The Girl Behind Number 17

The roar of the crowd filled up Ridgewood Academy's ice arena. Ava Carter leaned over the edge of the stands, her emerald green eyes fixed on the players skating across the rink. It was tryouts time again. Students packed the arena to watch their peers battle it out for one of the coveted spots on the school hockey team. The Ridgewood hockey team was famous, state champions for three straight years and had attracted numerous college scouts, one of whom had signed a graduate player to a pro contract. For most students, it was the goal to make it to the team. Especially this year. Ava watched as hockey player after hockey player missed easy scoring opportunities, fumbled the puck, and tripped over their own feet. Her lips tightened into a thin line. She could do much better than any of these guys. She knew it. Growing up with a twin brother meant that skating on ice was practically in her blood. She had raced him since she was five, learning to skate at the same time. She had beaten him often too. Though no one knew about it. Not even her parents, because no one ever questioned her about it. The shrill blow of a whistle sent Ava back to the present. The players formed a group in the center of the rink as their coach stepped up to the microphone. Coach Harrison was a burly man with a permanent scowl etched on his face, the kind of scowl that sent students scrambling to the nearest bathroom during a lecture. "Before we start, I think I should remind you all about the requirements to be on the Ridgewood hockey team," he started, folding his arms across his chest as he stared down the players. The boys all gave each other smug looks, a few even shooting glances towards the stands where Ava and the rest of the female spectators were seated. "A reminder that only male students are allowed to tryout for the varsity hockey team." At least this time, Ava wasn't surprised. She had heard this particular speech countless times before. A few of the boys exchanged looks, one giving a short laugh. "Good thing too, Coach, wouldn't want to lose to a woman now would we?" one said mockingly, the rest following up with similar comments, much to Ava's dismay. Her cheeks burned with anger, fingers curling around the metal railing until her knuckles turned white. She longed to jump over the railing and knock some sense into them. If the hockey team allowed women to tryout, she would have proven to them all just how wrong they were to underestimate her. Instead, she stood there, glaring daggers at the group of laughing boys, unable to do anything for fear of the school's strict gender rules. It took the rest of the tryouts for Ava to calm down, though it was only because of the small smile on her twin brother's face. "You should have seen your face, Alex; it was priceless." "Tell me about it," Ava muttered, crossing her arms as she tried to push back the growing anger. "Those were some of the best insults I've ever heard." Alex chuckled, "Yeah well, they wouldn't have been if Coach had given you a chance." Her smile faded, and for the briefest moment, the look of hope vanished from her eyes. "You think so?" "For the last time, no!" Alex said, his grin softening into a more sincere smile as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "The team won't put you on the field, but you'll do fine. Just give it some time, okay?" Ava didn't respond as Alex stepped back on the rink as another group of boys took to the center of the rink for the first round of tryouts. It was her brother's turn, and for some reason, Ava found herself watching him intently. Alex looked amazing on the ice, his heart and soul flowing into every movement like it always did. The crowd roared as he scored, again and again, each goal louder than before. After what seemed like hours, the tryouts came to an end, and the names of the students who had made it began to be called out. "Jaxon Reed!" The crowd erupted in cheers as the first boy was named. "Theo Walker!" More shouts of joy filled the arena as the next boy was introduced. "Noah Blake!" The assistant captain beamed proudly before his name was announced. Finally, it was Alex's turn, and Ava was on her feet the moment his name was called. She smiled widely as her brother sent her a victorious grin from the ice. At least someone from her family had made it. As the arena emptied out and players gathered to head to the locker room, families in the parking lot greeted their children with hugs or high-fives. Ava stood near the entrance, engrossed in her phone, waiting for her turn to see her brother. Ten minutes passed, then fifteen, before Ava's smile finally faded when she realized something was wrong. It was unusual for Alex to take this long, so when he still hadn't arrived, Ava's gaze turned towards the parking lot. She had barely taken a step before the familiar sound of shouting echoed in her ears, followed by the muffled sound of something crashing to the ground. Ava's heart stopped. Her eyes widened in horror as she looked around the corner of the arena, her breath hitching in her throat. A figure dressed in all black ran off into the night. On the ground was her unconscious brother, a trail of blood dripping from his temple down his cheek. His hockey bag was split open on the ground next to him, and his number seventeen jersey was stained with what looked like blood. "ALEX!" Ava cried, pushing past the stands as she rushed to his side. Her brother's eyes fluttered open for a fraction of a second, revealing the glassy orbs before he passed out again. "Ava," he murmured before his world went blank again. The distant wail of sirens started to fill the air, and somewhere far away, the figure in black was watching all of this unfold.