The Life of a Hockey Sister

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Early the next morning we leave Canada. I was restless for the ride again and it was much harder getting back into the country than it was getting out.

"Hello!" says a man greeting us. "Can I have your first and last name?" he asks.

"Daniel Miller," Dad responds.

"Okay can I have you pull over into this area around here?" the man asks.

"Sure thing!" Dad says pulling in.

"Alright Mr. Miller can I ask you a couple questions?"

"Sure!" Dad agrees.

Well a couple questions turned out to be more like 100 questions. They asked Dad his birthdate, age, insurance, hometown, how many people he had, any question you could possibly think of they asked. After all of that, they still made us all get out of the car so they could search it. Then once they saw us and all our passports we get to cross the border. 2 hours after that we finally pull into our driveway. 

It's only 1:30 and we beat the boy’s home. They had another game today, but we skipped it since Grant can't play. I go into the house and bring my stuff upstairs and shut the door. It didn't take long for Mom to come up and knock on my door. It didn't shock me, we were short with each other the whole entire car ride. I open my door wide,

"Come in," I say going over and laying on my bed.

"We need to talk about this." she says referring to me playing hockey.

"I'm not changing who I am." I tell her. She looks shocked, "You might be able to keep me off the team but I'm going to continue playing floor hockey, drop-in, and skating. As well as following the sport." She glares at me,

"Angie you’re a 14-year-old girl you should be painting up nails, doing your hair, experimenting with make-up, socializing. Not to mention keeping up your new relationship with Jon." This ticks me off,

"Leave Jon out of this because he has nothing to do with anything, he likes me for who I am, something you should try doing. As far as that other stuff I socialize. I know every guy on the hockey team and hang out with a lot of them." I say.

"Well as far as I'm concerned you’re not allowed to play hockey at all." Mom says leaving the room.

"Are you kidding me? Hockey is my life! It's what you raised me on!" I yell after her slamming my door. I jump into my bed and try to fall asleep. Hockey's my life, she can't take that away from me.

~~~

I wake up to a knock on my door. Grant walks in,

"Hey how was the game?" I ask sleepily.

"Lost, but that's not the reason I'm here." he says. I sit up scooting over patting the side of my bed inviting him to sit.

"What's up?" I ask as he sits down.

"Dude you have steam coming out of Mom's ears!" he says.

"Good," Is all I say in response.

"Angie it's not the end of the world." 

"I never said it was, but Grant how would you feel if you weren't allowed to have anything to do with hockey?"

“Angie it’s not anything to do with hockey, it’s just anything to do with playing hockey.” Grant corrects.

“Which would make you feel?” I ask

"Okay maybe it is the end of the world." he says with a hint of a smile on his face. I stand up,

"I need fresh air,"

"Well between your attitude and my concussion Mom's like a warden."

"Great, I better do my homework then."

"You haven't finished that yet?"

"No,"

"Jon said he helped you." Grant states confused.

"Through 2 of the 4 subjects."

"Well have fun!" Grant says leaving. I moan and go sit at my desk and get to work.

~~~

An hour and a half later I'm done with homework. I grab my coat and sneak downstairs, quickly and quietly going outside. When I get out there I find Allie Manor. Allie's a nice, pretty, little, petite, brown-haired girl. We sit next to each other in Choir, something I have to do. We usually talk in there, I guess I would consider her a friend.

"Hey Allie!" I call out.

"Hey Angie!" she says coming up to me, "How was Canada?"

"Missing it already," She laughs,

"Ms. Cannon will be happy your back." Ms. Cannon is our choir teacher. I just shake my head,

"I hate singing!" I admit with a smile

"You sound like an angel!" Allie says sweetly. I laugh,

"Whatever, I don't sing." She smiles,

"Hey, would you like to come over and hang out tomorrow?" Allie asks shyly.

"Um sure," I answer cautiously.

"Alright tomorrow after school." she says walking away.

"See ya,"

 I start to walk towards our local rink. I need something space since everything’s so tense at home and the ice arena is a place I find relaxing as odd as that sounds. That's one of the things I love about living in town. That it's only a 5-block walk to get to the ice arena. 

