Chapter Four; Arret

The first hockey practice was on a Saturday afternoon and was spent doing the basics. Introductions took place, mostly for the new players, and jersey numbers were assigned. Kailey quickly claimed number six; she didn't know why she always picked that number, she had been given it when she was about ten and just stuck with it. When practice ended she quickly went home to shower before returning to the rink for work.

Marc, who's first Penguin training camp would be starting the next day came in for one last practice. "You know if you make the team you won't be able to skate here anymore."

"I see how it is, once I'm big and famous you won't want to be friends with me anymore."

"That's not what I said, it's just when you're famous you'll get attacked the second you walk in here. I hope that when you're famous you'll still want to be friend with me. I want to be able to say that I knew you before you were famous."

"Making the NHL won't change me, I promise. Even if I can’t skate here anymore we'll still have to hang out."

Kailey smiled. Though they had only been friends for a month they had become good friends and Kailey was glad that they would remain friends. They both knew that things would be different once both of their seasons started, that they wouldn't see each other anywhere near as much, but they could still be friends and that's what mattered.

Worked ended and Kailey returned home to find Jared sitting on the swing on her front porch. "Hello my love," she said sitting down next to him and resting her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arm around her, her head sliding onto his chest. "Hey baby, I didn't get to talk to you much at practice, what do you think about this year's team?"

They sat on the porch discussing matters such as hockey, school, and their love for each other until midnight when Kailey yawned and decided that a goodnight's sleep was what she needed. Saying good-bye to Jared she waited at the door until he disappeared and to the blackness and could no longer be seen. She lay down and quickly slipped into sleep only to be awoken when she dreamt of Marc telling her that he had been assigned back to his junior team in Canada. 'Training camp hasn’t even started yet, he's not going anywhere,' she thought to herself before again falling asleep.

She woke the next morning and got ready to go to work. The day went as usual, sitting behind the counter until just before one when she laced up to take the ice. When the public skate had ended she quickly went home and showered before calling Marc. "Hello?"

"Hey, I just wanted to know how camp went today."

"Pretty well; I had fun, and all of the guys were pretty cool. It was only the first day though and they don't start making cuts until the end of the week."

***

The week went quickly; Kailey went to school and worked everyday with hockey practices on Monday and Wednesday before and after school. Marc went to the Mellon every morning for training camp and called Kailey every night to let her know how it went. Friday brought the first cuts and when Kailey was walking out of school her cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Bonjour Kailey, the first cuts were made today."

"She froze in her tracks, "I completely forgot that was today."

"Don't worry, so far I'm still on the team."

She could hear that he was smiling; she sighed and began to breathe again. "I haven't seen you all week, we should do something tonight." They talked for a while longer and decided that the group, Jared, Amy, Marc, Nikki, and Kailey would meet at her house for a movie night. It couldn't be too late though because Marc had training camp in the morning and would be the starting goalie at the first preseason game that night. Amy, Jared, and Kailey also had hockey practice, but that wasn't until eleven.

Kay got off the bus with Nikki and since it was still very warm out they decided to go for a quick swim. Throwing on a clean outfit Nikki crossed the street with Kay and soon Jared was coming down the stairs into the family room. Lord of the Rings was the movie of choice, the first one that is.

Everyone sat on the large wrap-around couch and enjoyed the work directed by Peter Jackson. Kailey and Jared shared one cushion while everyone else had one to themselves, but neither of them minded. The lights were out so that there was no glare on the TV but the light from the screen was just enough for Marc-Andre to be able to see Kailey when he would steal glances every few minutes. He only did so when he was sure that Jared was focused on the TV and every time that he caught himself looking at her he was forced to scold himself in his head.

'Vero,' he would think. As much as he loved his beautiful girlfriend of three years there was something about Kailey that held his attention. He was almost convinced that it was because she was relatively new to him and in a way resembled his beloved girlfriend back home. He knew that she would never have feelings for him and that he would never in a million years leave his precious Veronique.

