We had fallen apart and that was fine. I hadn't dated anyone since Brynn because I just hadn't had the time between school and hockey.

I had a couple of things to do but the first one was to go shopping to get more food. Management had talked to me and asked if I wanted to live with anyone for the season if I made the team but I turned them down.

I'd pretty much lived alone when I was with my Mom and I knew that I could handle the responsibility. I was looking forward to it in fact. I locked the apartment and I headed out. I had been to the shop a couple of times so I knew the way.

I was about half-way done when I turned into the back aisle and found a girl around my age sitting down on the floor. She had her knees pulled to her chest and despite the fact that her head was down I could tell that she either was or had been crying.

I dropped down onto my knee and placed a hand on her shin.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked.

She looked up at me and I could see how red her eyes were.

"I'm fine," she tried to assure me.

"No, you aren't. I'm Luke," I said.

"I'm Michelle."

"How about you help me finish shopping and then we can go for food. Do you need anything more?" I asked.

She listed off a couple of things and we headed around together. We didn't talk much but I could hear her breathing calm down and that helped. We paid for our respective food and we headed to my apartment for food in the end.

I told her to sit down on the couch as I made tea for her and heated some of my leftover pasta and mince from the night before.

"Now, how come you were crying in the grocery store?" I asked.

She told me about how her boyfriend had just broken up with her on the phone and told her how alone she was in New York since she had moved her to go to NYU. It just got too much.

"It's going to be alright," I assured her.

"Are you sure that you don't have a girlfriend? You are too nice," she told me.

I blushed slightly and she placed her finished with plate and mug on the table.

"Thank you for looking after me," she said.

I nodded and she headed out. A couple of minutes later I realised that I hadn't got her phone number that I meant to ask for. I would've liked to because she seemed like a really nice girl but I was still glad that I helped her because she really needed.

It also got my mind of Brynn and then all I could remember of the day was how amazing my first training session was this morning.

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The Wise One