Enzo
The ambient noise of the party surrounded me, conversations melding together into a soft hum. But as I held up my glass, ready to make my announcement, my mind started to wander to a time not too far back. I felt a lump forming in my throat, knowing how much this particular revelation would change things. For everyone.
A couple of months ago…
The cafe’s familiar bell chimed, announcing another customer’s arrival. My focus was solely on the steaming cup of coffee in front of me, and the textbook sprawled open with notes scattered everywhere.
But that focus wavered when a stranger approached, his sharp suit contrasting against the sea of college hoodies.
“Enzo?” The voice, firm and deliberate, pulled me out of my studies.
I glanced up, immediately wary. “Yeah?”
“Tim Malone.” He extended his hand. “Hockey recruiter. I caught your game last week. You’ve got some skills on the ice.”
I shook his hand, still processing the introduction. “Thanks. What can I do for you?”
He slid into the chair opposite me, his demeanor all business. “Your style of play, your leadership… It’s what my team needs. We’ve been struggling, and I believe someone like you can turn things around.” Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Jobnib.com. Visit Jobnib.com to read the complete chapters for free.I raised an eyebrow. “You want to recruit me?”
“Not as a player,” Tim corrected, “As a coach.”
I blinked, taken aback. “A coach? I’m still in college.”
“Enzo,” Tim leaned forward, his gaze intense, ” this is a chance for you to use your skills off the ice. My team needs a mentor, someone who’s been there, played the game, knows the ins and outs. And after seeing you play and lead, I believe you’re that person.” It was a lot to process. My whole life over the past several years had been about pursuing my degree and playing hockey. But coaching? It had never crossed my mind.
“How would this work?” I asked, intrigued.
Tim smiled. “I’m glad you asked,” he said. ” In August, we would hope to see you come and stay in our town for six months while you train the team. After that, if you do as well as we think you will, I’ve got plenty of other jobs for you. Lots of other hockey teams around the country who need help from a pro like yourself. It’s a significant opportunity.”
I hesitated. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ve still got two semesters left before I finish my degree. I would have to drop out to do this.”
Tim nodded understandingly, but there was a gleam in his eye that spoke of determination.
“Just think about it,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity, and I can see how much passion you have for the sport. I’ll be looking forward to your response.”
“Enzo, you’ve been given a chance not many get. It’s a dooropening just for you,” Nina said later that day,
“But I can’t leave my team,” I argued. “And what about my degree?”
“Since when do you care about your degree?” Nina asked. She came closer, her hands capturing mine. “And besides, sometimes, life throws us a curveball. And sometimes, that curveball is a blessing in disguise.”
We had gone back and forth, weighing the pros and cons. Nina, being the voice of reason she always was, made me see the bigger picture.
“You love the game, right?” she pressed
I nodded. “Of course.”
“And mentoring young players, seeing them grow and succeed under your guidance, wouldn’t that make you happy?”
It was undeniable. The thought did excite me. But the decision wasn’t just about me. “What about us? I’d be away…”
Nina smiled gently. “We’ll figure it out. We always do. But I don’t want you to miss out on something that could bring you so much joy.”
Weeks slipped by after that initial conversation with Tim, but the proposal to become a coach hovered in my mind like a persistent fog.
Every corner I turned in the university halls, every practice on the rink, every late-night study session, Tim’s offer loomed large. It was a tantalizing dream, dangled just out of reach, but with a string of uncertainties attached.
One evening, Nina and I took a walk along the university’s old bridge, the water below reflecting the soft hues of sunset. Thepicturesque scene should’ve eased my mind, but instead, it felt like every step echoed the beat of my internal struggle.
“You’ve been distant lately,” Nina remarked, her fingers interlacing with mine, as if she was trying to physically pull me from my reverie.
“It’s this coaching thing,” I admitted, my gaze fixed on the horizon. “On one hand, it’s a once-in-a
-lifetime opportunity. But on the other…” My voice trailed off, but the unspoken words hung heavily between us. The thought of being apart from Nina, even if just for a few months, was agonizing.
She sighed softly, turning to face me. “Enzo, remember when I took that internship in New York in January? We were apart for a whole month. It wasn’t easy, but we managed, right?”
I nodded slowly, memories of those lonely nights flooding back. “It was tough, Nina. And now it would be six times that amount of time.”
She paused, searching for the right words. “But wasn’t it worth it? The experience I gained, the growth I underwent? This is your New York, Enzo.
You have a chance to shape young minds, share your passion, and make a real difference.”
Her words resonated deep within me, but the fear of regret was paralyzing. “What if I fail? What if I realize that coaching isn’t for me?”
She chuckled softly. “What if you fly? What if you discover a side of yourself you never knew existed?
Life is full of ‘what ifs’, but you can’t let them dictate your path. Besides,” she added with a wink, ” you’re Enzo Rivers. You have a way of turning challenges into gold.”
Despite her comforting words, doubts still clouded my judgment. We continued our walk in contemplative silence, each lost in our thoughts.
The next few days, sleep eluded me. I found solace in late-night skates on the rink, the cold air sharp against my face, and the ice providing a blank slate to etch my thoughts on.
