Feedback: Greatly Appreciated!
"Gaffney, I need to see you in my office after you get showered and
changed." Coach Orion called out as the ducks trudged off the ice after
practice. All the Ducks turned and looked at Julie.
"Ohh, the catlady, getting in trouble."
"shut-up Averman," Julie said as she pushed past him. A thousand
thoughts were running through her mind. She had no idea why Coach Orion
could want to see her. As far as she knew she hadn't done anything wrong.
She went into the girls locker room where she was soon joined by her
teammate Connie Moreau.
"Julie, what do you think coach wants you for?" Connie asked.
"I have no idea." Julie escaped Connie's questions by ducking into the
shower. She let the hot water run over her tired, sore body. She was
nervous. Coach Orion had always intimidated her. He wasn't near as caring as
Coach Bombay had been. She quickly finished up and packed up her stuff
before Connie could as her any more questions.
Julie timidly knocked on Orion's door. "Come in." He barked without
looking up from his desk. "Take a seat." Julie put her bag on the ground and
sat down.
"Hi coach. What can I do for you?"
Coach Orion looked up from his desk and gave Julie the once over.
"Julie, you're aware of the standards we set for the athlete's here at Eden
Hall?" Julie nodded her head in agreement. She had no idea where this was
going. As far as she knew she had all A's. "Well it has come to my attention
that one of our players is in danger of failing. I would like you to tutor him
and bring his average up to a B." Julie breathed a sigh of relief. This wasn't
what she was expecting.
"Sure coach, who is it? Russ? Averman?" Orion shook his head.
"Portman." Julie's eyes went wide. Out of everyone on the team,
Portman was the one she knew the least. In fact none of them really knew
him except for Fulton. The most time she and Portman had ever spent
together was during the Junior Goodwill Games when they were both kicked
out of the Iceland game.
"Yes Portman. His parents and I are worried about his grades. Now
you'll be compensated for your time. I know you need the money." It was
true. Julie was probably one of the poorer of the Ducks. Both Bombay and
Orion knew this and tried to help her out as much as they could. That was
part of the reason Julie studied so hard. If she lost her scholarship she'd
have to move back home and risk her chances of getting into a good college.
"Now they'll be paying you fifteen dollars an hour for about two hours a
day. Is that alright with you?" Julie nodded her head. Ten hours a week times
fifteen dollars an hour was one-hundred fifty dollars a week. That would help
her out a lot.
"I'll do it coach. And thanks for asking me. I really appreciate it."
"I knew you would Julie. And another thing I know you'll do a good job."
Julie smiled. She knew she could as well. "Why don't you write your schedule
down and I'll talk to Portman and arrange a schedule." Julie hurriedly
scribbled down her schedule and handed it to Orion. She then profusely
thanked him and rushed out the office. Before she left Orion told her one
thing, "Julie, let's try to keep this quiet. His parents don't want people to
know he's being tutored." Julie nodded and then shut the office door.
Orion smiled at the good job he'd done. He knew this would help Julie
out. Bombay had told her about her family situation and made him promise to
help her out whenever he could. What Orion didn't tell Julie was that Portman
had specifically asked for her.