Chapter Fourteen Drills
JULIAN
“Jump in here,” Zander calls to Theo, motioning toward our line.
Theo nods. “Got it.”
He skates over to join us.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” Coach calls from the boards. “No wasting time today.”
We make two lines at the blue line, and one at center. Pucks are already scattered where they need to be.
“Quick touches,” Coach calls. “No dusting it off. Move it.”
I tap my stick once against the ice, shifting my weight forward. Coach’s whistle cuts through the air, and we push off into the first drill.
D-to-D pass, up to the wing, cut through the middle, get it back in stride, and drive the net.
The first pass comes hard across the ice. I take it on my forehand, barely letting it settle before snapping it up to Zander on the boards.
“Go,” he calls, already moving.
I pivot, cutting inside and pushing hard through my edges. The ice is fresh, just enough bite to feel every shift of weight.
Zander sends it back ahead of me.
I reach, catch it in stride, and pull it in close to avoid the defender stepping up.
“Middle!” Jensen shouts from behind me, trailing the play.
I fake left, cut right, and drive straight toward the net. I take the shot. It hits Carson square in the chest.
“Again!” Coach barks. “Too predictable. Sell the move.”
I circle back, and we run it again. This time, I hold the puck a half-second longer. Enough to shift the angle and force Carson to adjust.
The puck snaps off my stick and slides just inside the post.
“Better,” Coach calls.
We rotate out, and the next line steps in.
With the next drill, we start at the red line, dump the puck in, chase it, force a turnover along the boards, then immediately transition back the other way with pressure coming fast behind.
“Go!” Jensen calls.
I chip the puck deep and take off after it, skates digging in. The sound of blades cutting hard echoes around the rink.
Theo gets there first, pinning it against the boards.
“Here!” I call, closing the gap.
He kicks it loose, and I scoop it up just as Jensen pressures from the other side, stick jabbing in.
“Move it, move it…!” Coach roars.
I spin off the boards, barely keeping control, then snap it up ice.
“Back!” Coach yells. “Back hard!”
My legs burn as I push, forcing myself to match the pace, closing in as the play comes back toward us. I go to cut off the lane, and the shot comes anyway. It’s wide this time, hitting the boards with a loud crack.
“Good pressure!” Coach calls. “But close the gap sooner!”
I bend forward and put my hands on my knees, sucking in air for half a second as we reset.
On to the third drill. This time, Theo lines up right next to me.
“Your usual route on that second pass?” he asks.
I glance over. “Inside cut. Depends on the pressure.”
He nods once. “Alright.”
The play develops fast. Theo adjusts without hesitation, matching the cut exactly, and slipping into the space like he’s been running this drill with me for weeks.
The pass connects clean.
“Nice,” I say under my breath as we loop back.
“Thanks,” he replies, moving back to position.
Jensen skates up behind us. “Okay, that was annoying.”
“Why?” Theo asks with a small frown.
“Because you’re not supposed to be good immediately,” Jensen teases. “There’s a process, you know.”
Theo huffs out a quiet laugh. “I’ll try to be worse next time.”
Jensen chuckles. “Us old men would appreciate that.”
Zander wooshes by and chimes in, “Don’t listen to him. Keep doing that.”
“I will,” Theo assures him with a grin.
Coach is watching him closely, and my chest grows tight. I tell myself it doesn’t mean anything. Trades happen. New players come and go. Teams evolve.
Still…why do I feel like the Exit is starting to light up in front of me?
“Wilder, you were late on that one,” Coach calls.
“I got it,” I shoot back, resetting.
I push harder during the next play, like I can’t outrun the thoughts bubbling in the back of my head.
Theo is younger and would be easier to build a team around.
He’s the kind of player that makes sense long term.
Plus, despite his nose, he’s a good-looking guy.
Just the sort that Grace could get to blow up on social media.
It’s not about replacing me…I know that. Still, the idea is hard to swallow.
I’m so in my head, the rest of practice is a blur, and when it’s finally over, I’m exhausted.
“Beer later?” Zander asks as we head off the ice, pulling his helmet off and shaking out his hair. “You can stop by the house, and we can chill with Rylee and Ciara.”
“Not tonight,” I reply.
He glances over. “You sure? Might be good to just relax. Let off some steam. If not a beer, maybe you want to hike into the forest and chop down a tree again? I know you had so much fun the last time we did that.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Nah, I’m good.” Truth be told, I just want to be alone right now. I’m afraid of what I might say aloud if Zander and I hang out.
We reach the locker room before he can say anything else. I quickly shower, clean up, and head out before any of the other guys can stop me.
I get to my truck and slump against the seat, pulling out my phone to pull up Chicago’s roster for the first time in over a week.
“I’m just looking,” I mutter as I scroll through the webpage. Still, I need to get serious about this. Coach is already replacing me. I care about my friends, but they don’t need me. Mrs. Clay does. Chicago is the right move…right?
Even as I think that, a pair of deep brown eyes comes to mind, staring up at me with clear affection.
No…it doesn't matter. Hadley is just a friend, so she probably wouldn't mind if I left either.
It’d be a new start in a different city. That’s not something I can really ignore.
Especially now, with Theo. He’s the future. If I’m not careful, I’ll be left behind with nothing to show for it and no way to care for Mrs. Clay.
I can’t let that happen.