Pucking the Captain
The silence was deafening, heavy, and suffocating, broken only by the hum of the ventilation and the sharp *rip* of athletic tape.
Half the guys suddenly found their skates incredibly interesting, staring at the floor, while the other half just stared right at me, their expressions a mixture of pity, curiosity, and outright disgust.
I kept my chin up, walking toward my stall with a steady, deliberate pace, but my hands were shaking so badly I could barely unzip my bag.
I was just pulling out my practice gear when a loud, mocking laugh cut through the quiet room.
"Well, well. Look who decided to show up,"