Mighty USA Ducks

Eighteen

We had no practice yesterday because Miss MacKay said that no one was to go, even if I was capable of doing it. Today we were all at the bench waiting for Coach to show up, he still wasn;t here and the game was going to start soon. A ref had come up asking us where our Coach was and he didn't show up, then we had to forfeit and we can't have that or else we're out for good.

Charlie had jumped the boards and skating down towards the stands hwere he had spotted Miss MacKay. I didn't know what he was doing and why she wasn't on the bench as it was because she usually does stand here and watch, most of the time. He was able to convince her and she stood behind everyone. Charlie said that she could leave most of it up to him since he was Captain, knows the lines and everything. So he was doing that while she watched and told us what to do as well.

"All right, put Dean, Fulton, Kylie, Adam, Goldberg, and Luis on the ice." Miss MacKay said.  Woah, a power line, all right! She put her hand in the middle and everyone had put their hand in the middle without a glove,except for the six that were playing. We called our cheer and went out on the ice. Adam went to face off while Luis and I took the sides. Adam looks over at me and winks. I wink back knowing what he wanted.

Think, just like kids, Kyles. I'd imagine him saying. Adam looks up at the player in front of him, I have a player next to me going to block me and so does Luis. But he doesn't know what he's in for. The puck drops. Adam quickly grabebd it without hesitating or looking he passed it over to me and deked the player behind me and soared down the ice. Luis was ahead of me and the Bash Bros were doing their job of keeping men down for us.

I quickly stopped and passed it to Luis. He went up but stopped because had someone in front of him. He passes it back to me and I go to shoot, but fake a shot and pass the puck to Adam as he's coming up the center where it's clear. He shoots and scores. We all cheer and huddled together. Portman hitting us smaller guys on the helmet. I fix my helmet and wait again. Adam had let the other team get the face off and Portman and Fulton were skating backwards as they helped defend our net while Luis and I stayed out but watched.

Fulton knocked a kid to the ground and Portman intercepted a pass. Slashing the puck down the ice to Luis. Portman stood there as a kid went to knock him over and instead he shoved the boy down with his stick. Luis was already at the offensive zone and he passed the puck over to me, but it got stolen. I raced down with the other kid and stopped in front of him, taking the puck and quickly moving out of the way as the boy runs into the boards. "Sorry,"

I sent the puck down to Fulton who wasn't far from me and then he passes it up Luis. I stay in the back as Adam blocks a guy and lets Luis go all the way. I skate down at a good not fast speed so I can contain myself and not give out. Luis shoots, and right after the puck leaves his stick he crashed into the wall as I shake my head smiling. We gotta really work on that and work well together while doing it.

He scored making it two nothing. As we were starting up again, Miss MacKay was kinda late and she yells, "Switch it up!" And then smiles. The five of us all go off the ice quickly and five more go on. Charlie, Guy, Averman, Ken, and Dwayne go on the ice while after will be Connie, hopefullyJulie, and Jesse will play afterwards with who ever Miss MacKay choses because once they go, we've all played once and Coach likes to balance us all out.

The others all go out on the ice and after awhile of them playing, the score becomes 3-1 us. I then hear a loud Duck call and I look up to see my dad. Everyone looks but then continues what they were doing. Charlie, Averman and Guy all stand at center rink talking to one another as they're looking over here. But not before long another player from a different team pushes them and Charlie ends up falling. I stand up to see if he was all right and he got up all right. But started talking to the boys right away again.

"Kyles, Coach is here," Adam tells me as he nudged my shoulder and pointed up to where he was. Yep, I saw my father all right. He calls his call again and then yells out Ducks. They all sigh and we stand up and huddle together as Coach talks to us.

"Look guys, I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you guys, and girls. I'm gonna make it up to you guys by being your proper Coach you all wish to have," I smile as everyone else does. He makes a plan and keeps the same players out on the ice and stands up top. I turn just in time as he kisses Miss MacKay's cheek.

I'm sure she digs my father and he digs her. She's pretty cool once you take the time to get to know her. "Hey Kyles, what was that back there?" Adam asks me.

"What was what?" I ask him confused.

"When Charlie fell?" Someone's jealous. Is he protective of me now or something? Can I not hang out with other people? Am I not allowed to be close to other boys like he may be close with other girls? I'm sorry Adam, but this is what happens when you're on a team with bosy who over rule the girls big time.

"Adam stop, you don't need to worry about who I hang out with. Hun, maybe I have a so called fling with Charlie, who knows," I say and get up, walking to the other end of the bench and sitting down. I watch as our team just made another goal and I stand up cheering, then sit down once again. I'm not mad at Adam at all, but he needs to figure out that I'm no longer ten or eleven years old anymore where we'd hang out all the time.

I'm fourteen and a half now. I'm growing up and thinking about my future. He needs to as well and stop thinking I'm his little friend. I am his best friend, but he has to deal with me moving on from the childhood past and into teenagehood where it will be filled with love, emotions, setbacks, heart breaks, boyfriends, and hockey.

And the entire fling with Charlie was just made up because I was upset and needed something quick on the spot to say. I understand that Adam's feelings towards me either have faded or grew stronger. I felt the same at one point, but didn't want us, our friendship to be ruined if we didn't work out. I don't want to loose him over something stupid as dating. No, if I am not dating, I'd still hug him like a sister or best friend would. I'd still look out for him because that's who I am. I'm his sympathetic buddy who's been by his side for ever up until I was almost twelve and moved away.

And Charlie? Well, I'm closer with him now that I've opened up and I do see potential in him. He's always around and making me laugh. I wouldn't know if that's a sign of me liking him. I've never really paid attention to boys much to realise if I liked them or not. I'd have to see the girls and see what they think. I don't know what it is, his leadership skills, the way he can talk to anyone, the way he's so kind and caring. I don't know. I mean, Adam is like that too but we've been having those small fights here and there ever sicne we've gotten back on the same team.

I know we work well on the ice. But maybe he's not ready to let me go. To see me with others because I've always been with him. I am sad, but he needs to realise it and I hope he does soon before I'm gone or he is.

Coach called for the next batch of us to go on and he wanted a little mix up. So he had put Jesse, the three girls, Charlie stayed and then he had put Luis back on as well. He said that Luis and Jan would work on stopping, along with me since he and I are similar in speed. I can have speed and do a couple fancy dancy tricks while Luis needs to learn how to come to a halt.

I got on the ice, looking back at Adam as he's sitting there, his helmet off as he looked down at his wrist. I know he had hurt it back during the begining of the Iceland game when he scored and they got mad. Charlie took center, Julie went as goalie, Luis and Connie were the wings while Jesse and I were put as defensemen. I was still going to use my speed as an advantage. Luis and I can do incredible stuff once we know how use to our advantage.

But for now, I kept it a minimum while we played.