"On the ice." Her uncle barked.

Taylor raised an eyebrow in Nasir's direction. He hadn't spoken to her since the flannel fest; about four days ago. Usually, she wouldn't care, but it was odd. He was always so friendly. She was sitting at the table next to her uncle, watching what had to be one of the worst games she had ever seen.

They were losing 5-1. The third period had about five minutes left, and Taylor hadn't done anything since the game had started. At least they weren't getting hurt. That was better than nothing.

Taylor crossed her arms and leaned back, her eyes tracing Nasir's place in defence. He had seen more action this game than anyone else, and it was almost painful to watch. This was his first actual game as team captain and it was making him and the team look bad.

She scoffed and tilted her head back to look at the lights. She had no reason to care wither the team sucked or not, it didn't affect her. She was just simply killing a Wednesday evening by watching a bunch of kids from her school play hockey.

Taylor linked her fingers and stretched her arms above her head, before leaning onto the table with a disinterested look on her face. She popped her chewing gum once and glanced at the clock. 3:21 left, and then another half-hour to wait for Jacob, and then she could head home, eat, and sleep. It would be a dream come true.

She took a sticky note, beginning to fold it to make a paper airplane, but paused as she heard a cheer from some parents. Did they score? Taylor looked up at the screen, only to groan. The team from central Alberta had scored again. This had just gone from bad to worse.

The three minutes flew by, with not surprisingly, no more scores from the Falcons and the game finished. The team made their way off the ice and into the booth. Everyone had the same dejected expression on their face. Taylor kept still in her seat, letting them all pass and make their way into the changeroom before Coach gestured for her to follow. Confused, but obliging, she walked after them and into the room. They had already begun to strip, and Taylor's eyes widened, before she averted them, watching her shoes.

"Okay, so we obviously need to work a bit."

There was a scoff from Jamie. "No duh."

Her uncle let it pass. "I booked us a weekend at Camp Caroline in two weeks, just after Halloween, and I've emailed out the forms to your parents. We are going to do some team bonding. No skating, no hockey, just working as a team. That goes for you too, Taylor."

The team glanced in her direction and Taylor turned pink, distracting herself with picking lint off her red hoodie. She nodded at her uncle.

Coach paused, sighing heavily. "I know it's been difficult with such a sudden change in captains, but I need you all to trust me, and to trust Nasir. It's not easy for anyone, and we all have it hard, so you need to work as a team. Hockey is a team sport, and you are a family. We have been working on that new move, the one where we bluff the passing, and I think that will be good," He hesitated, pulling off his cotton gloves, before continuing. "I have some bad news too. Our next game, next weekend, there was a swap in teams, and we are playing Fort Qui."

"What! Why the sudden switch?" Jamie demanded.

Taylor raised an eyebrow in his direction. Fort Qui was going to wipe the floor with them if they didn't get their act together by next week. They had already lost once to them, and two times in a row would just look awful.

She tucked her hair behind her ears, and turned back to her uncle, who was desperately trying to get everyone's attention again, but it had descended into a chaos of shouts and rage.

"Everybody shut the fuck up!"

Taylor snapped her gaze to Nasir, shocked by the tone that had just come out of the calm boy. She wasn't the only one, judging by the way that the entire team had turned to look at Nasir with a variance of surprised looks.

"So what if there is a swap? We were going to have to play them again eventually, and we just have to train harder for the next week, and we are going to win. It doesn't matter, we just have to show them that we have been working and that they can't expect to win every time," Nasir paused to push a hand through his hair. "Everybody better be ready to practice tomorrow evening, because we are not letting them win again. Understand?"

There was a series of nods, and Taylor hummed quietly at how quickly the atmosphere had changed from one of anger to one of quiet determination.

"Thank you Nasir. He's right. I expect to see you all here tomorrow evening on time, and we will get to work perfecting the moves," Coach clapped his hands together. "Okay, everyone get changed and get a good night of rest. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Taylor followed Uncle Clark out of the room and back into the booth, where they paused to collect their belongings.

"I don't think they are ready to go up against Fort Qui," Taylor commented.

Her uncle blinked in surprise. "What makes you say that?"

Taylor shrugged, shoving her Star Wars water bottle into her bag. "I just don't. I think they'd be a lot more ready after the weekend away. Fort Qui is one of the best in the division, right? I think they are struggling."

"I'll be honest, I don't think so either. We were supposed to face them after the weekend away, and I was sure I could have them together by then, but if we lose, I'm not sure I can get them recovered in time to win the division and make it to playoffs."

Taylor nodded her agreement and shouldered her bag. "Don't get me wrong, I want them to win. I've only been here for what, a month? I still hope they win, but at the same time, I don't think they will."

Her uncle sighed, sliding his phone in his pocket. "It's tough for them, and I know this seems weird for you since you haven't been here long, but they are a family, and losing both Carson and Mr. Granthem has been tough on them."

Taylor glanced down at the ground, embarrassed by the mention of Mr. Granthem.

"Don't get yourself down though," Her uncle hurried onwards. "It's not like that. Give it another month or two, they'll grow to like you. They always do."

