Love in the Shadows ~ Dean Portman x OC

Ch. 1: Good for Your Image

Pov: Morgan June 23rd, 1994, Minneapolis
I've been in Minnesota for less than 24 hours now and I'm already done with it. I've only ever been here once when I wasn't as popular and did a regional tour of the midwest. I didn't like it then and I sure as hell don't like it now.

My dad dragged me out of the hotel room for his so called "surprise" and to no one's surprise, it's work related. He takes me to an ice skating rink and introduces me to 5 teenagers, Luis Mendoza (not bad on the eyes if I do say so myself), Julie Gaffney (she seems nice enough, kinda bland but maybe that's just impression. Though she is a fan of me which is... something), Ken Wu (I watched the junior Olympics because my dad took me and he was pretty good. Kinda shy but that's fine), Dwayne Robertson (my personal favorite because he reminds me of home), and Dean Portman (desperately needs a shower and maybe a good talking to. He's loud and kinda arrogant). Then my dad takes me to the other side of the rink where I meet Gordan Bombay.
"Hey I watched your games! You're pretty good, how's your knee?" My dad has been raving about the "Minnesota Miracle Man" for weeks now and made me watch some of Bombay's game tapes.
"It's healing but I'm back to coaching the Ducks" Gordan responds
"The what?" The Ducks? What hockey team names themselves after a stupid bird?

My dad and Bombay talk about the new players he's getting, I'm assuming the teens I met earlier, while we walk onto the ice. I'm standing next to my dad when suddenly a group of kids walk in wearing these jerseys colored in this god awful green. I don't get a chance to even look at them when my dad starts naming off kids like it's a runway show. They one by one come onto the ice and show off their talents where, once again, Dwayne is my favorite. After the new guys and the people in green stop arguing my dad announces that there's one more player he's adding to the team.

"Ladies and gentlemen, teenage pop star and my lovely daughter, Maple Hart" EXCUSE ME??
"Uh what?! Dad you never told me about this!"
"Surprise! I figured joining good ole team USA hockey would be good for your image after that little... fiasco" My dad is really pushing my buttons.

Hockey? HOCKEY?? I play roller derby not hockey. I mean sure I know how to skate and the basic rules but come on. These guys have been playing and training for years, except Ken I guess. In no other moment do I wish I was stuck in a hotel room than this one right here.

"Dad, you cannot be serious. What about my tour? The apology? My life?? Do I seriously not get a say?" I sound like a spoiled brat but come on, if your dad randomly pulled you across the country into some random state and said you're joining a random olympic sports team with no if ands or buts you'd be pretty pissed too.

"Cheer up princess, hockey is the best sport in the world. Plus you'll get to play with me everyday" The big goon from earlier skates over to me. I actually feel like vomiting when he puts his big sweaty arm around my shoulder. I hate pulling this card but I push him and say "Do you know who I am? I am Maple Hart and you touch me again I'll make sure you never get anywhere near the minor league"

He almost lunges forward but stops himself probably because hitting a woman, not to mention a famous one, isn't the smartest decision.

"Dean's right honey," my dad interjects, "hockey is fun and it's a good way to get all that rage out"
"Does mom know you're sabotaging my career for some dumb team?" A couple of judgy comments get lost in a mumble while my dad looks at the floor
"Not necessarily but she did say you need to get away from the camera scene"
"You realize the Goodwill Games are crawling with cameras and press conferences and whatnot right? This isn't getting me out of the press if anything it's worse because now they can ask me about hockey and my career"

I love my dad, don't get me wrong, but he's a little... slow sometimes. Ughhh

After a lot of arguing back and forth I finally give up. I can't believe this. I hate this. My new coach shows me and the rest of the new guys where the locker room is. He hands me my gear and tells me to get dressed. I follow him to the door and lock it. No way am I getting changed in front of a bunch of dudes especially sweaty gross hockey dudes. I've had my fair share of pervs and creepy stalkers so locking the door is my way of feeling slightly safer.

Still, I take one final look around before taking off my top to put on the gear when I hear tapping on the lockers one row down from me. I immediately cover my chest with the spare jersey Bombay gave me and pear around the corner to see none other than Dean Portman listening to his walkman drumming on the lockers. He comes to me and doesn't even regard the fact I technically don't have a shirt on and just drums on my head for a second.

