Page 84 of Falling

“Hello, everybody,” Sophia’s voice booms. “I’m so glad so many of you could make it. If you’ve just arrived, refreshments are everywhere, and so is the food. We’re going to get straight into it, and I’m inviting the first five people into the basement, where the group interview will take place. Afterward, individual interviews will commence. If your name is not called, sit tight and you will be down next. First, can I have Xavier Dawson, Harry Butler, Jake Callahan, Grayson Aoki-Park, and Miles Davis downstairs? Please, and thank you!”

Xavier and I look at each other and then back to the girls. “I guess that’s our cue,” I say, nodding at Wren to come over to me, and she does. “Do you want to stay up here or come down?”

“If Michelle’s going, then I am too,” she replies, beaming at her new best friend. We start to make our way through the crowds, and I hold onto Wren’s hand as we go down the stairs to the basement. It shouldn’t be this nerve-racking. It’s just a stupid interview with my stupid teammates. That’s it.

“Miles?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“You’re squeezing my hand,” she whispers. “It hurts.”

“Shit. I’m sorry, baby,” I murmur, releasing her hand and allowing her to curl it over mine. I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss it as she blinks up at me with those killer green eyes. “Better?”

She smiles. “Much better.”

When we get down to the basement, it looks a lot more professional than I thought. On one side of the room, there’s a white wall with a neon light that reads “Sophia’s Corner” behind a couch that’s big enough to fit ten of us on there. On the seats of the couch, there is a sheet of paper with our names on, which I’m assuming is the order Sophia wants us to sit in.

I’m on one end next to Harry, Xavier, and Gray, and then Jake is on the other end. I’ve not even bothered to look in his direction since we got down here, and I don’t plan on it anytime soon.

On the other side of the room, there are brown chairs and tables filled with drinks and snacks for the people who have agreed to stand silently and watch the interview up close. Sophia’s director's chair also makes this whole thing feel more official. Honestly, it’s sweet how much work she puts into these things.

We all take our seats, and Wren and Michelle stand on the other side of the room, lingering around a table near Sophia’s chair. I try to get my heartbeat to settle when I notice the team photo that Sophia has hung up on the wall.

She has one of all the sports teams at NU, including the skating team, which she probably took for the yearbook. In our picture, we’re celebrating our championship win last year, Carter being held up by all of us with the trophy in his hands. I shake off the uncomfortable feeling and try to settle down. I look over at Wren, and she does the dorkiest, most adorable thing ever, smiling wide as she gives me a double thumbs-up.

If she's there, cheering me on, I can do this.

“Are you guys ready?” Sophia asks, setting up her camera on her tripod and pressing record before mouthing a countdown. “So, we are here with the first interview of the day with some of my favorite players from the North University Bear’s ice hockey team. We have Miles Davis on your right, followed by Harry Butler, Xavier Dawson, Grayson Aoki-Park, and Jake Callahan. What a dream team, I must say.”

“When you’ve known each other as long as we have, it’s hard not to work together so well,” Xavier says, looking up and down the line. Everyone nods in agreement. “Of course, it was different for Haz over here, since he only just joined the team this year.”

Harry groans at the nickname we’ve all got for him, and we laugh. “Just because I didn’t play with you guys in middle school or high school, doesn’t make methatnew to the team,” he retorts.

“How does it feel being the baby of the team, Harry? It must be a lot different to playing hockey in Australia,” Sophia says, crossing her legs and getting into her serious position.

“It feels good. I mean, in my town, ice hockey was pretty uncommon, so when I got offered a place here, it gave me the best opportunity to work harder for a more serious spot,” Harry explains.

“And how have you been settling in?” Sophia asks. She gets cut off by a loud groan coming from Gray. “Got something you want to say, Grayson?”

“Yes,” he concedes. “You’re asking all the boring questions, cuz. No one wants to know about how Harry enjoys the team.”

“First names only, Grayson Phillip Aoki-Park,” Sophia relays, pinning him with a death stare. “Moving on. How are you, as a team, planning on tackling the opposition in the new year? I hear you’ve got a very competitive season ahead of you, and if the playoffs go well, you could be up against the best colleges in the country.”

“Out hustle, out work, out think, out play, and out last,” Xavier says, repeating our mantra that we have been using our whole lives. Coach chants it before every game, and it works like magic. We all have our own superstitions, but that’s the one we all indulge in. Obviously, Jake snorts at that.

“Cut out the BS, Dawson,” Jake says, laughing. “What we’re really going to do is beat the competition with whatever force we have. Hockey isn’t just a physical game, it’s a mental one, too.”

“Great. Thank you for that insight, Callahan,” Sophia mutters, scribbling down notes in her notebook. I look over to Wren, and she is not trying at all to hide the disgust on her face.

“You’re welcome,” Jake replies proudly.

“Okay, so, you all agreed to talk about this before coming, so here is just a small warning before we get into it,” Sophia begins, not breaking eye contact with me, and I know exactly where this is going. “You all lost a vital team member at the beginning of summer, and I know it has not been easy for any of you. Some more than others. I grew up with Carter, and we all knew he was going to do amazing things in the hockey world. He would have easily made it to the pros and became one of the most talked about players in North history. My next question is, how are you planning on honoring him during this season? Xavier, would you like to go first?”

Xavier nods, looking at me before facing the camera. “Unlike some of the tactics Jake likes to use, Carter was the calmest one on the team. I don’t know how we managed to win every game with him even though he seemed to be the most chilled out and relaxed on the ice. While the rest of us were pushing into people, knocking them over, Carter kept a leveled head, even when he was pushed to second string. That’s how I’m planning on honoring him, by keeping calm and spending as much time out of the penalty box as possible.”

We all nod, agreeing with the perfect answer. “It’ll be easier for some than others, I assume,” Sophia starts. “Ahem. Grayson.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I’m only in the sin bin because I like to play dirty for the win,” Grayson says easily.

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