My Hockey Alpha

Nina

A couple of hours later, I arrived at the diner with Lori, Jessica, and the hockey team to volunteer. Even though I was exhausted from my night of sleeping in the freezing cold in the woods, the thought of having something like this to distract me and help my community gave me something to look forward to, and the hot coffee that Phil offered us helped sweeten the deal as well.

Soon enough, we were all working hard to provide food to our community. Phil had a couple of the hockey players drive around town and post signs, and the dean sent out a campus-wide text announcing the food drive. Before I knew it, we were busily giving plates of hot food to students and Mountainview residents alike, and we were having a bit of fun while doing it as well. I didn’t even realize it at the time, but hours went by without worrying about Enzo.

Around noon, another familiar face showed up to volunteer at the food drive. It was Justin.

“Um… Hey, Nina,” he said, walking up to me with his hands in his pockets. “Can I help with the food drive?”

I couldn’t help but smile. Justin had never really been the type to volunteer as long as I had known him, so this sudden change in attitude was a welcome discovery. I happily agreed and handed him an apron.

“You can help us hand out food,” I said, gesturing to the table that was set up outside beneath a pop-up tent. I then led him inside to the kitchen, where the other volunteers were working hard to prepare hot meals for people. There were various meals to choose from, all of which were packaged in cardboard takeout containers for people to take: pancakes, eggs and sausages, soup and bread… Anything that Phil still had in the freezers. He even had us handing out cookies and slices of cake with each meal, and there was a constant stream of fresh, hot coffee and tea being handed out in takeout cups.

Justin helped me carry a few more trays of food out to the table, then stood beside me and helped me hand them out. The line of hungry students and Mountainview residents stretched all the way across the parking lot, and having an extra pair of hands to help was much appreciated.

think it’s really awesome that you’re doing this,” Justin said as he worked alongside me. “This town really needs

idea.

gestured around at the tables and all of the other volunteers. “But you’ve taken charge so

to take charge like this so easily even if someone had begged me to do it; maybe everything that happened did help me gain some confidence. Either that, or seeing how the Fullmoons refused to be of any real help gave me the drive to pick up the slack and fill in where they were lacking. Regardless, I supposed that it was a positive

smiled and thanked me meekly, then shuffled away and

then and turned to look at me; when he did, his eyes were genuine and

I know that I’ve always been a bit of an ass,” he said, hanging his head a bit and staring at the pavement as he spoke. “I was selfish. But… After everything that happened this semester… After seeing your kind, smiling face when I was stuck as a rogue… I guess your kindness imprinted on me somehow. And I want to be different now. I want to

hear Justin talk like this, and for a moment, I was reminded of our nights spent together hanging out on the hockey bleachers or

that I could ever get over what

…

overrun. There was still no local news coverage thanks to the local satellite stations being knocked out by the Crescents, so we had no real way of knowing for sure, and it was too remote out in these

the front door chime. I looked up and opened my mouth to tell the guest that

It was Luke.

threw down my dish towel and bolted out of the kitchen, running around the counter to throw my arms