Page 129 of All In: The Price We Pay

One of the veterans has to step up. Spears or Munns. Someone who knows the ropes and can take a beating. Munns as goalie would be my first choice, even though he still hasn’t come out with what he thinks of me now.

I don’t give a damn.

As long as he’s a good captain, he can think whatever he wants of me.

This nervousness is wearing me down.

Still, I head straight for the locker room.

I’ve chosen this path, and I don’t regret it.

As much as the uncertainties that come with coming out unsettle me, a weight has also been lifted from my shoulders. One I don’t want to carry again.

Even before I reach the locker room, I can hear people. At first glance, I see that everyone is there, including the coaches.

I frantically check my phone. “Am I late?”

Munns shakes his head. “Now that would be a first.”

Confused, I look around. “Blake.”

He walks over to me and slaps me on the shoulder.

“Did you change your mind?” I ask, half joking, half hoping.

He laughs and waves it off. “Oh no. I couldn’t explain that to Katleen. And my bones would have something to say about it, too.”

“Okay?” Then what are you doing here?

“I wanted to see how things are going around here without me.”

It’s best if I don’t ask any questions. “Ricky?”

Our new social media guy grins at me. He taps on his tablet. “I’m here to work. First photos of the season opener. Perfect first impressions.”

Okay?

Our coach claps his hands. “Before we get going, there’s one little thing to clear up.”

Ah, fuck. I don’t expect him to have anything to say about the article. But if he starts going on now about how the new guys have to be nice to me, I’m turning around and walking out.

“Our old captain has retired.” The coach slaps Blake on the shoulder. “And that means it’s time to elect a new one.”

Ah. I’d already figured that out anyway. Munns is still standing there with his hands on his hips. He wants the job. Relieved, I sit in my spot, and sure enough, Munns clears his throat. “We’ve already been thinking about who should be the new captain, both on the team and among the coaches.”

He’s not wasting any time. Nobody’s talked to me though. Don’t I belong on the team? Dammit, I have to stop analyzing every word that’s said to see if someone has something against me.

“We’ve all agreed on a few basic aspects. It has to be someone who knows the team, who’s been here for a while, who people trust, and who’s already proven that he’s a team player. Someone who doesn’t put himself in the spotlight, but whose goal is to help the team move forward.”

I wonder if similar speeches were made when Blake was elected. Is this some kind of campaign?

“In any case, the team’s proposal has already been approved by the coaching staff and discussed with club management, who gave their okay.” Munns turns around. “The team elected the new captain unanimously, with no abstentions or dissenting votes.”

Munns now stares directly at me.

I raise my eyebrows. Nobody asked me, and I didn’t vote either. As far as I’m concerned, he can be the new captain.

The goalie coach hands him a jersey. Munns shakes it out. The captain’s C is visible on the chest.