AAOOOSC! Wheatie Bits!

E. 8. "The Game of Juniors" (1/8)

August 2017
A month later...

A pizza parlour in Plymouth, Michigan is busy due to a particular large group dining on their various types of pizzas: the whole junior team of Canada. They are spread throughout the eating area of the restaurant in their own circle of friends, conversing and eating the delicious lunch.

The bell above the door rings as the door opens, notifying the insiders that someone has entered. Entering the area is Kale Clague in his fashionable Team Canada-themed clothing, which matches with his teammates.

"Ugh, I'm late again," he mumbles, noticing that all his Canadian teammates are already consuming the pizza.

He stands in front of the doorway, scanning at the situation of the joyous room which offered a challenge in finding an empty seat. "Where to sit..."

"Claguer!" a familiar voice shouts from the deep end of the room.

Kale peers ahead at the direction of the voice.

Sitting in an empty booth facing him is Brett Howden with his perfectly combed hair. He is waving a hand in the air with a bright grin.

With an elated expression, Kale strolls up to him.

"Hey, what's up?" He slides into the booth in front of him.

"Ah, nothing much," Brett tells him cooly. "I ordered a full pepperoni pizza—" He holds his hand out at the table in between them, which is bearing a full pepperoni pizza. "—you can share with me."

Kale's eyebrows shoot up at the sight of the dish. "Sweet, sounds good!" He picks up a slice and bites into it.

"So, what's up with you?" Brett continues on, taking another piece from the other side of the pizza.

Kale swallows. "I'm about ready to win this showcase, am I right?" He shoots him a toothy grin.

Brett's eyes fill with passion. "Oh, yeah!" He swallows. "We are not here in enemy territory for nothing!"

"Yes!" Kale pumps his pizza slice into the air. "USA, you're going down!" He lowers his slice.

Brett leans back with a crackle of haughtiness. "Haha, that's right!" He then tears a piece of his slice with his teeth.

Realization then comes across Kale's focus, causing him to soften his features. "You're okay with that, even with Jake Dog being with the US?"

Pity grows on Brett's face. "Ah...well..." He swallows with an uneasy look. "...gotta do whatcha gotta do." He ends with a shrug.

"Yeah, that's true." Kale's eyes fly open at another thought. "Oh man, and Doc's on the US too!"

Brett pulls out his smartphone from his shorts' pocket with his free hand. "Yeah! I've been getting lots of texts from Jake Dog..." He peers down at the device and swipes across its screen with his thumb. "...but hopefully Yamma Mamma's keeping him in check." He gazes back up at the defenceman. "I can't have him making me feel bad for him. It'd affect my game."

"You texted him back?" Kale takes a bite of his slice.

"Once. That turned out to be a three-hour text session." He rolls his eyes playfully.

Kale chuckles before swallowing. "He misses you, eh?"

Brett takes a glance at his phone before slipping it out of view. "A lot." He then takes another bite of his pizza before his eyes drift to the other side of the room.

He quickly spots a glare beaming at his direction from the starting goalie of Team Canada: Carter Hart.

Carter's sharp eyes are narrowed with his red lips as a frown and his thin, yet defined eyebrows lowered.