When the movie ended Nikki and Amy said good-bye to everyone and walked out together. Jared was next to leave, pulling Kailey into a hug before he did so. "I'll see you at practice in the morning, I love you."

"I love you too, see you in morning." He kissed her lips and then her cheek before letting go of her hand and leaving for his house.

Kailey sat back down on the couch, this time next to Marc. "Hey best friend," she said with a smile.

"Hello," a smile also forming on his face. "So how's hockey been going for you?"

"Pretty well; the three new guys are catching on quickly and Amy and I are still the only girls on the team," she paused and saw the look on Marc's face. "Of course we're both okay with that. The new guys played for different teams in our league last year and know how we play, so they don't treat us weird." She said before Marc could ask.

"Good."

They talked for a while longer before both standing from the couch and walking to the drive-way. Marc pulled Kailey into a hug, holding her tightly before saying good-bye.

"Good morning," Amy said spraying snow up to Kailey's knees.

"You're rather cheery this morning."

"I'm always this happy at Saturday morning practices." She said causing Kailey to laugh. "Okay, I'm hanging out with Rob today."

"Oh, you'll have to let me know how that goes." They talked for a few more minutes before Bob took the ice and everyone gathered around him at center ice for instructions. When the Mustang's practice was stating Pens' training camp was an hour from ending. Since Marc was the starting goalie for that night his practice ended at ten and he returned "home" for a pre-game nap. That night the Pens would take on the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first of four preseason games.

Practice ended at one and Kailey would have to be back at the arena at six for her shortened shift. Throwing all of their equipment into their bags Kailey and Jared made their way to her car and then her house. "I'll see you in a bit," Kay said getting out of the car.

"Kay, meet you on the porch?"

"Yep, love you."

"I love you too," he gently kissed her lips before they went their separate ways.

Kailey put her keys in the dish by the door before going into her room to get her work clothes from the floor. Her shower was quickly finished and when she had her work clothes on and the clothes she had worn to practice were in the dirty laundry pile she went out to the porch. Only a few minutes later Jared was making his way across the street and soon he was sitting on the swing next to her. He placed a kiss on her check before asking, "So what are we going to do before you have to go to work?"

"Would you mid taking shots?" she asked with a smiled.

"All you think about is hockey," he said with a smile. "Alright, let's go take shots." He took her hand and led her to the backyard where they picked up their sticks and started firing shots at the twine. They took shots until five when Kay went inside to grab dinner before having to leave for work.

As always with a shortened shift she was assigned to restock the shelves in the store until just before seven when she laced up for public skate. More people started coming as it got closer to the start of local hockey seasons. Kailey loved seeing that people were preparing for their seasons, especially the smaller kids, but it made it so that she had to pay attention to them and not do her own thing.

Marc was just taking the ice as well; his situation was more intense though. The fans had taken their seats and awaited the drop of the puck. The opening face-off was won by the Jackets and taken up into the Pens zone, a blocker save by Marc that was soon cleared out of the zone. 'Good start,' he thought to himself. The game continued to go the Guins' way and in the end they won three to two. Following the game he showered and called Kailey before going home.

"Hello?" Kailey said walking through the front door after work.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that the game just ended and we won," he said excitedly.

"Congrats!"

"Thanks, it was fun to play in front of a crowd again. How was work?"

She told him about work and how they wouldn't be able to see each other for most of the week because of the Pens' away game in two days, and then the second home game two days after that.

"Is that Journey?"

"Yes," Kailey said with a smile. "I love Journey. It upsets me that the people who actually know who they are only know one song." They talked about their favorite Journey songs and then just their favorite songs in general. Soon they looked at the time, almost midnight. "Oh shit, you have camp in the morning, don't you?"

"Yeah, it was good to talk to you though."

"You too, goodnight Marc."

"Goodnight Kailey."

They hung up at the same time , laid back in bed and thought the same thing; how they should not be thinking of each other but of Jared and Vero.