Chapter 12 She's Mine

• LUCIEN'S POINT OF VIEW.
• The rink was empty except after a rigorous practice with the team. Except for the hum of the cooling system and the faint echo of my skates against the boards, practice ended twenty minutes ago.
• The second Coach blew the whistle, signalling the end of a hard afternoon in the freezing rink, most of the guys bolted for showers without wasting a second, and some escaped for their weekend plans. I stayed behind, working the puck until my shoulders burned and my hands ached. Pain focuses me. Keeps the world from getting too loud.