~Pucker face~ Charlie Conway

Chapter nine: Inconclusive

Sloane's POV

I gave myself a weekend of time to fly back to Minnesota and get settled back in at school. Most of the ducks were staying in the dorms this year, but some kids decided to keep a few more days with their parents, so they wouldn't return until the day school started again.

The time I spent with my family was nice, and so was catching up with a few with old friends. My brush with Marcus was just plain odd, but it was over. He wouldn't see me till summer.

The Saturday night before we were back in the classroom, I decided I wanted to go out into the city by myself again. Connie had told me about Hans sport shop, a place where they had everything a hockey player could want. They sharpened and took care of skates, so why not do mine before the season starts?

I took my skates and shoved them into a bag while I ran out to the bus stop. There was about an hour until the city routes stopped being used by buses, so I had to be quick. After the ride, I got to Han's Sport Shop. Connie had told me all about the man who used to run it, Hans. He was kind and helpful, always supporting the kids no matter their troubles. Now, the shop was run by Jan, his brother. I walked inside and went up to the older man at the counter, assuming it was him. Placing both pairs on the counter, I began explaining what I needed.

"Hi. Um- do you think you could relace and replace the blades on the ones here," I said pointing to one pair skates, "And then sharpen the blades on these?" I asked, then gesturing to the other.

"Of course! That'll be seven dollars for all. The boy in the back will help you with the relace and replacement, and I'll do the sharpening."

"Thank you!" I said, sliding a 5 and two 1's on the counter. I grabbed one of the pairs and headed to the back.

I then was met with eyes of none other than Charlie Conway. It had only been two weeks since I'd seen him last, nevertheless, the tension was thicker than ever. I pretty much called him immature before break and now I felt so guilty about it. But I knew that I shouldn't apologize until he did. Damage was done on both ends, who's going to want to fix it first?

Honestly, I just wanted to see what would happen if I acted nice. As if nothing had occurred in the past. Just how I would act around everyone but him.

"Hey stranger. Can I get a relace and blade replacement please?" I said with a smile at the end.

A suspicious look came across his face, with a weird eyebrow raise. No words came out, just a nod. Charlie took the skates off the counter and walked into a back room, leaving me alone. I sat on a bench waiting, when finally the man in the front walked over with my other pair.

"All sharpened and ready to shred!" He said, placing them into my hands.

"Thank you...." I said, looking at his name tag and clearing my throat, "Uh thank you Jan."

Finally, Charlie came back out and placed the skates in my hands. I put them back in my bag. Checking the time, the nearest bus that would take me close to Eden Hall wouldn't leave for another fifteen minutes. Coach Bombay and Charlie's mother apparently lived in St. Paul, which was farther to travel so he stayed in the dorms instead of at home. It was a reach, but as Jan walked away, I decided to spring something on the boy.

"Do you want to catch the bus with me?"

Charlie looked up at me with a weird expression. It almost looked as if he were trying to say 'Are you actually serious right now?' But I couldn't tell in what context.  Obviously, he wasn't psyched to see me. Regardless, every time we did a simulation, and the puck dropped, I would be facing him. Helmet to helmet.

He got to cleaning the counter, ignoring my earlier statement.

"Alright then. The bus leaves at 8:45 from First Avenue. Don't be late." I said, heading towards the door.

It was all I could leave him with. He was strong-willed, I'd give him that. But his grudges were exhausting to go through. Some of them, I brought on myself. The other times were pure Charlie. There was something that we both had in common. The tendency to show an attitude. Especially if we encountered something we didn't like.

"We" was used loosely. He and I were nothing to each other but teammates, even that had been dissolved for a while.

Flakes started to fall from the sky as I walked towards the bus stop. When I finally got there, I still had about 5 minutes to spare. After about 3, the boy came trudging down the avenue. He stood beside me and was looking at his shoes.

"The ground isn't that interesting Conway..."

"And if I think it is?" He asked in rebuttal.

"Then I'm wrong." I responded.

"Is it that hard to admit?" Charlie then said.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Is it that hard to admit your wrong. After all, you just did it with ease."

He really got me there. A trap, I fell right in. Once again, attitude. There it was, gracing me. Finally, the squeak of the bus brakes awoke me from thought. We both stepped onto the bus, me first, Charlie following. I went all the way to the back, fully expecting him to sit as far away from me as he could. Surprisingly, he slid into the seat directly behind me.

This wasn't anything too crazy, I wouldn't get excited. It wasn't an apology. As the ride back to campus ensued, nothing more was said until the very end. The bus lurched to a stop when he stood quickly and walked up next to me.

"I'm never wrong." He said confidently.

Before I could think to respond, he was off the bus and falling into the embrace of Linda, who was for some reason waiting outside at the stop with such anticipation.

As I walked off a few seconds behind him, over his shoulder, she gave me a dirty look. Absolute disgust and repulsion.

"Charlie! So I was wondering....they announced the Valentines dance, and well, I know it's a while away, you should be my date!" She announced loudly.

That was more than odd. A weird thing to exclaim in such a loud voice. Also it was more a confirming statement than a question. Did he actually want to go to the dance with her? Though I despised both of them in some way, he never seemed as obsessed as her. The relationship seemed to be her only personality trait. Regardless, I would only walk away. It's not my business, really nothing with Charlie is.

That night, I sacked out in my dorm. How was it already time to go back to hockey practice? Also go to school? It was a somewhat nauseating thought, time was passing faster than I wanted. The problem still stood, I wasn't having fun.
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On Monday, posters were plastered everywhere. Valentines was over a month away, but pink, white, and red papers hung on cork boards all around the halls. Kayla, the girl from Halloween, walked up behind me and nearly scared the wits out of me.

"You goin?" She asked as I studied the flyer.

"Uh- Not sure...." I answered.

"C'mon there's got to be someone your interested in! I mean all those guys on your hockey team, there's bound to be one you find slightly attractive. I mean that boy Adam Banks, he could be cute."

Adam? I mean we were sort of friends, but everything was still being put back into its place. It was completely possible that I could be asked by someone on the team for the dance.

"Yeah I'll find out about it....thanks!" I said waving goodbye to her as I headed to class.

Yet again, I reminded myself that the dance was a month away, there was no use in worrying or rushing. The next thing on schedule, the ducks first hockey game.