Chapter 1
June 2003 — Portland
This summer is going to mark Ryan's third year at the Belov Elite Development Programme, and he couldn't be more excited.
He'd been at a couple of different kids' training camps that were way too easy for him before receiving the invite for Belov's.
"And you're sure you want to go to Belov's again this year?" Mira asks.
She's sorting through the mail at the kitchen table while Leon prepares breakfast.
Ryan rolls his eyes.
"Maman," he sighs, flopping down in the chair adjacent to his mother.
"Belov's camp is good!
Two of the coaches were PHL players!"
"Yeah, from the Seattle Grizzlies," Mira scoffs.
"You've got more options this year!
Everyone's heard of how good you are.
Hartley has a camp-"
"Ah, yes, Hartley," Leon says.
"The ex-Pioneer." He presses a kiss to the side of Mira's head as he sets down a plate of pancakes on the table.
"No work at the table, please."
Mira huffs, but she presses a quick kiss to Leon's lips.
She pulls the letters together, tapping them on the table like they're a deck of cards so that they're neatly arranged before setting them back in her letter organizer.
"I just want the best for Ryan," she says.
"And that's the camp run by the former Captain of your favourite team?" Leon asks knowingly as he sets up the breakfast table with eggs and maple syrup.
"I'm just saying," Mira shrugs.
"Between former Pioneers and former Grizzlies, I know what I'd prefer."
"I like Belov's," Ryan says firmly.
"I mean, I like the Pioneers more than the Grizzlies, but I like Belov more than Hartley.
I mean- Vitali Belov!
He has the second highest number of hat tricks in the PHL!
And the kids there are, like.
Cool."
"Belov's is a larger camp," Mira concedes.
"And they do figure skating there too," Leon points out, sitting down.
"Maybe Ryan will learn some tricks off of his buddy Ben, gain better control over the ice or something.
Serve yourselves, please."
Ryan serves himself two pancakes and an egg.
At a pointed look from his mother, he serves himself a second egg.
Protein.
"Well, I, for one, am happier the closer we are to home," Leon says.
At the look from his wife, he raises his hands in surrender.
"What?
I'm just saying, it's convenient that Belov's is in Portland!
I don't wanna spend the summer at a hotel in Detroit.
I'm sure Ryan doesn't either."
Ryan doesn't.
He doesn't really mind travelling, but he likes the comfort of home.
Mira smiles, shaking her head.
"Alright, alright.
I can't put up too much of a fight against my cute boys." She pinches Ryan's and Leon's cheeks in quick succession.
"Thank you for the breakfast, Leon, it looks lovely."
Ryan smiles.
"Mmhm, thank you!"
Honestly, he's not sure why he likes Belov's so much.
Sure, Belov himself was a hockey superstar, but it's not like Hartley was bad.
It's probably that Belov's camp is bigger, which means more kids, which means less individual attention.
The coaches give him direct feedback, but they also let him do his own thing.
It's all very structured, which Ryan likes.
He doesn't want to have to start from scratch — there's a rink and gear and kids that are semi-decent to play with.
It's all Ryan needs.
There's a new kid Ryan's age at Belov's this year.
He introduces himself with a thick Ukrainian accent and a serious-looking face:
Andriy Zelenko
Thirteen years old, like Ryan, but he looks a lot older because of the furrow of brows.
Ryan assumes Andriy is in boarding; Ryan's glad he lives close enough to do day camp, because he's heard they share four a room at boarding.
Zelenko is also really good at hockey.
Really, really good.
Almost as good at Ryan.
The two of them are almost immediately pit against each other in a 3v3.
Coach Belov believes in getting right into it; everyone here is trying to make it pro.
Ryan's team wins, but only just barely.
Ryan has a feeling if Zelenko could communicate with his teammates better, Ryan might have been the one that lost.
It's a bit of a thrill.
Ryan's usually only challenged when he's pitted up against the older kids, which he doesn't mind, but he likes having a challenge his own age.
Ryan decides that he's gonna talk to Zelenko.
His mom's always saying that he needs to make more friends, that hockey is a team sport and that 'rapport' is important.
And there's just... something about the guy that gets his attention.
Maybe he can say hi after the game.
At the snack table.
So that he can stuff his mouth with an apple or something if he can't think of anything to say.
Ryan's not the best at the whole 'making friends' thing.