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the ducks were hopeful, excited for their upcoming hockey games with their new coach. if they won a game, they could make it to the play-offs! district five hadn't made it before, and now the ducks actually stood a chance. they had hope. coach bombay pushed the locker room door open and walked in.
"hey, why aren't you guys in uniform? we have warm ups in half an hour." he spoke to terry, jesse and peter with confusion. when they didn't respond, coach just shrugged. charlie didn't know why they weren't in uniform either. "all right everyone, listen up! i got some good news," coach clapped, looking around at everyone in the locker room. charlie's eyebrows perked in curiosity - had the other team forfeit? were the ducks in the play-offs? "we're getting two new players: adam and leah banks." charlie's stomach dropped.
"what?!" he immediately groaned in disbelief, the rest of the ducks chorusing protests of their own. leah banks? of all people, leah banks? of course they were getting the banks twins. it couldn't have been anyone else. man, charlie did not want to play on the same team as leah banks. he hated leah banks. what if she refused to give him space? what if she didn't leave him alone?
"they're hawks." dave karp frowned, confused by the new information.
"they're good players." coach remarked, clearly disappointed that his team were all protesting against the joining of two specific players.
"they're cheats, is what they are." charlie spoke up angrily, frowning. how could bombay just let two hawks join their team?
"they're skilled, charlie. you can learn from them." coach sighed as charlie glared. learn from leah banks? yeah right. she was a stubborn, sloth-like, stupid girl that definitely was not skilled.
"yuck." karp gagged, not even interested in thinking about their arrival. charlie couldn't agree more.
"everybody hates them." jesse piped up, a distasteful expression on his own face.
"especially charlie! leah has been obsessed with him since the sixth grade." averman pat his friend's back, and charlie could only scowl. man, he really did hate leah banks.
"yeah, we don't need them." connie defended. charlie was glad they agreed with him.
"look, i'm the coach and i say we do need them," coach bombay silenced everyone's disagreement, "if we make it to the play-offs they could be a big help."
"if?" karp pointed out with offence, "all of a sudden you don't think we're good enough?"
"no, he thinks we're losers. that's what he told reilly." peter sassed. the entire room fell silent as the ducks looked around with confusion. coach called them losers...?
"what?" coach confusedly asked,
"c'mon we heard what you said," peter spat, "you said we were losers, we didn't deserve to live." charlie immediately looked toward coach who seemed exasperated by the accusation. it couldn't be true, could it?
"that's not what i meant." coach shook his head.
"i saw that picture of you missing that goal. you were a hawk, weren't you? guess you guys stick together until the end." peter stood up, carrying his jersey with him. "you know what? i don't need your stinkin' equipment. see you around." peter threw the jersey to the floor, swaggering out of the room in anger. coach was a hawk? no wonder he was so keen on having adam and leah banks join.
"peter, come back here," coach beckoned, "i'm talking to you, son!" he raised his voice when peter didn't come back.
"forget it, cake-eater," jesse frowned, "if you wanna play, play with yourself. come on, terry." he nudged terry on the chest, the two of them dumping their gear to the ground as they followed after peter.
"where do you guys think you're going?" coach sighed, "i don't believe this."
charlie didn't know what to think. coach called them losers, used to be a hawk, and wanted the banks twins on the ducks. charlie wanted to be angry, and part of him was, but he trusted coach bombay. and until something happened, charlie would trust him. coach bombay promised it would be more fun this time around, and he hadn't broke that promise yet.
"all right," coach breathed, his hands on his hips, "i'm going up to the bench because that's where i'm supposed to be. anyone who wants to join me can join me. anyone who doesn't? well-" he cut himself off, walking out of the room.
charlie contemplated staying in the locker room, but he knew he wouldn't. tammy, tommy, lester, guy, connie, goldberg and karp all started packing their stuff away. it was awfully quiet, some people mumbling angrily under their breath. after ten minutes, only fulton and charlie were left.
"surely you aren't staying." guy sighed, throwing his bag onto his shoulder. charlie stayed quiet, trying not to change his mind as they huffed and left.
"traitor." karp hissed, glaring as he left.
"yeah, traitor." averman agreed as they all followed each other out.
fulton and charlie stood up, silently making their way to the rink with their team of two as they sheepishly walked onto the ice.
"ducks forfeit, flames you win."
now they really only had one chance to make it to play-offs, and it would be with the stupid, cheating banks twins. bastards.
