no mercy[adam banks]

chapter twelve

-Jane Fox's POV-

      Our first playoff game is today, against the hornets. Currently, we are all getting changed in the locker room. Once I pull my jersey over my head, I turn to Jesse. "Heya Jackie, remember we are on the same team!". He scoffs, rolling his eyes, while the rest of the team laughs. I braid the top of my hair and pull it into a bun. Than, I braid Connie's hair. Tying the end of the single braid off with a green bow. "Hey Janie! You should totally braid my hair!", Averman shouts.

      "Quack Quack Quack!", the ducks begin to chant. After our cheer, we skate out to our positions. Bombay stops me, "No mercy Janie. Get back what you lost in the game against the huskies.", I nod quickly skating off to center. This is my time to shine, I will not let Jackass ruin this for me. 'It's not worth winning, if you can't win big', I repeat in my head to get myself fired up.

Right as the Ref drops the puck, I harshly shove #5 down to the ice. Quickly grabbing the puck skating towards the opposing goal. Fulton knocking people down left and right, while Adam makes sure that I have a clear shot. Charlie is skating behind me as back up. I have no clue where old jess is, not that I care. 10 seconds into the game, I easily shoot. The pucks slides right past the hornets goalie. The buzzer goes off and soon enough I tackled into the board by my teammates.

      It's the end of the second quarter, and we are winning 4-2. I scored 3 of the goals, leaving the last one to Adam. Assisted by me. As the game went on, I was getting more and more aggressive. Checking the hornets left and right, making sure everyone had a chance to try and shoot. But, I wasn't the only aggressive one. The hornets and us were shoving and checking every chance we got. Even little Tommy checked someone into the boards.

       Bombay placed me as left wing and let Averman take center. Fighting for the puck, Averman pushes it over to me. Causing both him and the opposing center to fall down the ice. I skate down the ice and fake the shot. Instead of shooting, I pass the puck to Guy. Who shoots and scores. The team, and the newly picked up fan base erupts with cheers. It's crazy how many people come to a peewee game. The fans wearing merchandise found at Han's shop. A couple of people wearing my jersey. Like walking into the arena, a little girl came up to me, wearing my jersey, and asked for my photo. Avery was her name, and she said I was her idol. Avery wants to become a hockey player but the boys say she can't because she is a girl. I convinced her not to listen to them, girls can do anything boys can do. Her mom used a polaroid camera, so I could sign the picture. She even took and extra so I could have one.

      15 seconds left in the period, coach puts me out there, "Score Janie. We don't need it but I know you want too.". The score is 5-4, and we have a face off on their side of the rink. The pucks hits the ice and I shove the hornet's center into the ground. I'm by myself basically playing 5 v 1. Jesse and Connie are the defenseman. Obviously Jesse doesn't want to help me, and Connie isn't a very good defender. Karp and Peter are the wings, so I don't really have anyone to pass too.

'Where the fuck is my team?', I think to myself.

     I weave through the hornets, making sure to elbow or shove a couple of them down. But, I skate past the rest of them. It's just me and the goalie now. I fake right, and begin to go left but the goalie recovers. So, I change my plan and shoot the puck as hard as I can going into the right corner of the net. As the buzzer goes off signaling a goal, the puck breaks through the net harder than all my past shots. It's hits the top of the board behind the goal. Finally, I think to myself, I got it to the back of the boards.
I'm tackled to the ground by my teammates, we made it past the first round of the playoffs!

        "Holy shit kid!", Bobby exclaims to me. "Bobby! Watch your language!", Bombay yells from the other side of the bench. We shake hands with the hornets, i'm stopped by their coach. "Nice game kid! You got a bright future in the sport.", he pats my back. "Thank you sir.", I tell him, he walks off with his team.