2. Xander

Xander

My tires crunched over gravel as I pulled into Eagle"s Peak Challenge Course parking lot. With my stomach twisting and turning, I stepped out of my car and I took in the rows of obstacles stretching out before me.

After being traded from the Giants, I was still adjusting to my new team. I hadn't hit my stride yet, still feeling things out, since not too long ago the Grizzlies were one of my fiercest opponents and now they were my teammates. And except for my cousin West living in Tennessee, I didn't have anyone else I could talk to. It wasn"t like my parents would miss me – we barely talked, and they seemed eager to get off the phone every time I called.

"New team, new start," I muttered to myself as I grabbed my gear and headed towards the course.

Some of the guys were already there, laughing and joking around. My eyes flickered around the group. Bennett hadn"t arrived yet. Not that I was looking for him or anything; it was just an observation. We weren"t exactly best friends – more like enemies stuck on the same team. But I was determined to make the best of my time here and prove myself.

"Hey, Z!" Jester called out with a grin. "You ready to show us what you"ve got?"

I smirked, resting my gear on the ground. "You better try to keep up."

"Ooh, confident. I like it," he replied, clapping me on the back.

Our banter carried on, the air filled with good-natured ribbing. Jester lived up to his name, cracking jokes that had even stoic Tank chuckling. A thought was niggling at the back of mind. Where was Bennett? Not that it mattered, of course.

But just as I finished my thought, the air shifted.

Bennett"s deep voice cut through the chatter, "Sorry I"m late, guys. Traffic was a nightmare." He jogged over, a sheepish smile on his face.

His tight-fitting black t-shirt did little to hide his muscular build. His hair looked like the sun had lovingly touched it with its rays, and it looked like he'd run his fingers through the thick strands. Intense green eyes scanned the group, not lingering on me for even a moment.

"Alright, gentlemen!" Coach boomed. "The goal of these challenges is to build strong bonds of trust and camaraderie." His gaze swept over us, calculating and stern. "Time to pair up for our first challenge." He began assigning pairs, his decisions seemingly random.

"Xander," he called out, and I straightened up. "You"re with Bennett."

"Great," I muttered under my breath. More time spent with Bennett. Just what I needed. His eyes met mine briefly before skittering away, his expression unreadable.

Our first challenge involved navigating a maze while blindfolded, relying on our partner"s instructions. As luck would have it, I was the one who was blindfolded while Bennett guided me.

I bet the universe was having a laugh at my expense.

"Left, Harrison." His tone was a winter chill, cutting and unyielding.

Trusting him, I veered left only to earn an intimate introduction to a cold stone wall.

"Son of a… Bennett!" I groaned, clutching my throbbing nose. "A little heads up next time?"

His snort reverberated through the maze. "Maybe if you actually paid attention."

I rolled my eyes beneath the blindfold – not that he could see it. His words stung more than they should"ve. We were supposed to be teammates here.

"Bennett," I sighed, trying to keep my frustration at bay. "Just help me get out of this damn maze."

By the time we finished, I was ready to rip off my blindfold and throttle him. But instead, I took a deep breath and tried to remind myself that this was all part of building trust and teamwork – or so Coach said.

Next up was a relay race. Bennett and I were the anchor legs for our respective teams. I glanced sidelong at Bennett, catching the way his jaw clenched, the muscles working beneath his skin like coiled springs. A telltale sign he was in the zone, focused and ready.

"Alright, guys, on your marks!" Coach"s voice boomed across the track.

I felt a surge of adrenaline, my muscles tensing in anticipation. My gaze drifted back to Bennett. There was something about the way he squared his shoulders, the intensity in his eyes. For him, this was a competition, not unlike when he was on the ice.

He"s like a racehorse waiting for the gate to open. And no, just fucking no; that wasn't admiration, it was only an observation.

"Get set!" Coach"s voice rang out.

I glanced at Bennett once more, but this time his eyes were already on me. Our eyes locked for a split second.

And then, the starting gun cracked, shattering the silence. The track was noisy as everyone cheered their teams. Sometimes the exchange of the baton was clumsy at best, but every team wanted to emerge the winner.

Tank passed the baton to Bennett, a few heartbeats ahead of Jester's handover to me.

Bennett exploded off the line like a bolt of lightning a fraction of a second in front of me, the muscles in his legs propelling him forward with explosive power. I followed suit, the baton gripped tightly in my hand.

I pushed myself harder, striving to match and then better Bennett"s pace. The wind whipped past my face. I gritted my teeth, determined not to let Bennett beat me.

As our teammates cheered us on, I felt the burn in my muscles and the pounding of my heart. Adrenaline pumped through my system, making me forget for a moment the animosity between us.

With just a few meters to the finish line, we were neck and neck. I gasped for breath. And then…

Bennett crossed the finish line mere seconds before I did.

"Good race," I offered, trying to extend an olive branch.

"Likewise." Bennett looked at me, a flicker of something like respect in his eyes. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by that familiar scowl. He nodded his head curtly and walked away.

"Man, you two need to sort out your issues," Jester said, clapping me on the back as we regrouped for the next activity – trust falls.

