Icebound Rivalry

Chapter 4-Focus is not Confusion

Chapter 4

Maya stood behind the glass at the far end of the practice rink and watched the team run drills.

The sound of skates cutting ice and pucks striking boards filled the space. She kept her notebook closed in her hands and simply observed.

Her eyes followed the leadership group more than the rest of the roster. Alex moved with the same controlled power she had seen in video clips, but there was a tightness in his shoulders that had not been there in older footage.

She noted it without writing anything down yet.

A few players glanced her way. Most ignored her.

Liam Hayes, the rookie forward, lifted a hand in a small wave when he skated past the glass.

Maya returned the gesture with a short nod. She stayed in place until the whistle blew and the session ended.

Players filed off the ice in pairs and small groups.

Alex was among the last to leave the rink. He did not look at the glass as he passed.

Maya waited until the hallway cleared before she walked toward the meeting rooms.

She needed to update her notes while the observations were still fresh.

The corridor outside the locker room smelled of sweat and liniment.

She kept her steps even and her bag secure against her side.

A door opened ahead of her and Jazz Whitmore stepped out, still in his gear from the waist up.

“You are still here,” he said with an easy smile. “Most people run for the exit after practice.”

“I have work to finish,” Maya answered.

Jazz nodded like he understood. “Callahan is in a mood today. Just so you know.”

“I already knew.”

He laughed once under his breath and continued down the hall.

Maya reached the small meeting room and found it empty.

She sat at the table and opened her notebook.

The earlier pages held careful records of the first two sessions.

She added a new line about the tightness she had seen in Alex’s posture on the ice.

The pen moved steadily across the paper.

The door opened without warning. Alex stood in the frame still wearing his practice jersey.

His hair was damp and his expression gave nothing away.

He closed the door and stayed near it instead of taking a seat.

“You watched the whole practice,” he said.

“I did.”

“Looking for more cracks.”

Maya set the pen down and met his eyes.

“I was doing my job. The same way you do yours when you study opposing teams.”

Alex’s jaw shifted.

He crossed his arms and leaned one shoulder against the wall. “You talked to the rookie.”

“Liam waved. I waved back. That was the entire conversation.”

“Stay away from the young ones. They do not need outside voices confusing them.”

Maya kept her voice level. “Helping a player focus is not confusion.

You of all people should know the difference.”

The silence that followed stretched longer than either of them seemed ready for.

Alex pushed off the wall and took one step closer to the table. The movement was slow and deliberate.

Maya stayed seated and did not lean back. Her hands rested flat on either side of the notebook.

“You think you know me,” he said.

“I know what I see. And what I see is a captain who is still carrying something heavy.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Leave it alone, Reyes.”

“I cannot leave it alone. That is why I am here.”

He held her gaze for several full seconds. The air in the room felt thicker.

Maya’s pulse moved faster in her throat but her face stayed calm.

She waited for the next cutting remark. It did not come right away.

Alex looked at the open notebook on the table. His voice dropped lower when he spoke again.

“The bus leaves at six tomorrow morning. Be on time. I do not like waiting for people who think they understand the game better than the ones who still play it.”

He turned and opened the door. The hallway light cut across the floor.

Maya remained still until the door closed behind him.

She listened to his footsteps fade and then picked up her pen again. The last line she wrote was short and clear.

He is still pushing. But he stayed longer than he needed to.

She closed the notebook and slipped it into her bag. The facility had grown quieter.

Most of the players had already left. Maya stood and walked to the window that looked over the parking lot.

A few cars remained. One of them belonged to Alex.

She watched until the headlights came on and the vehicle pulled away.

Tomorrow the road trip would begin. Montreal first.

Hotel conference rooms. Shared schedules.

No easy exits. Maya adjusted the strap of her bag and left the room with steady steps.

The real test was no longer waiting in the distance. It was already on its way.