𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 ; 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝔂 𝓭𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓼

Coach

We start skating in all directions and Dwayne was trying to lasso us. I go inside the net and dodge him. Averman follows me.

"Ginger, go find a different spot." I say to him.

He comes up right next to me. "We could both squeeze in here-just, move... over!" He was talking in between breaths and squeezing in.

He stops moving and talking when a whistle was blown. We look up and a see a man skate to us.

We scram out of the net and go next to the others. "My name is Coach Orion." He looks down to Charlie on the floor. "You can call me Coach, or Coach Orion."

Charlie stands. "Call me Charlie." He holds out his gloveless hand. "These are the Ducks."

    Coach wasn't having any of it. "That must be what that 'C' in your jersey stands for, huh? It sure doesn't stand for 'Captain'."

    The team goes quiet and we all look at each other. "We were just messin' around, Coach." I tell him.

    "Yo, Bombay gave him that 'C'." Goldberg speaks out.

    Coach responds, "And i respect that, but that's the past. This is my team now, and I'll be selecting the captain."

    "You gotta be kidding me, right? I mean, you're the rookie here." Charlie runs his mouth. It reminds me of myself talking to Bombay. "We all been together for four years."

    Coach narrows his eyes. "Okay, Charlie, laps. Right now."

    Charlie takes off the lasso from his neck and shoulder. "How many, Coach Orion?" He has an attitude.

    "I don't recall saying." He snaps back. Charlie goes for his laps and Coach skates closer. "Now you listen up, and you listen good. We're here for one reason and one reason only. You know what that is? It starts with a 'W'."

    Averman was being a brown-noser throughtout the whole little speech Coach says.

-

    We line up to score goals. "Whoo, all right, Banks. Let's see what you got, baby. Come on. Bring it on." Goldberg misses the block. "Nice shot, very nice. Lucky shot, Merry Christmas, Guy. Hey, no fancy shots over there, Astor. Okay, that's cheating, get outta here! Cowboy, you don't impress me. Averman, have you been practicing?"

    Goldberg gets a talk with Coach and Julie goes in.

    Whenever Julie blocks a puck, she apologies. "Sorry, Connie. Good shot, Dwayne! Next time, Russ." Adam does his shot. "Almost got you, Banks." She misses his puck. "You too, V." She also misses mine.

-

    We all slump into JV's locker room. I don't think Coach is very fond of me. I gave him a lot of back talk today.

    Goldberg smacks onto the bench and was being all dramatic. "Somebody give me a shovel and bury me right here."

    "Drama queen." I roll my eyes as Charlie starts mocking Coach. Russ joins him.

    Everyone, but Adam, jumps when Coach walks in. "Eden Hall Academy requires you to maintain a 'C' average to compete. I believe that's a bad rule." Goldberg gets all excited at that. "I don't want any 'C' players on my team. B's or better or you're gonna be riding the pine pony."

    "I'm going on that pine pony." I mumble to myself, remembering how I had a C- in science all my life.

    Coach turns away from the wall, with the paper in his hand now on the wall. "Now you get 15 minutes after each practice to clear this locker room. You got homework to do."

    "I hate high school." I whisper to Guy who nods his head in agreement.

    Coach turns around before leaving the lockers. "Oh, and one more thing: Stay clear of varsity until we play 'em in the JV/Varsity showdown. You got that?"

    He slams the door on his way out. "15 minutes!?" Russ complains. "Man, I cannot move."

    "Hey, you guys, look." Connie gets all our attention. "He posted our positions."

    Less than half of us go check the paper. Fulton complains and Russ disses his position. "Hey, I'm not even posted." Banks smacks his lips.

    "Yeah, you are." Connie points to the paper. I go walk over to see my position. "Adam Banks, third line, center. Varsity?"

    He looks confused and proud at the same time. "I made varsity?"

    "Yeah, and you're not the only one." Connie continues as Averman comes up. "Vivienne Astor, first line, left wing/center; varsity."

    I turn to her. "Didn't expect that, especially first line."

    "That's the great thing about goalies, you know?" Goldberg was blabbering. "You always know where you stand. I just mind my business, take my place between the pipes."

    I sit down as Averman says something and Goldberg flies up. "What am I, chop liver?"

    "You're more like the whole liver, Goldie." I comment and he gives me a sarcastic laugh as I high five Kenny.

    Dwayne goes up to the paper now. "Who's Captain Tibid?"

"That's Captain T.B.D." Guy explains. "To be determined."

Dwayne laughs and sighs. "Oh, I see. Well, no, I don't." He turns to Charlie. "That's your job, Charlie."

"Oh, poor Captain Favorite." I pretend to be in distain. "He lost his title, oh, and the favoritism."

Charlie rolls his eyes. "Yeah, and that's something you never got to experience." He was snappy today.

The Ducks look between us and were quiet.

"I don't need it from him." I laugh. "But clearly you do, right? You love taking other people's dads, don't you? Since yours left."

Charlie stands up now. "Yeah? Look who's talking. Your dad never wanted you or your brother."

I scoff and stand up too. "I don't see your dad wanting you either, Conway. Maybe you're just being a dad snatcher because you're love deprived since your mom was never home to care for you."

Connie gets up. "Guys, okay stop. This is going too far."

"Wait, I wanna see who wins." Fulton pulls her back down.

Charlie crosses his arm. "That sounds just like you, Astor. You're more love deprived than me. I mean your mom loved drugs more than you, right? Isn't that why you guys had a case manager?"

The team goes deathly silent and froze. Only their eyes trailed between us.

"You know, I think I saw your mom doing crack behind the diner with a homeless man. I guess you'll soon be both mother and fatherless."

Charlie jumps at me. We both fall to the floor and the Ducks reaction was slow to what was happening.

I flip Charlie under me and we were yelling insults at each other as we were hitting and smacking each other.

Fultons pulls me off as Guy and Goldberg holds Charlie. "Guys!" Connie yells at us. "No fighting, friends don't fight!"

I shake Fulton off. "I'm getting out of here." I glare at Charlie when I pass by him. I go straight out the school and walk home, despite Mr. Banks' car waiting outside for me and Adam.