Elastic Heart ➵ C.Conway

II. GOALIE TROUBLES

Riley Summers learnt to skate when she was three. She glided on the ice, like she was meant to be on it. To her she was, it was actually easier then walking. She hadn't started playing hockey till she moved to Minneapolis Minnesota when she was seven years old, that same day she moved there, she met Charlie Conway. Riley liked to think it was fate that they met, but really it was the fact that she moved into the apartment above him.

Both his mum, Casey, and him are kind and helpful people. Which is why when they saw that their new neighbors were moving in, they went straight out to introduce themselves and help. Thus, meeting the Summer family, who consisted of husband and wife duo, Sue and Andrew Summer, their seven year old daughter, Riley, and little four year old son, Sawyer.

As Casey had insisted on helping the Summer family move in, she told them that Sawyer and Riley were welcome to go into her apartment and play with Charlie. Sue and Andrew instantly agreed, knowing that this could help their children (or at least their daughter) make friends, while also keeping them out of the way.

Lets just say their plan worked perfectly.

It took a while for Charlie and Riley to become less shy when they got to his apartment, but when they did they stuck together like glue. For years it went that everywhere one went, the other went there too. So when Charlie started to play hockey for District Five, Riley didn't need any persuasion to join him.

As the years went on, they got slightly better. But it was hard when their coaches barely knew anything about hockey, hence why they still suck. The good thing about joining hockey was that they made friends. Riley didn't care that there was only one other girl on the team while everyone else were boys. She was and still is happy. Hockey made her life better. If Sawyer was being annoying and she had a bad day, hockey helped her relax and smile once again. Riley would always be thankful for what the sport had done for her, something she kept in mind when they lost their games.

~~~~~

After getting back to the apartment complex with Charlie, they raced up the stairs to get their sticks and skates. Because everyone on the team didn't have enough money to buy the proper gear, they always had to put up with the cold weather and bruises from unprotected falls.

Entering her messy apartment, Riley saw her dad and little brother sitting on the coach watching some kind of animated movie. Smiling at the scene Riley shouted a "hi" before running off to get her skates and stick. Her room was small, barely fitting her single bed, desk and dressing table within it. The walls were a light blue with posters of hockey stars covering it. Collecting her stuff, she races back to the front door, about to leave before her dad stops her.

"Hey, where are you going?" He questions, turning his head to look at his daughter.

"Just heading out to hockey practice, dad." Riley replies while bouncing on her feet, eager to get there.

Nodding his head, he states, "you know the rules; be careful and be home before dark."

Riley nods before racing out the door and down the stairs to the front of the building. Out of breath, she bends over to try and catch it again, but a sudden voice yelling makes her stand up straight again.

"Charlie Conway is the winner!" The puppy eyed boy yells in triumph with his arms in the air, "second time this week, Riles. How does it feel to lose?" He teases, a wide smile covering his face as he laughs at the puffed out girl.

"Whatever, Spazway." She moves her brown locks out of her eyes as she looks up at him, "It was dads fault anyway! Had to go over the rules again." She rolls her eyes as she starts to walk with him towards the pond where their practice takes place.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Summers."

~~~~~

Shooting pucks with Terry at Goldberg was annoying, but amusing at the same time. You see, Goldberg is the goalie, but is scared of being hit by the puck. Great right?

"Keep it down please?" The brunette boy pleads as Riley hits one close to his head, "hey, come on. There's no need for this." The chubby boy continues to move away from the incoming pucks. "Let's talk, come one. I'm your friend, aren't I?"

Finally having enough of Goldberg's whining, Terry and the brunette girl stop shooting pucks at him as Terry grumbles, "come on, Goldberg, at least try to stop it." The dark skinned boy continues in irritation, "cause I'm tired of chasin' the puck."

"Be careful, man." Goldberg throws off his helmet, almost pleading with them. "It almost hit me that time." The statement makes Riley roll her eyes at the boy who is supposed to be the teams goalie.

During this time, Charlie has skated over and stopped next to the hazel eyed girl, telling Goldberg in exasperation, "Goldberg, you're the Goalie. It's supposed to hit you." Waving his hands in the air for effect, making Riley slightly giggle, but look away when Charlie gives her a playful glare.

"Does that sounds stupid to anyone else?" The boy in net replies, instantly making all three hockey players roll their eyes at him.

"Idiot." Riley mumbles before skating off to the rest of the team. Only to stop when she sees a limo make its way onto the ice. "Great. Another idiot." The girl grumbles in anger, skating over to the rest of the team to see who this guy is.