𝔟𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔞𝔩 | 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗻

four: "it's just business"

"Dean if you touch me one more time, I'm going to rip your head off."

The team was standing in the middle of the ice tied together with a rope. I think this was Coach's clever idea at "team bonding" but I thought it was just going to end up with us all screaming at each other again.

"Don't you think I'd stop if I could?" I could feel Dean behind me shuffling uncomfortably as everyone else complained.

"Someone licked me!" The redhead next to me hollered and leaned over to wipe his cheek on my jersey.

"Don't you dare, Lester." I narrowed my eyes at him and made sure to emphasize his dumb name.

"I smell something." Someone in the group loudly said. I sniffed the air and immediately sucked in a sharp breath in disgust. All of the Ducks seemed to know the culprit. "Goldberg!"

The goalie sighed, clearly used to this. "It wasn't me."

"No, it was me!" Dean proudly announced and threw up his arms. Everyone groaned and I turned to give him a quick smack to the arm.

Coach cleared his throat and waited for everyone to go quiet. "Thank you. I don't know how to make this any clearer. You are a team. And to win this thing, you have to work as one. Now as one, skate."

I wasn't really sure what he was expecting but I just decided to skate forward. I guess everyone made that decision as the team quickly ended up on the ground. Coach had us try again.

"All right, all of you move to your right. Now." Dean instructed. I didn't want to listen to him of all people but my will to be untied overruled that. I began to go right when Fulton yelled, "Everyone go left!"

This, of course, caused us all to topple to the floor again. "You guys can argue all you want but I am not untying you until you move as one." Coach said as we all struggled to get up.

This seemed to be motivation enough for us to work together. We all came to a consensus to have Charlie be the direction caller. "Right turn!"

Coach was praising us for our teamwork as we slowly shuffled together across the rink. I couldn't even imagine how ridiculous we looked at that moment.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of being tied to my teammates, Coach stopped us and removed the rope. We all took a knee in front of him. "You guys are startin' to look like hockey players. I'm proud of ya, team. You worked hard today. But hockey should also be fun." He twirled the lasso around his arm and motioned to the cowboy. "Rancher Dwayne."

The boy sprung up from his spot on the ice. "Yes sir!"

"Round me up some stray cattle there."

_

"Man those tacos were delicious! Can I be on the USA Hockey team all the time?" Goldberg happily rubbed his stomach as we all headed to the stadium coaches' room after lunch. Tibbles had told us all to meet him there for a surprise. I couldn't begin to imagine what that meant.

"Me too! I'm sure they'll be happy to have us back next season." Averman wrapped his arm around his friend's back as they strolled down the hallway. I shook my head at the pair. They were some interesting dudes.

I filed into the locker room after the boys and took a seat next to Julie and Adam.

"What do you think he's got under there?" The blonde boy leaned over and whispered to me, pointing to the tall box Tibbles had placed in the front of the room with a cloth over it.

I tilted my head, taking a moment to look at it. "I don't know. Something good for sure, knowing Tibbles."

"Absolutely." He stuck out his hand for me to shake. "Adam Banks. You're Bexley right?"