On The Ice

How I Became A Duck

. . .

After hearing this for a couple of days I got sick of it, so we headed toward the rink. We both took our hockey sticks and ran. I passed to him while he was on skates and scoring, but I was on the ice in my shoes. I took a puck and decided to score because why not. It hit  and it went in the net. It hit it so hard it made and big dang sound through the whole rank. Adam acted surprised like he has never seen me play or score. Well he hasn't seen me play for real.

"Where did you learn to shoot like that AJ?!"

"Utah, loser"

I said as we were joking around. Then I look at him and got another puck. He knew what I was going to shoot another puck. Then I hear Adam commentate like a sports commentator.

"Andrea Hernández -"

Then I gave him the look and then he chuckled.

"I mean Andy Hernández, happy now?" he said sarcastically.

"Yes now carry on."

"She has her eyes on the goal, aims, and she shoots! She scores"

We cheer and celebrate, but then we hear a voice calling out for Adam.

"Hey Banks, who's that girl with you?"

We look to see it was Charlie Conway, he was a boy who played on the Ducks with Adam. He was one of the only kids who were nice to Adam at the beginning.

"This is Andy Hernández, she lives across from me."

"Hi I'm Charlie, I saw you shoot and we could  use more girls on the team. You should bring her to coach, show him what she can do. I bet she can make the team."

Once I heard what he said I was excited and scared at the same time. I liked that I had a chance to play again, but I was scared. I was scared that I wouldn't be able too get in, hurting my ankle again, and other things. Then I had an idea or lie, that might actually work. I stepped to the side and then said this while stepping carefully yet clumsy, on purpose.

"Well I would if I knew how to skate."

"That would be easy since we taught Fulton Reed how to skate too."

Adam just stood there as me and Charlie were talking. He knew what I was doing, so as the good friend he his he said this.

"I'll take her to practice tomorrow and tell Coach Bombay about her."

I shot him a worried look as he grinned at me.

"Ok see you on the ice Hernández" Charlie said as he left the rink.

. . .

Adam took me early to practice to talk to coach about me. No one was there except me, Adam, and Coach Bombay. Adam put his skates on and skated to Coach as I watch them talk from the bleachers. They were talking for a while and then Adam gestures his hand telling me to go on the rink.

I go to the glass and open the door. I walked onto the ice like it was nothing. Adam and Coach Bombay skated towards me. Then Bombay made a U turn grabbed a puck and a stick. He skated back to me and Adam. While he was skating back I can hear some kids in the background coming in the rink.

"Hey kid, show me what you got to give to the Duck's."

Then I can hear muttering coming from the kids that came in. I got nervous for a hot second, I felt the blood rushing through my veins. I wound up the shot and it made a loud bang against the wall behind the net of the goal. Then the muttering stopped right as the puck went flying. I looked at Coach Bombay and then he dropped another puck on the ground.

"Can you do it again, but this time try to aim for the right glove side."

I went up to the puck and hit it in the perfect spot. Almost fell on the iced since I was wearing shoes, but I didn't. Coach seemed impressed and then looked at me curiously.

"Can you do anything fancy or cool tricks?"

"She's got a sick curve shot, it's really cool."

I look at Adam as he said that. He skated to the goal and got the puck. He gave me the "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to help out" look. I was scared but thought I could do the curve shot, if no one was watching. Then why could I not do it when people do watch. I got nervous thinking it's not going to go in, but decided to go for it.

Adam got a puck from the goal and dropped it in front of me. I lined up the shot and hit the puck. It felt like everything went in slow motion and went quiet. I see it go left a little bit and see some of the boys ease up. Then is goes to the right and all of us in the rink tense up as we see it go. Then the puck hits the right post and I can hear people sigh. Well then I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and see Bombay there.

"Hey kid your on the team."

I can hear cheering and a loud cheer from a girl with dark hair and a jersey with the number 18 on it. I see Adam skate to me and high five him. Then I see Charlie with the other kids smiling. Then I hear him say.

"Coach! One thing, she doesn't know how to skate."

I felt a sense of guilt come over me. I went to coach and thought that l should try it and it would be a mistake not too. So I told him why I said I couldn't skate.

"Ok so I know how to skate, that was a lie to keep Adam from talking to you. But now I want to join."

There was more cheering then I interrupted.

"I just don't know if I want to risk of breaking my ankle again." 

They  all looked at me confused except for Adam. So I explained to them what happened. A few days pass on and then I decide to play cause AJ Hernández doesn't quit, especially on her team. That may sound cheesy, because it is. But you can't blame me. Also how would I know I would break my ankle on the ice again if I never go on the ice again? When I joined the Ducks, your girl got an original jersey with the number 8 on it.

. . .