"Tell me something I don"t know," I muttered under my breath, watching as Bennett headed over to Coach. He appeared calm and collected despite the physical exertion, while sweat trickled down my back, my heart still racing from the competition.

After trust falls and other team building exercises, we made our way to a nearby clearing where a picnic-style lunch had been set up for us. The smell of barbecue wafted through the air, making my stomach growl. I grabbed a plate and piled it high with all sorts of deliciousness – a grilled chicken wrap, roast beef and swiss cheese baguettes and fresh fruit salad.

"I could eat this every day." I took a seat on the grass next to Jester, who was already chowing down on his meal.

"Same here, bro," he agreed, mouth full of food. "This is some good stuff."

I noticed Bennett sitting across from me, quietly eating his food. As if sensing my gaze, he looked up, his green eyes meeting mine for a moment before he casually looked away.

"You"re pretty quiet," Jester said. "Everything alright?"

"Uh, yeah," I lied, forcing a smile. "Just really focused on the food, you know?"

"Sure thing, man." Jester winked at me before turning his attention to another teammate, launching into a story about one of his infamous pranks.

I tried to focus on the conversation around me, but my mind kept drifting back to Bennett. Why did he have to be so damn difficult? We were supposed to be teammates, working together toward a common goal. But instead, it felt like we were constantly at each other"s throats.

"Alright, let"s move on to zip-lining," Coach Mack announced, his booming voice cutting through my thoughts. "Xander, Bennett, you two are up first."

My stomach tightened. Of course, Bennett and I had to be paired together for the double zip-line. So much for avoiding him for the rest of the day.

"Let"s just get this done," Bennett muttered, grabbing a harness and tossing one to me. As he strapped himself in, his biceps flexed under the strain. "Ready?" His voice was curt.

"Born ready," I replied, doing my best to sound nonchalant. We stepped up to the edge of the platform, and with a deep breath, we launched ourselves into the air.

We zipped across the forest canopy and the rush that came with it was exhilarating. I caught fleeting images of Bennett's wide-eyed thrill. Gusts of wind tangled his hair.

Despite the deafening roar of the wind, his laughter burst free and managed to reach my ears. The sound caught me off guard. It was so unexpected, I suddenly realized it was the first time I'd heard it. And something dawned on me. Bennett was an intense man. The kind of man that seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. I'd seen him smile, but laughter? That seemed like something he rarely did.

"Ready to eat my dust?" Bennett taunted when we reached the next platform, his smirk igniting my competitive spirit.

In response, I tightened my grip on the handlebars. The wind whistled past us. The world blurred around me into streaks of green and blue as we descended, the ground rushing up to meet us.

Later, Coach Mack gathered us together to discuss the importance of teamwork, communication, and trust in both hockey and life. They asked each of us to share our experiences and insights from the day"s activities.

"I learned that sometimes you have to put aside your personal differences to achieve a common goal," Maestro said, his warm smile encouraging others to open up.

"Trust is earned, not given freely," Tank added, nodding solemnly.

"Laughter really is the best medicine," Jester chimed in, grinning mischievously. "You can"t take everything seriously all the time."

As my teammates took turns sharing their insights, I mulled over what I wanted to say. How could I express my thoughts without igniting an argument with Bennett?

"Xander, how about you?" Coach prompted when it was my turn.

"Uh, yeah," I began, choosing my words carefully. "I realized that sometimes, even if you don"t see eye-to-eye with someone, you can still find a way to work together. It might not be easy, but it"s possible."

A few heads nodded in agreement, but I could tell Bennett was analyzing my statement, searching for any hidden meaning.

"Interesting insight," Coach nodded, looking between me and Bennett. "And you, Bennett?"

"Communication is key," he replied, his voice steady. "Without it, we"re just stumbling around in the dark – both literally and metaphorically."

"Exactly," I agreed, stealing a glance at Bennett. "Maybe it"s just two people who haven"t figured out how to work together yet."

"Or maybe it"s a matter of adjusting our own perspectives," Bennett added, his voice cool but his eyes burning into mine. "Being open to change and learning from each other."

It was like we were both speaking in code, trying to communicate our frustrations without letting the others in on our secret language.

"Great point, Bennett," Sam chimed in. "And sometimes, it"s all about taking a step back and understanding that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. We can"t expect everyone to be on the same page all the time."

"Very insightful, gentlemen," Coach Mack praised, oblivious to the veiled messages being exchanged. "It"s important to remember that teamwork doesn"t mean we all have to be best friends, but we need to respect each other and find ways to collaborate effectively."

The conversation continued, but I sat there and wondered if Bennett and I would ever move past this invisible barrier that separated us. We were both fiercely competitive, but beneath it all, I respected the man, and I hoped one day we would truly be teammates who kicked asses on the ice.

"Alright, boys," Coach Mack announced as the sun dipped below the horizon. "I think we"ve made some great progress today. We"re going to wrap things up here, but I want you all to take what you"ve learned and apply it on the ice."

As the team began to disperse and gather their belongings, I found myself walking side by side with Bennett, our shoulders nearly brushing. Seemed like we ended the day with a truce, but how long would it last?