The next morning at practice, coach tied a rope around the whole team. We all stood really close to each other.
"Somebody better watch their hands." Julie said annoyed.
"Yeah someone touched my ass." I replied.
"Sorry Ki." Adam said smirking.
"Ew someone licked me."
"Oh I smell something."
"Goldberg!!" the whole team said with disgusted faces.
"It wasn't me." he said.
"No. It was me." Dean threw his hands in the air.
Coach showed up behind us. "I don't know how I make this any clearer. You are a team. And to win this thing, you have to work as one. Now as one, skate!"
We all went another way and fell. I fell on top of Adam but Charlie landed on me.
"Everyone goes their own way, everyone falls down. Now get up and try it again."
Portman took the lead. "Alright, all of you move to your right, now. "
"Who makes you boss? Everyone move to the left." Fulton said pissed.
We fell down again. This time it hurted more. Fulton and Portman fell on me.
"You guys can argue all you want, but I'm not untying you until you move as one."
We tried again and it worked. We all worked together and moved as one. Coach was proud of.
"You guys are starting to look like hockey players. I'm proud of you team. You worked hard today, but hockey should also be fun. Rancher Dwayne."
"Yes sir."
"Round me up some strain cattle here." Bombay said, trying to sound like Dwayne.
"My pleasure!" Dwayne started to skate after us with a rope, tryin to catch us.
First he got Averman. Then Charlie, then Julie. When we all got catched, Dwayne teached us a dance. Not to brag or anything but I was kinda good at it. And Banksie looked so cute.
•
After practice, Tibbles wanted to show us something. I stood next to Adam. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Tibbles revealed a wheaties box with our team on it.
"Hey y'all, that's us." Dwayne said.
I laughed "no shit sherlock."
"Today, it's wheaties boxes, tomorrow it's videogames, action figures, lunch boxes, the sky is the limit. Now, just to make sure that everybody knows who you are, try on one of these." he held a blue and red jersey with team USA in his hands. We all got our jerseys. I was number #15.
I heard a conversation between coach and Charlie. "Looks nice coach but we're ducks, this stuff says hendrix all over it."
"Well yeah, their our sponsors, Charlie."
"So what, can't we be USA ducks? Or at least keep our own colors."
Coach stood up "it's business stuff Charlie, don't worry about it."
I felt bad for Charlie. The ducks were his team. I looked at him and he gave me a weak smile. I sat next to him and put my arm around his shoulder. "Come on Charlie." we stood up walking away.
•
"Ancient Greece was the beginning of western civilization. See, in Greece they didn't have professional sports or wheaties boxes, so the athletes competed for another reason. Anybody?" Ms. Mckay asked.
"Falafels?" Goldberg asked.
"You wish Goldberg." Connie said, rolling her eyes.
"Charlie?" Ms.Mckay asked smiling.
"Pride." he answered.
"That's right. The various city-states waved their flags and wore their home colors proudly."
"Did America always dominate?" Fulton asked.
Everyone laughed.
Portman stood up for him "what? It's a good question."
"No, America wasn't around back then. Don't forget that compared to other countries, America is still young, still forming it's own identity. America is still a teenager, just like you!" Ms.Mckay continued.
"Like us?" Jesse looked up.
"You bet. A little awkward a times but always right there on the verge of greatness."
The lessons were done so we went skating.
"I don't know what I've been told."
"I don't know what I've been told."
"Team USA to win the gold."
"Team USA to win the gold."
"Listen up and listen good."
"Listen up and listen good."
"Cause we are heading for Hollywood."
"Cause we are heading for Hollywood."
"Sound up."
"One, two."
"Sound up."
"Three, four."
•
And just like that, I sat next to Adam at the plane.
