Taylor was beginning to consider blackmail as a last resort. It would get her out of the hockey games, and she could basically get Jacob to do anything for her for the next week. It was a win-win situation. Her gaze drifted to her little brother, who was sulking in the penalty box, again. It's what he deserved for cross-checking.

Taylor took a sip of her coffee and clenched the red cup tightly, relishing the warmth against her fingers. The arena was chilly, despite the warm September air outside. The leaves were just beginning to turn, showing the signs of a winter that was stalking them from the shadows. Taylor placed her cup on the bench next to her, and glanced sidelong at her parents, who were both angry by her brother's predicament. She shoved her fingers in her jacket pockets and made eye-contact with Clara, who was positioned right across the arena from Taylor, stuck watching the coach-her father, and the town sheriff-shout at the teenage boys to skate.

Clara dragged her hand down her face, momentarily snagging her fingers in her red hair and struggling with it, before giving Taylor a 'kill me now' look. Taylor nodded slowly in agreement. It wasn't that she hated hockey; she was more than willing to sit and watch a game with her dad and brother. It was the pretentious attitude that came from the stereotypical hockey boys in her school. It seemed as though they always had their sticks shoved up their asses.

Taylor watched as Clara gestured to the door out of the arena and into the cafeteria, and Taylor nodded her agreement. "I'm going to the bathroom." She told her parents, before grabbing her coffee, standing, stretching, and making her way down the bleachers.

She met Clara at the exit to the arena and they walked quickly, heading for the cafeteria, where they would have ten minutes before someone noticed they had been missing for a long time.

"I can't believe Aubrey managed to skip on this game! This is the second time! When I get my hands on her..." Clara trailed off, her hazel eyes flashing.

Taylor rolled her eyes and pulled off her toque, running a hand through loose butterscotch coloured curls. "Don't you think you're being a bit dramatic? I mean, if either of us had the option, we'd skip too."

Clara tugged down the zipper of her jacket, swearing when it got stuck, and yanked harder, nearly ripping the zipper off as she finally got it down. She huffed and sat down, pushing her hair back into a ponytail. "I swear, if my dad drags me to another game, I get that he is the coach and all, but he never forced Charlotte to go." She thumped her head on the table.

Taylor chuckled at her friend's actions. "Well, at least you get to watch Jamie."

Clara's ears turned pink. "Shut up. I have no choice about these games, and if I have to eye him up the whole time to get any semblance of joy, I will."

Taylor took a sip of her coffee. "Fine, be that way. Are you ready for the health science quiz tomorrow?"

"Is Aubrey famous?"

"I'll take that as a no," Taylor responded, looking at the girl who was both a best friend and a cousin. Her mother and Clara's father were siblings, and as much as Clara would hate to admit it, she got her appearance from her mother.

Clara glanced at her watch. "If I were to leave now, and go hang out at Tims, what are the chances that my father would notice?"

Taylor gave her a look and Clara sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't be so negative, I just really didn't want to come today."

Taylor smiled in response. "If it's any consolation, my mom is making lasagna for dinner tonight because you and Uncle Clark are coming."

Clara's face lit up. "That's awesome!"

Taylor glanced at her phone, groaning at the time. "We should get back in."

Clara scrunched her nose up. "Fiiiiiiiiiiine."

Taylor tugged her toque back on, and stood, carrying her coffee with her as they walked together back into the chilly arena. They parted their ways and Taylor jogged up the steps, only to freeze on the top one and watch the scene on the ice below. It was as if she could see it in slow-motion. A harsh blue-eyed player from the Serpents, wearing their emerald green jersey, (the opposing team) broke away, skating towards the goalie. Nasir, a boy in Taylor's English class, and who Taylor only recognized because of the number that was also on his windbreaker, chased after him. He was one of the two defensemen.

Taylor watched as the boy skated as fast as he could down the ice, Nasir, in his pale blue and white uniform, on his tail. The boy slapped the punk for the goalie and spun, so fast that Taylor barely saw the moment when his stick collided with Nasir's stomach and knocked him face-first onto the ice, heaving for air. The boy then skated off, heading for his teammates, excited that he had scored a goal.

Even Taylor had to admit that that was foul sportsmanship. The parents from her town let out enraged shouts as Coach Hamilton rushed out on to the ice and slipped his way over to Nasir, who was still wheezing. Taylor could recall something from grade 9 gym about asthma. Where was their first aider? She knew for a fact that her uncle did not have any sort of first aid.

As the commotion calmed down and the boy was stuck in the penalty box, Taylor made eye contact with Clara again and she shook her head in bored disappointment.