Taylor nodded and was about to respond when Isaac and Corbin came out of the changeroom. She shut her mouth and grabbed her jacket, hooking it over her arm.

Jacob followed behind them and walked up to her, dragging his bag behind him. Taylor paused, thumbing the keys in thought to help with her decision as she watched the boys continue to trickle out of the change room. Finally, she shoved the keys and her Pacman lanyard at Jacob. "Go start the truck, I'll be out in a minute."

Jacob huffed in annoyance as she looped the lanyard around his neck, but didn't protest more as he walked towards the exit of the arena.

Taylor leant against the wall, watching her uncle continue to tidy up the box. She waited until the last two boys came out, first Jamie and then about three seconds later, Nasir followed.

He paused to talk to Coach, and Taylor tilted her head to look at him. He had combed his hair away from his face, and despite the harsh lighting from the arena stadium lights, his skin was glowing, and his eyes looked like warm pools of honey.

Taylor shook her head to clear the erratic thoughts that had seemingly popped out of nowhere. Nasir walked away from her uncle and began to head down the hallway towards the exit. Taylor reached out to grab the navy fabric of his sweatshirt. She blinked in surprise at the firmness that she felt in his arm.

Nasir turned to look down at her. He quirked an eyebrow up but didn't say anything.

"That was a good speech," Taylor paused, before realizing she was still holding on to his arm and yanking her hand away. Nasir let out a huff of amusement as she slipped her hands into the pocket of her hoodie. "I mean, don't get yourself down. You are going to make a great team captain, and it's not like anything in nature blooms all year."

"You really suck at pep talks."

Taylor blinked in surprise, her face going hot. "Well, sorry for trying. I thought you might at least want a bit of encouragement right now."

Nasir shook his head. "Nobody asked you to try, and I don't need encouragement from you."

Taylor huffed and glared at him. "Fine, I'll fuck off then. Have fun being team captain."

She walked by him, keeping her gaze forward, despite the urge to look back. She walked out the front doors and blinked in surprise at the heavy blanket of snow that was falling and there was a bitter chill in the air. There was already a few centimetres on the ground. She groaned, and jogged to the truck, hopping in the front seat. Taylor rubbed her hands together, and opened her mouth to talk to Jacob, but hesitated when she noticed he wasn't there.

Taylor reopened the door and peered out, to where Jacob was talking with Nolan on the sidewalk.

"Jacob West! Get your ass in the truck now!"

Jacob turned and jogged away from Nolan, hopping in the truck. "Did you have to yell?"

Taylor rolled her eyes and pulled on her seat belt. "Yes. I told you to get into the truck."

Jacob raised an eyebrow, glancing at her. "Why did you stay inside?"

"I was talking to Uncle." Taylor frowned at her own lie, but continued on, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road. Before Jacob could call her out on it, she continued. "What's Camp Caroline like?"

Jacob shrugged. "The same as every other camp. It will basically be a weekend where we all get along really well and hang out together."

"Does it actually help with team bonding?"

"Sometimes. I sure hope so this year though. We kind of need a team bonding."

Taylor turned the corner, pulling onto their small street.

"Hey," Jacob pointed at the black truck in the driveway, covered with a small blanket of snow. "Dad's home."

Taylor pulled in the driveway next to the truck, before stopping the truck and hopping out. She pressed the button on the keys to lock the truck and followed Jacob up the driveway and into the house.

All was quiet, but there was the permeating smell of garlic and parmesan in the air. Taylor glanced in the kitchen, where a pot of Alfredo sauce was simmering.

"Where do you think they are?" Jacob asked.

"Did you try their bedroom?"

Jacob made a face of disgust and Taylor rolled her eyes.

"Mom? Dad?" Taylor shouted, instead of walking down the hallway.

"I'm here," Their mom came up from the basement, clutching a basket of laundry.

"Where's Dad?" Jacob asked.

"He's in shower. He left Calgary early this morning, so please don't bother him," Their mom plunked the basket down on the couch and Taylor joined her, helping to fold the laundry. "How was the game?"

Jacob flopped onto the floor. "It was awful. We lost. 6-1. I feel so bad for Nasir. None of this is his fault, but like, it sucks to come in as team captain and have this bad of a loss," He rolled onto his stomach, nearly knocking his head on the oak coffee table. "The team bonding is happening again, the first weekend of November."

"Okay, I'll sign the forms and get those back," She folded a t-shirt that belonged to Taylor. "Are you going as well?"

Taylor nodded. "I guess so. I don't think I get much of a choice."

Their mom pushed her hair back and turned to Jacob. "Unless you are going to be a human broom, can you go mix the sauce?"

Jacob gave her a thumbs-up and turned heading to the kitchen.

"Is everything okay?"

Taylor blinked in surprise, looking over at her mom. "How did you know something was wrong?"

"I've known you for sixteen years," She paused. "You were also frowning."

"I just argued with someone, and I don't know why it's bothering me so much. It just sucks."

She nodded. "Well, don't let that get you down. We all get in arguments with people. How about you try talking to them some other time? Then maybe that'll help?"

Taylor hummed in response, unsure about the advice, but decided to humour her. "Okay, I'll try that."

She wrapped an arm around her. "Everything will be okay."