𝑯𝒆𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝑫𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒉 | ᴹᴰᴳᶜ

TRACK EIGHT: Reflections

Logan was making candy pancakes to celebrate our win as we rewatched our game tape.

"Word got out about our team." Sofi told Evan who had just arrived. "Tebor and Havel wanna join!"

"What positions do you guys play?" Evan asked. They nodded. "Defense?" They nodded. "Offense?" They nodded. "Shortstop?" Evan asked, throwing in a baseball term. They also nodded. "Oh. They don't speak much english. They just moved from the Czech Republic." Sofi said.

"Yeah. I already got their perfect nickname. The Czech-mates." Nick said.

🏒

The next day, I was with the team outside of the school building.

"I know everyone has bad hair days, I just never thought it would happen to me." Logan said.

"You'll get through this, rookie." I told him. He took off his hat and showed us his hair, and it looked the exact same as always. "Oh, please, you're fine." I said. "I'm going to go throw this water bottle away." Evan announced, holding up his gatorade bottle. "Good to know." I responded.

"Recycle." Koob told him as he walked away. We continued to talk about our Hawks game when Evan came back over, still holding his bottle. "What's up?" I asked. "Just The Ducks giving me a hard time as usual." We all looked over at Ruby and Trevor.

"I'm staring them down. Now they know I know." Lauren said as we all stared at the two Ducks.

"You guys wanna start something?" Trevor asked. Everyone backed down and said no. "Oh, you know I do!" I said about to run up on them. The team grabbed me and held me back. "I'll break your noses like I did your coach!" I yelled as they walked away.

"We all know you want to start something." Evan said as everyone slowly let me go. "Okay, but if you want, I can just go–" I said, trying to go the other way to Trevor and Ruby. "No, no, no, it's okay!"

🏒

The following day, as a victory treat, Bombay got the old Ducks to come meet and practice with us. "Oh, my God, that's the original Mighty Ducks." I said in shock. "Lilah, breathe." Logan responded. "I can't. What if this is a dream and I wake up?" Maya punched me in my right arm. "Damn. I guess I'm not dreaming." I murmured as I rubbed my arm.

This is probably one of the coolest days ever. "You know, Delilah, why don't you go get us a puck?" Evan suggested. "Oh, no, no, no." I said. "Why not?" "Because the original nineties Mighty Ducks are over there."

"Are you chicken, Delilah?" Sam asked. "What? No!" "Then go get a puck." I let out a sigh. "Fine, but if I pass out– it's on you people." I took a deep breath before skating over to retrieve a puck. I tried not to be so nervous as I felt their eyes on me.

"What's your name, kid?" Fulton Reed asked me. "Oh, I– I'm Delilah Parker." I answered, trying to hold myself together before I skated away. 'Oh my God!' I mouthed as I went back over to the team. I can't believe the Bash Brother himself, Fulton Reed asked me my name!

THE DUCKS

The girl we all kept looking at skated over near us and grabbed a puck.

"What's your name, kid?" Fulton asked her.

"Oh, I– I'm Delilah Parker." She answered before skating back to her team.

"Doesn't she remind you of someone?" Adam asked.

"Sort of." Ken replied.

"You guys okay?" Bombay asked as he skated over to us. "Yeah, it's just– that Delilah girl looks so familiar." Ken told him. We all looked at Delilah, who was now playing one on one with a boy named Sam.

He tried to take the puck, but she knocked him down hard and smacked the puck harshly into the goal. It flew so fast that it tore a hole into the net and hit the glass panel of the rink.

"She shoots like you, Fulton." Averman stated. Bombay nodded before speaking. "She also has the attitude of–"

"Oh my God!" Guy said, cutting him off as we watched Delilah remove her helmet.

"She looks like–" Connie added

"Dean!" They all said at once. "Did Portman have a kid?" Ken questioned. "Parker..." Fulton muttered. "What?" Guy questioned. "Parker– her last name's Parker like Nicole." "You don't think–" "She has to be." Fulton said, cutting off Connie. "Then who's raising her? Do you know?" He asked Bombay, who shook his head and shrugged.

DELILAH

The team and I found out about Evan secretly going to a Ducks practice. It was easy to say we weren't even close to forgiving him. Even with Evan's betrayal on my mind, I still couldn't help but think about when the Connie Monreau approached me yesterday.

"Hey, Parker," I heard her call out just as I was leaving the ice. "Yeah?" I replied, turning about to face her. you two!" She said. "Honey, who are your parents?" The question confused me, but I answered anyway. "Well, my mom's name was Nicole Parker, and I never knew my real dad." "Oh, okay." She turned to skate away but came back.

"Oh, and just curious– who is raising you?" "Uh, his name is Shawn Eben." She had looked like she had seen a ghost. "Mrs?" I questioned. "Nothing, nothing, um, take care." "Yeah, you too."

THE DUCKS

"So?" Ken asked Connie impatiently as she skated back over. "She is." She confirmed. "She said her mom's name was Nicole, but she never knew her real dad." "That's got Portman written all over it." Averman said.

"And get this, the guy who's raising her... It's Shawn." "Shawn? As in Eben? Like Shawn Eben?" Adam questioned. "Yes!" Connie exclaimed. "We got a mini Duck on our hands." "And she doesn't even know it." Ken said.