One evening, after a particularly grueling practice session, I found an old photo of a younger me, holding my first hockey stick. That memory jolted something in me. The sheer passion, the joy, the hunger to learn and excel; it all came rushing back.
I remembered my first coach, Mr. Matthews, and how he had shaped my early years. I owed so much of my success to him. Wasn’t this my chance to give back, to be someone’s Mr. Matthews?
The realization hit me with the force of a slapshot.
This was what I wanted. Not just a job, but a chance to impact lives, to share my love for the game, to build something from scratch. It was a challenge, yes, but one I was eager to take on.
And with Nina by my side, even in spirit, I felt fortified.
With that newfound clarity, I picked up my phone,my fingers trembling as I dialed Tim’s number. As it rang, I took a deep breath, drawing strength from the memory of that young boy with the hockey stick.
“Tim? It’s Enzo. I’m in.”
His voice, filled with relief and excitement, echoed my own emotions. “You won’t regret this, Enzo.
Welcome aboard.”
Back in the present, the weight of the silence in the room was palpable as I took a deep breath, the memories of the past few months culminating in this very moment.
“Hey, everyone,” my voice was steady, but the fluttering in my stomach was undeniable. “First off, thank you all for being here tonight. It means the world to both Nina and me.” I looked around, meeting the eyes of my teammates and friends. ” But there’s something I need to share…”
I paused, glancing at Nina for support. She gave me a reassuring nod, her hand squeezing mine.
“I’ve received an offer to coach a hockey team out of the area,” I started, noting the mixture of surprise and curiosity that spread across the faces before me. “After a lot of thought, and with Nina’s unwavering support, I’ve decided to accept it.” There were murmurs and exchanged glances, but I pressed on, feeling the need to explain myself.
“This decision wasn’t easy, and it’s one that I’vebeen grappling with for months. But it’s an opportunity for me to mentor and help shape the next generation of players.” I paused, allowing the weight of my next words to sink in. “So, I’m stepping down as captain. For good.”
The room went utterly silent, the air thick with shock and surprise.
The laughter and music from the party seemed distant now, a stark contrast to the piercing silence that followed Enzo’s announcement. I could feel the tension, the mix of shock and disbelief that clouded the room.
“You’re… not coming back?” someone asked.
Enzo shook his head. “Not to the team, no. I’ll be leaving for six months. After that, if all goes well, I’ll be traveling the country to help teams. It’ll be a long of long-distance traveling.”
“Why Enzo? Why now?” Derek, one of his teammates, blurted out, his voice a blend of confusion and hurt.
Jessica, always the emotional one, added, “We’re a
family here, Enzo. You can’t just leave us hanging like this.”
I watched Enzo, looking for signs of regret or doubt. But instead, I saw the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He glanced my way, and our eyes met briefly, communicating more in that split second than words ever could.
“I get it. This isn’t easy to hear,” Enzo said, his voice trembling ever so slightly but still firm as it always was. “But sometimes, we need to make tough decisions for ourselves, for our own growth. I never planned for this opportunity, but now that it’s here, I have to seize it. It’s my calling. Always has been.”
A murmur of voices broke out, a cacophony of confusion, anger, and sadness. Through the tangle of emotions, I could sense the underlying love and respect everyone had for Enzo.
After a deep breath, he turned to me and murmured, “I need some fresh air.” I nodded, understanding his need to escape. This
announcement had been a long time coming, and it went just as well as either of us expected, which was to say that it hadn’t gone all that well in the slightest. With that, he made his way out, the heavy wooden door shutting behind him with a definitive thud.
Understanding nods and a few sniffles resonated around the room in Enzo’s absence. But I couldn’t linger any longer. My heart ached to be with Enzo, to offer him comfort in this moment of vulnerability.
However, as I was on my way to join Enzo outside, I was suddenly stopped by two familiar faces. Both of them, with their arms folded, wore expressions of concern mixed with a tinge of curiosity.
Lori, with her keen eyes, was often too observant for her own good, while Jessica had that uncanny ability to coax confessions out of even the most closed-off people.
“Nina,” Lori began, her voice soft, “how long have you known about Enzo’s decision?”
Taking a deep breath, 1 admitted, “A couple of months.”
Jessica raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “And you kept it a secret from us all this time?” I nodded, meeting her gaze. “It wasn’t my secret to share. Enzo needed to come to terms with his decision, and he wanted to be the one to break the news.”
Lori bit her lip, her gaze probing. “What are you going to do, Nina? With Enzo being miles away and you being alone here? It’s not going to be easy.
Especially not in this house.”
As Lori spoke, she gestured around. The house that we had renovated, Richard’s old house, was beautiful and warm now. But it was also situated quite a ways outside of the town, with woods on three sides and a cliff leading to the ocean on the fourth side.
It was both remote and dangerous, especially since Lewis was somewhere out there still and would probably relish the idea of ransacking Richard’s old home again just for kicks. 2
“Life rarely is,” I replied with a chuckle, but the weight in my heart at the thought of Enzo being away from me for so long was evident. “I’ll be fine, Lori. It’s essential for Enzo to chase this dream.
We’ve talked about it. We have plans, and we’ll stay connected.”