Nasir was picked up by Jacob and Jamie and they helped him to get off the ice, still having issues breathing. Taylor rolled her eyes, turning back to her phone.

~~~

"That smells good, Mom." Taylor smiled, peering to look at the lasagna in the oven.

"Thanks," Her mom replied. "How about you go find Uncle Clark? I heard he had something he wanted to ask you."

Taylor's eyebrows pinched in confusion, but she turned, heading for the living room. There was a small electric fireplace pushed up against one wall and two couches and a rocking chair. In one corner was a cabinet full of china they never used, and in the other was a lamp that didn't even work anymore. She tugged on the pink sleeves of her knitted pullover and looked at her uncle, who sat in the chair. "Hey Uncle Clark, what is it that you wanted to ask me?"

Her uncle smiled, turning to face her with the same eyes as Clara. "I have a business proposition."

Taylor's eyebrows furrowed even more in confusion. She glanced at Clara for answers but her cousin shrugged in response. She had no clue either then.

"Mr. Granthem, our old first aider, retired last week and moved down to Edmonton to be closer to his family. I am looking for a new first aider, for at least this season, and your dad mentioned that you had your first aid from Health Science. I was wondering if you'd like the job?"

Taylor blinked in surprise. "Really?"

Her uncle nodded. "So you'll do it?" Hope shone in his eyes.

Taylor paused, thinking. "Can I be given a day to think about it? I just want to talk to everyone about it first."

Her uncle raised an eyebrow. "Alrighty, but let me know as soon as you can."

Taylor gave him a thumbs up and turned to head to her bedroom, Clara tagging along. Did she really want to spend more time around those boys than she had too? She opened the door, letting Clara flop on her indigo bedspread before shutting the door.

"I cannot believe he just asked me that." Taylor breathed, sitting in her desk chair.

Clara looked up at her. "Are you going to do it?"

Taylor shrugged noncommittally. "I don't know, I mean, it could be really cool, and it could give me an insight if I want to go into medicine or not, but at the same time, do I really want to waste my time with hockey?"

Clara nodded in response. "Aubrey will be excited. I think she's back from Fort Mac tonight,"

"But if I were to do it, that means I have to spend my weekends travelling with them."

Clara balanced her feet on the wall. "I bet it would look great on college resumes."

Taylor nodded. "Yeah, I'll give him my answer tomorrow."

~~~

"Clara, Lord of the Flies has nothing to do with aliens."

Taylor bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing. She glanced over at Aubrey, who had the same quiet amusement on her face. It was a game Clara liked to play with their English teacher. She basically went out of her way to find the most outlandish symbolism she could on the books they read. 

"But Mr. Moore, could the group of boys on the island not show how aliens would treat humans?"

Mr. Moore sighed and pushed his glasses up. There were snickers on the other side of the class, and Taylor glanced over, rolling her eyes at their toques. Aubrey's brown hair was loosely curled, and she twirled a pencil between her fingers.

"It is a representation of society on a smaller scale. It shows how humans have an inane instinct for savageness. No aliens."

"I wouldn't put it past aliens to send us to our doom. Why not isolate us on an island so we wouldn't be an issue?"

"That's enough Clara." Mr. Moore glared at the girl. Clara beamed and leaned back in her seat, popping her gum.

Taylor picked up her book again, flipping to chapter eleven and continuing where she left off. Aubrey spun in her chair to face Taylor. Clara turned as well, still revelling in her quiet victory.

"Did I tell you guys I decided to apply?"

Taylor flipped the page of her book, pretending to read as she spoke to Aubrey. "What for?"

Clara smacked Taylor's arm and Taylor gave her a look of fake shock. "The exchange trip. Remember? Italy? Mr. Thomas came around earlier this week and spoke about it?"

Taylor beamed at Aubrey. "That's fantastic. You got your parents to agree?"

"Of course. They want me to see the world."

"Of course they would. We live in the most redneck town this side of Newfoundland." Clara high-fived Aubrey. "We are all going to get out of this town one day."

Taylor nodded her agreement. When she graduated, she was going to UofA and studying medicine. She was going to go somewhere in this world. That much she knew.

Taylor twisted to Clara. "Do you know where your dad will be after school?"

Clara shrugged. "Probably working. That's all he does these days. That and hockey. How come?"

"I'm going to swing by the station and tell him I'll take the job."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. "What job? Are you going to quit medicine and become a police officer?"

"You're hilarious." Taylor glared at her friend. "No. I'm going to take the job as the hockey team's first aider."

"Really?" Aubrey glanced at her as if she'd grown another head. "Why? Aren't you the one who usually bitches about them?"

Taylor nodded. "I am, but I need the experience and the money."

A ball of wadded up paper flew across the room, bouncing off the side of Clara's red hair. Her eyes flared and Taylor and Aubrey exchanged a glance.

Clara stood up, glaring at the hockey boys across the room. There were four of them, and they were all snickering. Clara grabbed an eraser and shoved it inside and Taylor watched as she took the paper and whipped it back, nailing Jamie Rush in the middle of his head.

She flipped them off and sat back down, muttering asshole as she did.

Aubrey laughed. "I think they forgot you were in baseball."

Clara joining in the laughter. "It was apparently worth it. Great reflexes."

Taylor shook her head at her two best friends. "You two are insane."

"Says the girl who's joining the hockey team."

Taylor rolled her eyes and peeked over at the four boys, three of which were plotting revenge. Nasir, his dark hair hiding his eyes, had turned back to his book.

~~~

Taylor knocked on the door to her Uncle's office.

"Come in."

Uncle Clark spun in his chair, looking up at Taylor. His face broke into a grin. "Taylor! Did you make a decision?"

Taylor nodded. "I did," She swallowed, and thumbed her backpack straps. "I'll take the job."

Her uncle grinned and pushed his dark hair out of his face. "That's fantastic! So I'll see you tomorrow?"

Taylor nodded her response, and a mild sense of nervousness washed over her. What had she just gotten into?

~~~

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of The First Aider! Any feedback would be amazing, and I'll see you next time!

~ Juliette Laurens.