Mighty USA Ducks

Seventeen

I was stopped on my way down the hall to the locker room by the one and only Adam Banks. I was happy to see him and when I saw him from the other end of the hall, I ran and hugged him. He hugged me back asking how I was. I was surprised he wasn't asleep yet because I could tell he was tired with how low he was talking.

I walked next to him down the hall and I could tell he really wanted to say something. But at the same time I knew he was hiding something. But I didn't need to make things worse and ask, I just gotta watch out for my pal, all of them. "Um, could we talk?" He asked. I stop and lean against the wall nodding. "Look, I'm very sorry for what I did to you awhile ago,"

"What'd you do that was so wrong, Adam?" I ask him.

"I lied to your face. It was suppose to be a joke and it turned for the wrong reasons and I am sorry,"

My face lit up and he got confused. "You mean you didn't kiss my bratty sister?" I ask with some excitement. He shakes his head.

"No, I didn't kiss her. Let alone would. You're my best friend, I'd never betray you and do that behind your back. And you actually thought that I'd do something like that? What a shame," A smile crept upon my face as I was happy. I didn't mind if he did kiss her or not, I was just happy he told me and the air between us is clear now.

"Well, I'd kiss anyone other than my sister," I told him as I started walking down the hall still. "Hey Adam, you aren't tired from last night?"

He nods, "I'm super tired, but I had to stay awake to talk to you. I knew you'd be up bright and early no problem. You always do,"

"Adam, you should head up and get some rest," I told him, he nods and hugs me and I do the same. He turns and goes down the hall to go upstairs to his dorm while I stop by the locker room where my dad should be. I enter the locker room and get to his office.

I see him in there so I knock and wait for him to answer, once he does, I enter. I walk in and take a seat in front of him as he has a bunch of files in front of him of different people whom I didn't know. "Uh dad?" I question, he looks up at me quickly and nods, then goes back to highlighting papers. " I was told about last night and how everyone was forced to do a practice last night after their game and I was wondering why you did it?"

"Look, we weren't playing our best and if we want to win then we gotta do that,"

I sigh and roll my eyes. "You can't work them to death, dad! You're gonna over work them and they won't be able to play," I tell him. He looks up at me and drops his marker.

"I don't want to hear anything from you young lady. This is my team and I will dow hat I want to do," He says. I stand up and get ready to leave. But I stop as I look down at my feet.

"Don't forget I'm apart of this team, too. And just to remind you, Coach, we're not robots so don't work them until they break, they'll be gone," I left his office and headed upstairs to my dorm room until later on at noon.

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

At noon everyone was still asleep and I was downstairs with Miss MacKay. She was about in her early twenties and a great teacher. She was nice and I did warm up to her. I got use to her and she's actually really nice. I wouldn't mind if I had lunch with her. maybe she wants to talk to me about something or needs something. I don't know, but she's a good guider and leader for us.

I seem to like her more than I like Portman. And he's hard to like, but she just passes him and maybe later on when I talk to her more and such, I might like her even more some of the guys on my team. "Um, I bet you're wondering why I asked you to join me?"

I shake my head. Nah, I was sure she wanted to talk to me about school. "School, isn't it?"

She nods, "Yes. How advanced are you? I could tell by the way you expressed yourself that you seemed a little higher in knowledge,"

"Um, I'm doing grade nine work, almost done the year,"

We both quiet once our food came and then I saw her wave at someone as they came walking in. She seemed interested in him or they were just friends. But I usually keep my mouth shut about stuff like this because I don't need to be involved in anyone's love life. But I couldn't resist not asking her. " Like him or somethin?" I ask her, she about chokes on her food as she laughs. Then wipes the corner of her mouth with the napkin. She was eating salad while I ate pasta.

"No, no, no, just a friend I met," Her voice was always calm and sweet. I guess that's why she so approachable. I nod with a smile as I look down at my plate of food. "You got eyes for anyone?" She asks me.

I look up at her as I'm stirring my food around my plate because it was too hot to ear right away. I take in a deep breath and exhale. "Right now I don't think so. And besides, my father would never let me date knowing he already has a monster on his hands,"

She laughs, "You're no monster and I bet you there's gotta be a boy on the team that likes you, wouldn't you think?" She asks. I nod, it is possible knowing there's like thirteen or so boys, I haven't really bothered to count, but I believe there's twelve, not thirteen, but close enough.

"Oh I'm sure one of them do. But they'd have to do the work of convincing my father and me of course. I see them all as hockey players on my team," I say and hand her the letter I was given by Guy. "I was wondering if you could read this. I never really was fond of cursive writing and since I wasn't, I didn't bother to learn to read it either,"

She laughs, "Sure," She takes the letter I had given her and opens it. "Dear Miss Bombay, we've been really impressed with your skating skills and intelligence on the ice. The work you do and how you perform well with others is astonishing. I'd never seen a player so young who was dedicated to their work before. And we'd like to have you on our hockey team during the fall of 1996. We'd be looking forward to seeing you there.

~Robert O'Connors, Head Coach of JV Hockey team, Los Angeles, California"

She finishes and folds the letter, handing it back to me as she smiles wide. Woah, my first scouting. Someone has scouted me out to play for their school next year! How cool would that be!? it'd be amazing to play for a different school, though, I'd have to stay here in LA and leave the Ducks.

"Isn't this exciting?" She asks, I nod a thousand times.

"Yeah!" I shout and then cover my mouth as I sink in my seat. I was too loud for this quiet place. In fact, we were just across the street from the dorm building at some fancy place Miss MacKay chose. We original came here to talk about my schooling because she was fascinated by me. And she already had this meal and what not booked out a little while ago. So I joined because she couldn't miss it.

After we finish eating, we head back to the dorm place and she wonders off saying goodbye. I was fine with it and being alone until anyone, literally anyone at this point, wakes up from their snooze fest. I'd go see my dad but he's upset with me for opening my mouth and saying what was right. Miss MacKay said she'd try and convince him to loosen up but she may not be able to with how he is right now. So self centered and focused on work.

I went upstairs and decided to got sit in my room while I go online or watch TV. Yeah, we have a computer here and a TV. Well, actually, the computers are in a huge office area downstairs while the TVs are in every room I believe. But for now, I was gonna chill on the couch and watch TV.