Chapter 5: Ice War
1121 Words
The news of the challenge reached the team before the first morning skate.
Jaxon Reed had challenged Alex Carter to a one-on-one face-off.
No one could remember the last time the captain had challenged a teammate to a personal match.
When Ava arrived at the rink, half the team was already there.
Some sat on the boards.
Others leaned against the glass.
All were excited.
All, except Ava.
Her heart pounded as she tightened the laces on her skates.
This was the last thing she needed.
Unfortunately, she had no choice.
"Ready to embarrass yourself?"
Ava looked up.
Jaxon stood nearby, his hockey stick draped over his shoulder.
The smug look on his face was unmistakable.
She wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.
"Confident for someone who challenged me."
Several players let out whistles of approval.
Theo looked horrified.
"You know that's the captain, right?"
Ava shrugged.
"So?"
No one talked to Jaxon that way.
No one.
A slow smile spread across Noah Blake's face.
The assistant captain looked like he was having the time of his life.
"Oh, this is going to be fun."
Coach Harrison skated to the center of the rink.
"Enough," he said.
The team fell silent.
The coach gestured toward the center of the rink.
"Carter.
Reed."
Ava pushed herself onto the ice.
Jaxon followed her lead.
The team gathered around the boards.
It was more intense than any practice game.
More intense than any championship match.
Coach dropped the puck on the center of the rink.
"First to three goals wins."
Jaxon smirked.
"This won't take long."
Ava rolled her eyes.
The whistle blew.
The game had begun.
Jaxon went after the puck immediately.
Fast.
Powerful.
Confident.
Ava barely stole the puck away from him before he scored.
The crowd let out a loud gasp.
She skated after it, her heart pounding.
One quick turn.
One fake move.
Jaxon was right behind her.
The captain was good.
He was great, even.
For the next few minutes, they battled for the puck, neither man willing to give an inch.
Ava found herself smiling.
For the first time in days, she wasn't worrying about her secret.
She wasn't pretending to be someone she wasn't.
She was simply playing the game she loved.
And she was good at it.
Jaxon went after the puck again.
Ava moved instinctively.
One twist.
One crossover.
And she was past him.
The crowd let out another gasp.
Goal.
Silence.
Then the loudest "NO WAY!" Ava had ever heard.
Theo nearly fell off the bench.
Noah was laughing so hard he was doubled over.
Jaxon stared at the net in disbelief.
Coach Harrison blew his whistle.
"One-zero."
Ava skated backward, trying very hard not to smile.
Jaxon's jaw tightened.
The second round began immediately.
This time, the captain played harder.
Much harder.
He stole the puck from her effortlessly.
Within seconds, he had scored again.
The team went wild.
Jaxon pointed at her.
"Tied.
Challenge accepted."
The next few minutes were a blur.
No one talked.
No one laughed.
Every player watched the intense battle between the two captains.
Every coach watched.
The game was fast and furious.
Both players played harder, faster, and more aggressively with every round.
Neither was willing to lose.
By the third round, they were exhausted.
Their scores were tied two to two.
It was all about who would score next.
The entire rink was electric.
Coach dropped the puck on the center of the rink.
Jaxon went after it immediately.
Ava stole it from him.
The captain recovered.
She moved to her left.
He blocked her.
She spun around.
He followed her.
The crowd roared.
Then it happened.
Ava did what she had practiced a thousand times with Alex.
A move no one at Ridgewood ever used.
Jaxon froze for half a second.
Half a second was all she needed.
She was past him.
The net was open.
She fired the puck into the goal.
The rink erupted.
Players shouted.
Sticks hit the boards.
Even Coach Harrison looked surprised.
Ava had won.
She had actually beaten Jaxon Reed.
The captain was stunned.
The realization was sinking in.
Then his eyes landed on her.
And the look on his face was not happy.
Jaxon Reed hated to lose.
Everyone knew that.
And today, he had lost in front of his entire team.
Noah laughed.
"Oh, this is beautiful."
Jaxon shot him a nasty look.
"Shut up, Blake."
Noah smiled.
"Captain got humbled."
"Keep talking."
"I plan to."
The animosity between the two boys was obvious.
It had been that way for years.
And Noah was enjoying every minute of it.
Practice resumed.
But something was different.
The way the players looked at Ava had changed.
They were impressed.
Interested.
Even a little scared.
She was no longer just Alex Carter.
She was the girl who had beaten Jaxon Reed.
And that made her dangerous.
As practice ended, Coach Harrison called the team to his side.
The players gathered around him, listening intently.
Jaxon crossed his arms over his chest, irritation clear on his face.
Noah looked amused.
Theo looked excited.
Coach Harrison looked around the group.
"I've finalized the opening roster."
The team fell silent.
This was it.
This was what they had all been waiting for.
The starting positions.
The coach began reading the names.
Defense.
Goalkeeper.
Wingers.
One by one, the players relaxed or tensed as their names were called.
Then Coach Harrison read the final offensive position.
Ava's heart pounded in her chest.
Jaxon looked bored.
Noah looked confident.
The coach looked at his clipboard.
"The final starting position goes to..."
Ava's breath caught in her throat.
The team let out a collective gasp.
Theo looked stunned.
Noah looked impressed.
Even some of the other players gave approving nods.
Ava stood in shock.
She had made the roster.
She was really going to do it.
She was a starter.
Her dream had come true.
It was everything she had ever wanted.
It was everything she was supposed to want.
Coach Harrison looked directly at her.
“Don’t make me regret it.”
Ava swallowed.
"I won't."
Across from her, Jaxon stared at her.
His expression was unreadable.
Then he stepped forward.
Close enough that only she could hear him.
"You got lucky today."
Ava raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever helps you sleep."
The captain's eyes narrowed.
For the first time, there was no arrogance in his gaze.
No teasing smirk.
Only determination.
Only a challenge.
A promise of things to come.
"Enjoy being a starter, Carter."
Ava felt a chill run down her spine.
Because Jaxon Reed wasn't smiling.
And somehow, that was worse.
"Next time," he said quietly, “I won’t lose.”
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD