All For This {j.h.}

Chapter 5: Knees and Promo

iMessage

pip
boo

unknown number
AHHH!!
don't scare me like that!!

pip
i mean it's pretty standard for someone to do when some random person gives them their number

unknown number
touché
i'm assuming this is piper?

pip
in the flesh
well, text
and which one of my many new teammates do i have the pleasure of texting with?

unknown number
damn, you smoke me in mario kart and you forget all about me 🥲

pip
hi jack

jack
wow that was quick

pip
your the only one i played 😂
yk you could have just asked for my number
we're teammates now

jack
ik
i just thought this was more fun ☺️

pip
whatever you say 😂
i'll see you at the rink

~

When I woke up this morning, it felt like my knees were on fire. I haven't felt pain like this in so long. It didn't dawn on me how much more intense an NHL practice was. I developed tendonitis in my knees when I was 15. It was rough to deal with at first, and I struggled a lot with learning how to deal with it. I was taken out of a lot of games because rest was the only thing that could help the pain level. Learning how to manage it was a long and mentally hard process but I finally found a way to make the pain go down. I just never thought it would come back.

I got out of bed and went to go make breakfast. As I did, I checked my phone. Jack had added me to a player's group chat and sent me a list of everyone's phone numbers so I didn't have to ask everyone who they were. I was thankful for that.

"Morning Pip." I heard a groggy Emma say. I turned from what I was doing to see her face.

"Ems why are you up so early?" I asked with a small laugh.

"We have a game this morning." She explained. She wasn't much of a morning person.

I had completely forgotten about their game. My life got flipped upside down when I joined the Devils yesterday and suddenly I was forgetting everything about my old team. I felt so bad.

"I am so sorry I completely forgot-"

"Hey, no worries kid, you've got bigger fish to fry." She said with a smile and came over to give me a hug. Still, it was no excuse.

"Will you tell them good luck?" I asked.

"You know it." She replied.

For the rest of breakfast, we chatted about how I was doing with my new team and I told her about how I woke up with so much knee pain. She's known about my struggle with it since we've known each other and she was concerned for me. We both just hope that it will die down soon.

I got to the arena a bit earlier so I could still get a feel for the arena. The team was leaving tomorrow for Montreal tomorrow for our first preseason game and I still didn't know if I was going to play just yet. I made my way into my own locker room and started doing some stretches and got dressed in my gear. I then made my way out and onto the ice, just to warm up my body. My knees still felt like they were on fire. It took a couple of strides for me to get used to the pain again. I did a couple of laps before I took some shots with a puck I found by the benches.