flipped. charlie conway

53

"coach!" charlie greeted as he barged into bombay's office with a proud grin, "i know with banks out we've got a roster slot open."

bombay looked up inquisitively, nodding his head slowly. "yeah, we do."

"well," the conway boy leaned onto the wooden frame of his desk, "you know how i always told you i'd make a better coach than a player?"

bombay chuckled at charlie's enthusiasm and bright grin, urging the boy to continue. watching charlie flounce in his spot and seeing the pure joy glistening in his eyes, gordon forgave him for his misbehaviour. he hoped leah would do the same.

"i did some scouting for us to replace banks. russ tyler, meet coach bombay!" charlie pulled a familiar boy into the room. bombay breathed out a scoffing laugh, disapproving of charlie's incredulous idea to replace leah. gordon recognised the boy, he had taunted jesse from the stands not long ago.

the boy beamed as charlie threw an arm around his shoulders. "hiya, coach."

"russ tyler, huh?" bombay narrowed his eyes, pushing away his first impression of the boy, "you think you can replace banks?"

charlie brightened with a laugh. "oh, russ tyler has skills you've never seen in leah banks!"

bombay furrowed his eyebrows, believing he'd seen almost every hockey trick in the book done by leah's hand. "like what?"

"you never heard of my knucklepuck?" russ tyler sassed, catching charlie's eye with a knowing glance.

charlie bound out of the room with the biggest smile he'd worn in a while. leah was off the team for the season, their roster was full! as russ tyler got initiated with coach bombay, charlie raced to the team's dormitory housing. as he ran into the cafeteria for lunch with a beaming smile, charlie knew nothing could bring him down.

excluding the sight he ran into. the room was near empty, apart from luis and lester sat with adam, who glumly his his face in his hands. he was crying.

"adam! what's wrong?" charlie raced over with a worried frown. he'd never seen adam in such a state, and charlie felt there was something seriously wrong.

adam looked up, offering a dismissive smile as he dropped his head back down and flicked away his tears. charlie wouldn't understand. "i'm fine."

"no," charlie frowned, "talk to me."

adam puffed his cheeks as he elongated a sigh, luis patting his back comfortingly. "i just feel guilty about leah. i knew she was hurt, but i didn't say anything. and now she can't play— and she's devastated— and i feel like it's my fault—" the banks boy worked himself up.

"adam," charlie interrupted, "it's okay! plus, it's not like we'll be missing anyone on the ice. i found a replacement!"

"a what?" adam immediately scowled, standing up from his seat, "a replacement?"

charlie gave a proud grin. "yeah! russ tyler with the knucklepuck."

"oh, that knucklepuck was sick." lester acknowledged, nodding as he recalled the dangerous puck hurdling toward him. lester grimaced in fear.

adam stayed silent as he fumed, whilst luis gaped and scrambled for words. "he's filling in, not replacing leah. is he at least good?" luis attempted to diffuse the anger seething off adam.

charlie laughed. "well he's better than me, and i'd say i'm pretty decent!"

"but is he at the banks' level?" luis inquired.

charlie furrowed his brows. "i just said he's better than me, so yes. obviously, luis."

steam puffed out of adam's ears as he stormed away. with a pitiful sigh, luis followed to calm the raging banks boy.

charlie watched the two disappear with a confused frown, turning to lester who was hidden behind his hands. "les, what did i do?"

the averman boy shrugged naively. "maybe don't say 'replaced' next time?"