Mighty USA Ducks

Three

I reached my father at the corner of the burger place and waited for everyone else to come. I was gonna talk to him, but then heard the cheering and yelling of the name, "Ducks, Ducks," continuously from the rest of team. For some reason it didn't come naturally to me to say it or cheer it out loud with them. My dad was cheering and once he saw that I wasn't cheering, he tapped me and looked down wanting me to cheer as well. So I joined along and cheered their Duck cheer.

I wasn't mad at this team or that I was put here. In fact in a week and a half of being on that team has taught me so much. That everyone is a winner in a different way and that you shouldn't be afraid of who you are because of others. But it's harder for me now to interact with others because of the bullying issues. I feel like I can't trust anyone anymore and if I don't talk, then I'm quiet. But if I'm quiet, I can hear everything so much better because my mouth isn't running the show no more. But if I'm quiet as well, someone will suspect something. My dad doesn't know about bullying, he only knows what I tell him.

The Ducks circled around us and we all had gathered together. Everyone yelling over the other to greet Coach and I back. Then a limo came out of no where and stopped on the sidewalk. Reminds me of the story my dad told me when he use to ride in one of those. The sunroof was open and Mr. Don Tibbles popped out from the top, saying a friendly hello to everyone and then asking if they wanted his car, everyone, except for me, wanted one.

I spotted Adam as he skated back, he looked at me and smiled. Charlie then spoke to Adam for awhile and I turned my head the other way to see Connie giggling and tapping my shoulder. I smile and give her a hug as she does the same. "It's great to see you back, I didn't think you'd be coming,"

I laugh along with her. Connie and I have grown together more now. Now that I understood why she stared at me weirdly during school when we were younger, we became good friends within the two weeks or so we've known each other.  We sorted our differences and put them aside, now we're the closest girls and only ones on the team. She's grown up so much though, she's pretty, mind you she's always been. But she no longer looks like a kid, she looks like a teenage kid whose growing up fast, much like me, as my dad says.

"Nah, I'm back. I wouldn't miss this for the world," I told, but she didn't know I was half lying. I haven't skated in so long and I guess she was questioning it because I had my support brace and no roller skates on like everyone else did.

My father was in the limo with Mr. Tibbles and everyone else was out here catching up. I was happy to be with the others, but before our first game or practice, I need some rink time alone. I have been going to the doctor's twice a week where I use to live and I do muscle therapy and rebuild strength in my knee. So I'm not as worried per say because I know how strong my knee is. but I don't want to play one game and have one nasty blow ruin everything for another four or five months. It just scares you because you haven't done it in so long that you're afraid.

"Can you believe that the Ducks will be playing in the Junior Games, representing Team USA?" She asks, I nod smiling still because I just couldn't stop. I don't know when the last time was that I had smiled so much and had bright days.

"I actually can't, its not everyday you get something like this. So, I'm pretty happy,"

My dad comes out of the car now and Mr. Tibbles yells out, "Get your bags packed! We're going to Los Angeles!" We all cheered and got excited. I was ready to show the world and scouts of course, what I was made of. If anything, Adam and I are the best on the team. Unless all the Ducks practiced over the course of like two years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My dad is so funny. He's sitting in Coach right now while the nine of us are sitting in rows of two by two because the plane was a smaller one than normal but still packed. it wasn't an enormous plan that had the two seats on the side, then three in the middle, and two more on the side. I was seated with Connie on the plane because we all just got on the plane in a line, and who ever was in front or behind you was the seat and partner you were stuck with. So, I am with Connie. Charlie and Adam, Jesse and Guy, Averman and Goldberg, and then Fulton was on last and got himself a seat to himself. He didn't mind because he got to sleep.