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zaybae · 03-23-2024, 11:47 PM

"I can't believe her" Cranberry said under her breath, almost amused. "You know Jade, if this was a real game you'd be sent off the ice for that!"

Jade blows a raspberry back at Lea "Good thing there's no refs here then!" Little sh*t.

Jade, Lea's younger sister, had asked for some help with extra off season training before her tryouts for her university hockey team. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly for Lea, Jade didn't seem too interested in taking her training seriously.

"Yknow you won't get far with this kind of attitude right?" Lea mildly scolds her sister.

"You're not mom."

That stung Lea to hear. Her and her sisters had lost their mother young leaving Lea to fill that role as best she could for her and her family. She pauses, watching her sister skate circles around the empty rink for a second. "Break. Be back here in 30 minute. A minute late and you'll be doing laps for the rest of the day." Lea heads off the ice. "And don't forget to pick up the pylons". She heads to the Dragons' locker room for a breather. No one gets under her skin quite like Jade.

There weren't any practices scheduled this weekend so the arena sat empty, apart from the Cranberry's and occasional staff. This was Lea's home away from home. Something about being in the locker room brought so much peace, especially after hours.

In the corner of her eye though, Lea spots her teammate, Oranj Konhe, sitting quietly in the corner. "Oh Oranj, did they forget to take you home again?"

"..."

"Anyways, while you're here can I vent a bit?"

"..."

"Thanks." Lea continues. "Can you believe her? The f*cking audacity. She asks me for help and won't even take it seriously. I don't know how she expects to make the team with all the fucking back talk. Coaches nowadays are looking for coachability, not skill alone, but noo that won't get through that thick neanderthal skull of hers."

"..."

"Sorry, that was a little harsh."

"..."

"I can't unsee the look she gives me now. Full of resentment..." Lea's words catch in her throat for a moment.

"..."

"How can I not take it personally? I gave up everything for her."

"..-"

"Don't even try defending her right now dude. Then she has the f*cking gall to bring up Ma like that."

". . ."

"Sorry." Lea takes a deep breath. She can get pretty hot headed, if she isn't careful she can say some pretty hurtful things. It can be great fuel on the ice, but off the ice it's had a tendency of putting stress on her relationships.

"..." Konhe reassured. "....."

"You're not wrong." Lea solemnly agrees, like taking a hard-to-swallow pill. "It is like looking in a mirror. One that highlights all my least favourite parts of me."

"A day that rains, can still be beautiful." A voice sounds hesitant, it's coming from the door.

"I should've known you'd try eavesdropping." Lea says turning to see Jade standing in the doorway. "And you've known she was there the whole time, didn't you Konhe?"

"...!"

"How much did you hear Jade?"

"Enough" Jade giggles a little. "You were always so stoic. It's... refreshing to see you cry."

"I'm sorry I haven't been very patient with you today."

"I can't blame you, I haven't exactly been the easiest today. I'm sorry I haven't been taking this training seriously and... for what I said earlier. I know how much you sacrificed when you had to take over for mom. I don't know how you never hated me over it."

"Jade. I could never. And I'd give it all up all over again for you if I had to."

The sisters embrace each other. A tear starts to run down Lea's face.

"You still wear mom's perfume?"

"I never stopped." Jade wiped her runny nose on Lea's practice jersey and came out of the hug. Her mascara had ran down her cheeks and a sh*t eating grin on her face.

"Gross. You owe me burpees."

Jade didn't need to say anything, her face said it all: "Worth it."

"I'm going to break you Jade. Cmon Oranj, we'll need a stand-in tendy. Don't worry, I'll make sure you get home this time."

"!!!"

[Word count: 705]

***boom*** · 03-23-2024, 11:48 PM

everyone writing media to make each other cry this weekend I see

Great article! Hope to see more of your work, this is really nice.

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