Page 7 of My Pucked Up Enemy

“Nina, this is Alex Chadwick. One of the best goalies in the league."

She turns her head, meets my eyes. Calm. Measuring. Unreadable face.

“Alex,” she says simply, with a nod. “We met briefly at the team meeting.”

“Doc,” I reply, just as even. I don’t give her anything extra.

Coach gestures for me to sit. I stay standing.

“Wanted to check on your schedule,” he says, glancing between us. “Make sure you’re not too overloaded for the travel stretch next week.”

“I’m good,” I answer. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

Coach raises a brow. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

He gives a half-smile, like he doesn’t totally buy it but won’t push.

“You haven’t had your individual session yet,” Nina says, her tone even but not warm.

“Didn’t realize we’d started mandatory roll call already,” I say, keeping my voice light but dry.

She doesn’t flinch. “It’s not about compliance. It’s about performance. Mental edge. Focus. It’s about sharpening tools you already have.”

Coach’s eyebrows shoot up slightly, but he stays quiet.

I give a small shrug. “I’m focused just fine.”

“Maybe,” she says. “But unfocused people usually say that too.”

She’s poking the bear.

Coach steps in like a ref breaking up a face-off. “Alright, alright. No need to square off right now. Alex, just carve out some time this week. Sit down with her. One session won’t kill you.”

I nod at him. “I’ll look at my calendar.”

I glance back at Nina. She doesn’t look smug or annoyed. She just looks like she’s waiting to see if I’m going to be worth her time.

I give her nothing.

“Thanks, Coach,” I say, keeping it neutral. I nod once to her, nothing more, and turn to leave.

As I walk out of the office, I feel her eyes follow me even though I never look back.

She’s not impressed by us. We're the Detroit Acers for Christ's sake.

I scoff quietly and keep walking.

She probably already has a file on me.Alex Chadwick: emotionally unavailable goalie. Caution: prickly.

She can take her notes and her tidy little binder of trauma responses and tuck it all into a drawer labeledNot My Problem.

Because I’m not one of her puzzles.

I’m the wall.

Chapter three

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