I watch him ignorantly drum his way out of the locker room. I run quickly to re-lock the door. God I hate it here. If I'm lucky, I'll get run over by one of the zambonies.

*Cut to after practice*

After what felt like hours of Bombay babying me because I've never played hockey before in my life and making sure I'm "having fun" and "working as a team" I lock myself in a bathroom stall to change because no way am I letting any of them, especially Portman catch a glimpse of celebrity boobs. I walk out and am immediately greeted by the only other girls. The girl I didn't know introduced herself and then Connie and Julie ask if I wanna go to Connie's for some "only girls on the team" bonding. I want to decline but the alternative is being stuck in a hotel room with my dad all day before tomorrow's flight to LA.
"Sure, why not" I reply
They squeal and drag me out of the rink and onto the quiet streets of Minneapolis. It's a quaint place but it's nice, kinda like Asheville. We get into Connies mom's car and drive to her house. They turn up the radio only to hear my biggest hit "Beating Hart" play on the radio. Her mom screams "OMG I love this song!" And then cranks my music as high as it will go. Everyone in the car starts singing along as I just kinda sit there.

It gets to the bridge and I start joining them and hit the big high note finish at the end of the bridge right before the last chorus and the mom stops the car and whips her head to face me. "You sound just like her"
"I better. That's me singing"
"WHAT? Are you telling me Maple Hart is sitting in my backseat?"
"Yea mom she's joining team USA with me" Connie jumps in
"Oh my god when we get home I need to get a picture. The girls at the salon with flip when they hear my daughters friends with a celebrity"
Oh greeeeaaaat more fan girls. Just what I need right now.

As promised, Connie's mom takes a picture of me with Connie. Other than that the night goes pretty smoothly. We watch movies, Connie lets me and Julie use her shower to wipe the hockey off of us, and finally we sit on Connie's bed and debrief about the team.
"So what do you think of the new guys? I mean you guys are great but what about the other guys?" Connie asks us. Julie starts with "Well I don't know about that wall Portman but Luis and Dwayne are are cool. Can't get a read on Kenny but he seems ok. What about you Maple?"
"Uh actually it's Morgan. Morgan Tibbles. Maple is my stage name" I hate the name Maple. It's stupid it's a leaf. A fricking tree.
"Oh sorry, but seriously, what do you think of the team?" Connie corrects herself
"I agree with Julie. Portman sucks, Dwayne is amazing, Luis is kinda cute, and Ken is like the quietest kid I've ever met"
"You wanna know who's kinda cute? That Guy kid" Julie admits
"Yea definitely. Great hair" I add. He's ok but man his hair is one for the books.
Connie is silent and me and Julie notice.
"You ok?" I ask
"Yea it's just... you can't tell anyone" I wasn't really listening earlier but now I sure as hell am, "I have a total thing with Guy and I think he's been trying to make a move on me but things keep getting in the way"
"Oh my god you're so lucky. He seems great" Julie says. If she never would've mentioned it I wouldn't have paired them together but now that I think about it they seem like they'd be a good fit. But who am I to talk I've known them for like 5 hours.

"You know who else is cute though?" Julie says again. She met them only hours ago. How many crushes can you have?
"Who" me and Connie simultaneously ask
"That tall kid"
"Portman? Gross" I respond
"No the other one. The one with the skull bandana"
"Fulton? Oh god! He's like my brother" Connie falls back laughing.
"I'm with Julie, he's kinda cute in a lumberjack kinda way" I cannot believe I just said that. Lumberjack? Really Morgan?
"Oh my god both of you stop. Fulton is the biggest doofus on the team other than Averman"
"Yea but that doofus is tall, strong, and sticks up for his friends. He can get it any day in my books" Julie states.
Me and Connie die laughing because that's absolutely vulgar. I mean like me too Julie but still jeez.

At around 9:30 me and Julie leave to go to our hotels. My dad picks us up and drops Julie off reminding her of the early flight tomorrow.
"So how was your first practice? I see you've already made some friends"
"Practice sucked. I don't do hockey that's Paul's (my older brother who's 19) thing. As for Connie and Julie they're great. I can't wait to get ripped away from them like all my other friends" Yes I'm still salty about that.
"Oh come on honey don't be like that. Before you know it you'll get to go to LA so cheer up" My dad gives me the cheesy forgive me smile and I chuckle. I love the people, hate the sport. Hopefully LA will be good to be unlike last time...

WC: 1869