The Long Shot ✰ a.b.

2

✰ Grace Hills

"Jeez Grace, I'm so nervous. I know the Ducks already have a goalkeeper, so why would they want me? They'll probably hate me." Julie eagerly rants to her new friend as they wait in a locker room, ready to go out and meet their soon-to-be teammates.

"Don't stress, sweet-cheeks. Their current goalie is no competition to you," Dean surprisingly turns around and somewhat comforts Julie. All the recruits quickly snap their eyes to look at the metal-head in confusion. Was Dean being nice for once?

But, once Dean notices the stunned stares, he awkwardly clears his throat and mutters, "I-I mean shut-up, would you! Your annoying voice is invading my ear space." 

Soon enough, all of them roll their eyes and sigh. Now that's the Dean they've come to know.

"Hey, how ya' feeling?" Grace feels Luis gently tap her on the shoulder, and she turns her head over to smile at him. 

"I'm good, just a tad nervous. Nothing I shouldn't be able to handle though. How 'bout you?" She genuinely asks, as she notices an uneasy emotion plastered onto his face.

"Uh—well, I just hope I can be able to stop in front of all of them. How embarrassing would it be to fall on my face during my first impression?" He lightheartedly says, but soon after the words leave his mouth, he slowly realizes how nervous he actually was. Grace senses that, so she smiles sympathetically and pats him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, you'll be great." She briefly assures him, trying to ease the tensions, but he just weakly nods at her attempt.

"How about you Kenny—" Grace starts to question her fellow city friend, but Mr. Tibbles cuts her off as he comes in the locker room and informs the recruits that it's time to go out there.

"Alright everyone, let's get out on that ice and show them exactly why you deserve to be on team USA." He enthusiastically tells the teens, as they all file out of the room, through the building, and onto the ice. 

In a group, they skate over to the other big group of green, and instantly Grace feels herself becoming intimidated. They all take off their helmets and get a good look at the Ducks standing in front of them.

Grace's first impression of Coach Bombay was that he actually seemed pretty scary, as he hawked at all of the new recuits in judgement. It was as if he was trying to see if they were good enough just by a first glance.

"So, tell me about my new kids." Bombay meekly says to Tibbles, as he simultaneously makes eye contact with Grace dead in the eye.

Grace looks away instantly to avoid unwanted eye contact, but quickly ends up catching another pair of eyes looking at her.

Instead of Bombay's harsh glare, these eyes were crystal blue, and they surprisingly didn't budge as they stared back into hers. These eyes were mesmerizing, to say the least.

Grace hadn't realized Luis had even started skating, until she heard a huge thud, following with large laughs from the Ducks. She briskly reverted away from the eyes staring at her, and skated over to Luis who laid helplessly on the ground. All of the new players had gone to help him up, as he brushed some of the flaky ice off of himself.

"I almost had it that time." He tries to claim, but everyone else just snickers at the lie.

Next, Dwayne skates out confidently, and starts to talk to their team in his big southern accent.