Twister's Replacement

Chapter 4

Reggie and Sam talked to Otto about helping Leni get ready for the hockey semifinals in the kitchen. 

"So let me get this straight," Otto said.  "You're saying that we should help Leni get ready for the semifinals in a way she can learn?  You're saying that we should use easy words and...FASHION...to help her?"

Reggie and Sam nodded their heads.

"You've gotta be kidding," Otto growled.

"Well, Leni is into a lot of fashion," Sam said.  "If we use those certain things as a way to encourage her to be ready, we could possibly win."

Otto crossed his arms.  "You guys, I don't know about this."  

"Otto, we're just gonna waste more time finding a different replacement if you don't accept Leni," Reggie said.  "We don't have as much time left, anyway.  What do you say?  You think you can help us out?"

Otto was hesitant to answer.  He didn't want Leni making him and his hockey squad look horrible for the semifinals.  He also missed Twister, who was still up north on the East Coast with his family.  "Well...I guess I could do it."

"Great!" said Reggie.  "We'll start back up tomorrow."

The next day, Leni, Otto, Reggie, and Sam were back at The Pier and ready for another street hockey practice.

"Now guys," Reggie reminded Sam and Otto, "we'll need to use certain words to help Leni understand what she's doing.  We need to make it simple for her.  Got it?"

Otto and Sam nodded.

Reggie gave Leni her hockey stick.  "Now, Leni, this is the soccer cleat."

"A soccer cleat?" Otto snarled.  "First a golf club, and now a soccer cleat?  Don't make me laugh!"

Reggie showed Leni the puck.  "This is the soccer ball.  What you're gonna do is dribble the ball with the cleat toward the mall that's right on the other side."  Reggie pointed to the two trash cans that were used as a goal.

Otto tapped his foot.  "The goal as a mall?"

"Now," Reggie resumed, "the opposing players you will be facing are fashion models.  The goal is to get past those models and head straight for the mall.  You'll shoot the ball into the mall, which will be a goal if you make the shot.  The more shots you make, the better, and our team gets a free pass to that mall...since it's private."

Leni gasped with excitement.  "O-M-GOSH!"

"No way," Otto muttered.  "I can't believe I'm going through with this stupid baloney."

Reggie turned to her brother.  "Shut up, Otto!"

"What?!  What did I say?!" Otto snapped.

For the entire practice, Reggie and the boys helped Leni improve her hockey skills from what she was told.  So far, it seemed to be working well.

And for the next few days, Leni's skills have been improving from the ideas Reggie suggested.

"I actually can't believe it's working," Otto thought on the last day of practice before the semifinals.  "I guess I was wrong about what I said."

"We're totes gonna get that free pass to that mall tomorrow for sure!" Leni exclaimed.  

Sam, Reggie, and Otto got into a circle.  Then they looked at Leni.

"Hey Leni, join us in here," Otto said.

"Why?" Leni asked.

"You'll see," Reggie said.

Leni shrugged and joined her teammates.

Otto, Reggie, and Sam did their secret handshake.  "Woogity, woogity, woogity!"

"What's that supposed to be?" Leni asked, confused.

"Our secret handshake," Sam said.

"Oh!"

The four teammates did the handshake once more.  "Woogity, woogity, woogity!"

"There you go, Leni.  You've got it now," Otto said.  "You ready for the semifinals tomorrow, you guys!"

"Definitely, Rocket Boy!" Reggie, Sam, and Leni exclaimed together.