Clearwater Hell Hounds have won another championship.

Adelaide reads from the screen in front of her. Another win announcement from an old newspaper stands in front of her.

"You would think the journalist would, you know, change it up every now and again." She had just read through the past 50 years of newspapers that have been digitalized trying to find something to write the assignment about but the only thing these journalists thought was important were the same goddamn articles about the team and the stupid players. Nothing interested her enough to make a carbon copy of these articles.

She wants something more, something deeper than 'Samuel comes from a line of captains' she's here to be a journalist, not some gossip writer.

She takes a deep breath, stretches her neck and looks around the packed library.

Adelaide had been the first person here this morning. She had jumped out of bed at a ridiculous hour on a weekend to get a good seat. She barely even changed out of her night clothes. She was wearing the same tracksuit pants and a faded jersey from her father that she had slept in. The people around her are lucky enough that she remembered perfume before she left. A quick brush and a spray before she was out the door, already knowing that the first weekend back at school was the time all the students came out of the woodwork to be here, trying to get some work in before the school turned to Ice Hockey Central.

Half of these people won't be here by Thursday or Friday too busy with hockey on their minds to study or do anything even remotely schoolish. She would probably be the only person here the night of the actual game. Last year the school librarian asked Adelaide to close up when she was done because they wanted to go to the game.

She kind of liked being here by herself, the quiet of hundred of bookshelves was nice, and she didn't even need headphones or music playing to concentrate.

The people next to her are talking in hushed tones about their assignments something about business and the Hell Hounds. Seriously it's crazy how this school could make every assignment about the ice hockey team. Honestly, that should be the assignments coming up with the next lot of assignments.

As she looks around the room, she looks at all the student's heads down, working away. She wonders if once the team find out she's here will they show up again. Will the other students finally have enough of their disrespect for rules or would they let them slide off punishment once again?

She's still thinking about it when her eyes catch another pair of eyes. Someone watching her. Her head darts back to the pair of green eyes and she instantly gives out a groan at the person sitting two tables away from her. He gives her a smirk before waving.

She rolls her eyes and just turns back to her work.

She can feel his eyes on her and she can't concentrate on the newspaper search engine. She accidentally clicks a paper for the week before the beginning of last year's hockey season.

Not wanting to show her annoyance or how he rattled her just by being in the same room as her. She keeps her eyes on the page, reading the words of last year's main column writer.

Although Adelaide would barely call this a column once again she's faced with another gossip piece. An interview with the captain for the year's plans.

Every other time she skimmed this article it was something she barely even took notice of knowing it was just a silly piece to fill space. This time however she takes the time to really look at it and something catches her eye.

Do you have any big plans for this year's season?

Yeah, we got some pretty big plans in the works right now. Not just for the game but I was able to talk to some of the past captains, really get in the mind of the others and how they became the greats they are now. I found their secret to success and you best believe that this is once again going to be our year. We've got the perfect start to our game.

Adelaide quite literally stops breathing for a minute before a smile spreads on her face. This is it. This is her assignment topic. What the heck is ice hockey's perfect start? Do they do this every year?

She pulls up her document and starts typing out some questions, taking quotes from the article and remembering to the best of her ability the exact words that came out of Samuel's mouth.

He had talked about meeting up with the past captains, and he had said word for word 'our perfect start.'

She clicks over to the next week's newspaper, hoping that the journalist had done a follow-up interview.

The page is littered with the 'First game of the season Win.'

Adelaide does find what she's looking for, a follow-up interview done right after the game but the interviewer never asks what his secret was. In fact, he barely asks anything. It seems last year's captain was exactly like Samuel ... completely stuck up his own ass.

It isn't until she's dissected every single thing on the page another 4 times that she sees it.

After the excitement of winning the game, our Captain turned to his players and promised a repeat of the night before.

A repeat of the night before the game? She writes it on the document. What could they have done the night before that they can do again?

She skips to the next page, knowing that the paper comes in three days after the game she hoped to find out what they did. Instead, the page was filled with the usual articles reminding people to buy tickets for the next game, news about the school, and sign-ups. And at the very bottom probably put in last minute was a picture of a girl.

She was a cute girl with a wide smile on her face.

Missing, Bella Jones.

Bella was last seen at a party around 1 am three nights ago. Anyone with any information should call the police immediately.

That was it. Three nights ago was the night of the first win they had a party.

But what was so important about a party that gave them their perfect start?

Adelaide goes back to the night before and after every game before this one and she finds the clue in practically all of them. Every win had some kind of article about a party either in the paper before it or after it.

It wasn't always as easy as the word party literally being on the page. Sometimes it was an article reminding the students that this was an alcohol-free school or talking about a clean-up after a big night. One was even reminding people to watch their friends when they're drinking because a few years back a girl hung herself after drinking all night.

Adelaide sat at her table looking at her laptop with a smile. This was it for whatever reason the team threw some kind of party to celebrate and get themselves ready for the game the day after.

But why a party?

Pulling up her document she starts trying to come up with reasons.

A good party;

Gives the players confidence.

Gets their minds off the game so they are fresh and ready.

They get laid so they feel amazing and ready.

While everything she comes up with makes perfect sense she needs more, she needs to dig deeper into the story and give the article a solid reason. She looks over at where Paxton had been sitting but he's gone now. The empty place is filled as she watches. She turns towards the stacks and finds the Hell Hounds jacket turning a corner.

She needs an into the party.

As soon as she's at the party she will be able to observe others and get into the mind of the players. Maybe if they get drunk enough she will even be able to get some direct quotes out of them.

The only problem is ... well actually there are a lot of problems with getting into the party.

For one she hasn't heard anyone even call it a party yet, which means it's probably an exclusive invite-only kind of party. That is one of the biggest obstacles because right this second the whole team hates her and wants her head on a pike. How is she going to get an invite to this party? A party, mind you, she is technically not meant to know about at all.

Her eyes dart back to where she saw Paxton disappearing around. She shakes her head.

Look she might seem like she loves torturing herself but that is just something her body wouldn't even allow her to try.

She needs a different plan, a different in.

She pulls out her planner circling the day before the game with a bright red marker. She has officially 6 days to get herself an invite to the party. Friday night here we come. 

AUTHOR NOTE

This chapter was a little more information based but I promise the next couple of chapters will be action. 

But in the meantime what do you think about her assignment? 

Do you think the team are just hosting parties? Why does a simple party mean the difference between winning and losing the game? 

As always if you see anything that might be a problem or issue within any of my books please comment so I can fix them in my next draft. 

Thank you for reading,

Laura Tector