We have a pretty decent sized rink. We have two full sized rinks with a very official look to it in the colors green and blue. I quickly head into the rink where I know our local Bantam team should be practicing. I climb up to the top of the bleachers and sit and just watch. Unfortunately, my phone starts vibrating, Grant's calling me.

"Hello?" I ask answering

"Where did you go?" he asks.

"The rink has Mom noticed?"

"No, only me."

"Please don't bust me!" I beg.

"Why should I? But I will join you. Be there in 5," Grant says hanging up. 

I look back out to the ice, all the boys are glancing my way. I offer a smile, I usually hang out with the Bantams in my grade during school. I think they enjoy keeping me around to see how far I'll go. They enjoy teasing me, but I like it like that. Way better than sitting around listening to gossip or anything. Grant walks up the bleachers looking around for me. I would just yell but I don't want to disrupt their practice, so I call him. He picks up.

"Where are you?" Grant asks.

"Look up genius," I say hanging up. He glances up and I wave as he walks up to join me.

"How do our upcoming freshman look?" he asks.

"Grant you played with them last year, you should know." I tell him my eyes not leaving the ice. The way hockey works is you’re in an age division for 2 years then you go up to the next.

"That was last year, they could've easily progressed since then or even back tracked. How many are coming up?"

"6, #15 Zane, #16 Brock, #17 Connor, #22 Thomas, #8 Rick, and #24 Luke." He looks at me,

"How do you memorize that?"

"Same way I memorized half your roster." I say smiling.

"Okay, so I got something to tell you." Grant says.  Uh-oh, what is he thinking,

"Okay?"

"I'm going to talk Mom into letting you play Spring." I start laughing hysterically and he looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Yeah that will be the day." I say as they boys come off the ice.

"No Angie seriously, you deserve the experience and a chance to prove yourself."

"Yeah I know but there's no way you’re going to be able to change Mom's mind." I tell him honestly.

"Way to think positive," Grant says exasperated.

"Bro, I love that you want to help but there's no way that will fly." I tell him flat out.

"Look I just feel bad that because I got a concussion you can't play." Grant admits.

"Oh no, I can play I'm just not allowed to." Grant rolls his eyes,

"I wasn't referring to your skill level." he says sharply.

"I was just kidding," I say laughing.

"Well are you serious about this or not?" Grant asks.

"Grant are you kidding me? Of course, I’m serious."

"Okay, then I'll talk to Mom."

"There's no way she'll say yes." I tell him.

"Who won't say yes to what?" I turn around and find all of the second year Bantams walking up.

"Hey guys what's up?" I ask rushed.

"Nothing, now who won't let you do what?" Brock asks.

"Nothing!" I say. Grant raises his eyebrows,

"Hey guys, what's up?" Grant asks cutting in.

"Hey Grant, how was Canada?" Zane asks.

"Amazing man!" Grant says in awe. I laugh.

"If you count getting a concussion as awesome." I say trailing off. Rick laughs,

"Level?" he asks like it’s a completely normal situation.

"2," Grant answers.

"You’re going to be out for a little bit then." Luke says. Grant laughs,

"One game tops,"

"So, Ang, who won't say yes to what?" Brock asks going back.

"Nothing of importance," I say with a fake smile. Grant looks at me weird,

"Since when?"

"Grant shut up," I tell him.

"Ooo Angie's hiding something!" Connor says coming to my side.

"What could we do to make her talk?" Brock says going to my other side.

"Well Brock, flirting won't help you." Thomas says with a goofy grin.

"I'm not flirting!" Brock says defensively backing away. I check the time, it's pushing 5:00.

"Uh Grant we gotta go, Mom will be calling us for dinner soon and if we don't sneak back in we're dead."

"You're sneaking out?" Luke asks, "Since when?"

"Okay technically they never said I couldn't leave they just never said I could." I say defensively.

"So yes, she snuck out," Zane sums up laughing.

"Whatever, we got to go." I say pushing Grant.

"Alright I'm going bye guys!" Grant says going down the bleachers.