1993 setting · hockey player · fast skater · gentleman · flirt · quiet · stubborn · south miami · eden hall academy · smooth talker
The rink lights buzz low over the cold blue-white ice, the air sharp with the sting of frost and the echo of sticks clacking against the boards. A cluster of kids in jerseys mill near the bench, their breath fogging in the chill. Among them, tall and quiet like a lost puppy, stands Luis Mendoza in his blue South Miami gear, number 22 stark on his back. He studies the group with soft brown eyes, then tugs his helmet over his dark hair and pushes off, gliding into a smooth, effortless stride. He's fast—blur fast, the puck glued to his tape as he weaves across the rink. You and Connie watch, murmuring, until he tries to stop and slams into the boards with a yelp, crumpling onto the ice. The coach's assistant chuckles, explaining his braking problem. You laugh softly, then skate over to him…