speed of sound // Charlie Conway

| SEVEN |

"Ladies and Gentlemen, team USA hockey! And the man chosen to lead them to the gold, Gordon Bombay!" Mr Tibbles announced as we all stood around the podium that was fillied with microphones.

We had just finished our game with Trinidad about an hour ago, and now we were doing some interview.

We all clapped for our coach. "Bring the bear up here! This is Henry, the Hendrix bear." Tibbles introduced us. "What?" I scoffed, laughing at the sight. "Guys, I want you to cone in, get some shots with the bear." He insisted, we all gathered around the mascot and waved as the cameras clicked from all around us.

"Okay, we're gonna open it up to questions, yes?" Don Tibbles announced, and a blonde girl stood up. "Team USA, how does it feel competing on the international level here in Los Angeles?" She asked, and we all immediately started rambling.

"Um—" "Feels good." "love it!" Charlie and Goldberg spoke into the microphones.

"Coach Bombay, the vikings from iceland are the heavy favorite, their coach has already guaranteed victory. How are you gonna handle them?" An older lady asked.

Why was she asking about iceland? We hadn't even met them yet. "um.. hard work. I think our team is ready to go up against the best on the world. We're not worried about em. Iceland may be tough, but, uh, We're team USA and we're goin' all the way." Coach informed her.

"Is he serious? I dont think we're that ready.." I whispered to Charlie, my voice nervous. "Hey, we'll be fine, Natty, dont worry about it." Charlie reassured me.

"Okay, thats it, thank you very much, thank you everybody!" Coach said into the microphone while everybody had still be cheering and clapping, including all of us ducks. We were all smiling, but all of our smiles had faded in second after a voice yelled out at Bombay.

"Your team's going down! Thats where you're going. See you on the ice, bombay!" A man yelled, who I assumed was the coach of Iceland.

"That guy's a dentist?" Ken Wu pointed to the coach. "No, Kenny, that was his nickname." I laughed.

"Yeah, he played one year of pro, collected more teeth than goals." Charlie explained. "Well, hes more like a tooth fairy then, huh." I remarked, making the ducks around me laugh.

"Right, he even punched out his own coach!" Charlie exclaimed, his eyes wide. "I heard they ran him out of the league and the country." Julie added "I wouldnt be surprised." I shrugged. "Thats his team? Those guys are huge!" Ken angrily let out as he followed behind me, Charlie, and Julie.

—

We had finally gotten back to our dorms, and I was about ready to go to sleep, even though it was only 8pm.

I threw on a tank top and some sleep shorts, since I planned on just hanging out in my dorm that I shared with Julie and Connie. I picked up a book, 'the outsiders', and read it for a few minutes before Julie finished her shower

"You like the outsiders, too?" Julie asked me, pointing out my book.

"Yeah!" I slipped the bookmark in it and set it back down. "The ending's so sad though.." A frown formed onto my face. "I know, i usually dont read the end when I re-read it. Anyway, I was gonna ask you something!" Julie sat down on her bed as Connie walked into our dorm, sitting on the floor inbetween me and Julie's beds.

"So, what was that about on the plane today? If you dont mind me asking." She asked.

"Oh, wow." I scoff, shaking my head. "You dont have to talk about it if you dont want to! I just didnt know if there was something going on between you and Charlie because I thought you liked Luis!" Julie started. "No, no. Everybody swears there is, but I promise i dont like Charlie, me and him are just close." I assure her "I dunno about Luis, though. I think hes cute, definitely, but I dont know him well enough." I sigh.