𝑭𝑰𝑮𝑼𝑹𝑬 𝑩𝑶𝒀 , 𝒌. 𝒘𝒖 [1]

20 || What's Best

The following week was completely draining.

Charlie wasn't exactly having the time of his life. At the game against the Flames, no one else except him and Fulton got on the ice. The rest of the team was mad at their coach so the Ducks had to forfeit the game.

Everyone was calling Charlie a traitor for going to the game, and Rue was still getting the silent treatment from Adam.

She was grounded, and since her parents had given Mr.Banks their approval, she couldn't hang out with the Ducks.

The whole punishment was to teach a lesson about asking permission. What enraged Rue about it is that she had asked her parents and they did sign the form that let her be on the hockey team, they just weren't listening when she asked.

The only way she could see the Ducks was if Adam accepted to become one.

Nonetheless, she could only go out for figure skating practice, school or hockey practice and if it wasn't that, then she'd spend most of her time in her room.

That day she had figure skating practice.

She put on black leggings, a t-shirt and an oversized zipper vest Logan used to wear.

She checked if she had everything in her sports bag as she opened the door to leave her room. She saw Noah on the other side of her door as he looked as if he was about to go in.

"Look who's alive! Are you sure you're still grounded?" he asked mockingly.

Rue gave him an unamused look and only rolled her eyes. She was about to walk past him but stopped as the two heard a door open and turned towards the bathroom. They saw Adam walk out in his pyjamas with wet hair and a towel to dry it off. He turned to his left where he saw Rue and Noah watching him.

"Why are you in your pjs if you just showered?" Rue asked while crossing her arms.

"Why are you asking questions if it's none of your business?" Adam retorted.

Rue lightly scoffed at him while Adam glared at her. Noah looked at them confusedly until an amused smile got on his face.

"Aw, are my siblings fighting-"

"Shut up Noah," they both told him annoyedly.

They looked at each other before Adam rolled his eyes and went to his room while Rue shoved Noah with her shoulder and walked downstairs.

She went to the entry of the house and started putting her rollerblades on.

"Where are you going?" Adam's dad asked.

"Figure skating practice"

"Oh ok, well I'll just drive you then" he suggested.

Rue knew he only wanted to drive her to be practical, but that didn't stop her smile from slightly fading.

"Phillip, let her walk, she hasn't been out on her own in ages" Adam's mom told him while chuckling. She placed herself behind her husband and put her hand on his shoulder.

He looked at her before turning to Rue.

"Do you want to walk?" he asked her.

"Well I'll rollerblade there but yeah"

He stayed silent for a second before looking at his wife and turning back to Rue to give her a nod. She cheerfully smiled at him before turning to Adam's mom and smiling even more.

She left and started skating away. She felt a little bad considering what they didn't know is that to go to the rink by foot, or at least, in the route that she would take, you had to pass Mickey's Diner. She secretly hoped she'd see one of the Ducks, or even Casey or Bombay.

When she skated towards it, she saw Charlie run out of the diner.

She confusedly stopped before catching up with him. She was even more confused since when she skated past the diner, she saw Bombay sighing and looking down. She assumed he was talking to him, which only made her want to know what happened even more.

She skated behind him and winced as she saw her friend trip.

"Charlie!" she exclaimed fearfully while placing herself in front of him, "You okay?!"

She held out her hand to help him up but he got up himself and brushed his coat off, which had a mix of melted snow and dirt on the forearms.

"Stupid rock," he muttered while kicking what he tripped on.

"Dang Spazway you really gotta learn to watch your step-"

Rue stopped as she looked back at Charlie who was glaring at her. His eyes looked watery as he didn't look in the mood for jokes. He made Rue think of Adam and how similar the two boys actually were.

Charlie kept walking and Rue skated next to him slowly, trying to keep the same pace as him.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Coach said he's thinking of not coaching us anymore. He said doesn't trust him but they do, I know they do," a tear went down his cheek as he kept going "I just don't wanna change coaches you know? This is stupid..."

Rue looked at him as she wondered what to say. She didn't know he held on to Bombay that much, even though it didn't surprise her. He sniffled and wiped his tears before looking at her confused.

"Where are you going?" he asked while pointing at her figure skating skates.

"Oh, I'm going to figure skating practice"

He sniffled again, "For that competition right? I totally forgot about that"

"Well, I didn't ask you to remember Char," she said while letting out a chuckle, "I should go, but don't sweat it ok? I'm sure we won't actually change coaches"

He nodded and waved goodbye at her as she started skating off, waving back before leaving. She turned streets while Charlie kept walking ahead.

She thought about what he had said about their coach but she knew he wasn't actually going to stop coaching them. He couldn't.

Sure he was a little snobby the first time they met but he had changed. The new him wouldn't have done that. She was sure of it and didn't need to second guess.

She was completely sure.

But it never hurt to ask.

"Hey Coach I'm in a rush but I really have to ask you something" Rue rapidly told Bombay while entering the diner.

She rushed to where he was sitting, while he looked at her confusedly.

"Are you actually going to give up coaching to Jesse and Terry's dad?" she asked him.

He looked at her and sighed before responding.

"Rue, it's what's best for the team-"

"Yeah but the team's never had better coaching before you," she said, "I mean if it wasn't for you or Hans they wouldn't even be the Ducks"

"Rue-"

"And don't get me wrong, Mr.Hall is nice and all, but don't you think the Ducks would want someone who they sorta evolved with? Wouldn't that be what's best?"

She had a sincere pensive look on her face which somewhat got Bombay to thinking. He sighed, thinking of a way to answer her.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" he asked.

It didn't sound rude since he used his normal tone of voice, it just sounded as if he had no better answer to give her.

Rue confusedly blinked for a second before her eyes automatically widened as she looked at the clock. She said goodbye to her coach and Charlie's mom before leaving the diner and sprinting towards the rink.

She wasn't late but by the time she'd take to get there, she wouldn't be early either.