Hey guys, I'm aware that this is was posted already on here and that I took it down. I'm putting it back up because a lot of people really enjoyed it, and because there's another part in the works for it. We would really love to hear your thoughts, either through review, PM or shooting us an ask over at aeducaanwrites on tumblr.
Enjoy!
It all started when Derek's hockey coach came up with this grand idea to take the team on a mandatory field trip to the Aritzia Centre to watch an Ontario Major Junior Hockey League team, the London Silverbacks, play. His coach was hoping the team could learn something from watching the Silverbacks, but Derek highly doubted these prisses could teach anyone anything.
See the problem was that too many of Derek's teammates were losing their touch defensively, as well as offensively (of course besides him, and maybe Sam). According to the coach, half of the guys couldn't even slap a puck if it was the size of the net, so Derek understood that some measures had to be taken to get the team back on their game. But to a Junior League game. Derek shuttered just thinking about it.
"Will you stop sulking," Sam said, as the whole team shuffled into the arena. "It's just a hockey game. I don't get what's got your panties all in a bunch."
Derek rolled his eyes, while blindingly following his teammates as they curved passed a row of concession stands to where their section of seats was. "I just don't see how going to this Junior League game is going to make our team better."
"You're kidding, right?" Sam questioned in disbelief. "The Silverbacks have had the best record for the past 3 years in, not only their own league, but of all of Ontario!"
"Blah, blah, blah," Derek spoke haughtily, while childishly making mouths with his hands to mimic Sam.
"Come on, boys!" Coach Seater shouted, waving his players through the small tunnel into the arena seating. "We already missed the lineup call. I'll be damned if I miss any more!"
The players quickened their pace under their coach's stare, filling up a full row not far from the home team's bench.
"Great, up close and personal too," Derek muttered as he took his seat. Unlike their school stadium where they only had bleachers, the Aritzia Centre had regular stadium seating. This fact further deepened Derek's scowl.
"Seriously, dude," Sam said, "What is your problem with the junior league?"
Derek shook his head. "They're just a bunch of wannabes who buy their way onto a team because they don't have the talent to actually make it on one."
Sam rolled his eyes, but chose to stay silent. The boys then took a moment to view the famous Silverbacks on the ice. They were still warming up, skating around their end of the ice. One player immediately caught Derek's eye though when all the players began to take their positions for the opening faceoff.
"Hey, Sam," Derek called, elbowing his best friend in the side to gain his attention. "You see that defensemen over there with the long hair? What's he, a girl?" Derek teased, laughing.
"Mature," Sam deadpanned. "Though, I really don't think you have room to talk. Your hair was longer than that in 7th grade, Derek-a."
Derek gave Sam a menacing glare. "I thought I told you to never bring that up. Ever," Derek said through gritted teeth. "I'm still pissed you told Casey that!"
"Yeah, well, you deserved it with the whole Klutzilla incident," Sam said, defending his actions.
Derek rolled his eyes. "Speaking of Klutzilla, I bet she'd at least help me make fun of this game. Unlike some people," Derek said pointedly. "Though she probably wouldn't know what's going on…and most likely would end up just bashing hockey instead of the Silverbacks…but, you know…"
"Then you should have brought Casey along," Sam spoke distractedly, too busy watching the game now to give Derek all his attention.
Derek scoffed at first, and then sighed. "Even if she could, she probably wouldn't. Plus, she had some dance thing today…"
"Mmhmm," Sam hummed non-committedly.
"She's never able to make it to any of our games. It seems like she's constantly going to practices and competitions, especially in the winter…" Derek said, frowning slightly. "Hey, Sam, you're sister danced, right? Is winter like a high-time for dancers or something?"
Sam didn't answer, for he was fully engrossed in the game.
"Hello, Sam!" Derek hollered, waving a hand in-front of the sandy-haired guy's face.
"Huh?" Sam said momentarily, before collecting himself, "I don't know. I don't remember," he finished hurriedly, huffing in annoyance. "Now can you please stop talking about Casey for one second?! I'm trying to watch the game!"
"I wasn't talking about her that much, jeez," Derek grumbled, slouching into his seat as he crossed his arms.
Derek reluctantly started to watch the game. While doing so, he had to reluctantly admit that the Silverbacks were probably as good as everyone was saying. Their defense was no doubt their strongest point. "Damn, that long-haired-freak of a defenseman is actually pretty good," Derek thought out loud.
"Right?" Sam agreed, watching the game intensely. "I don't think a puck has got passed him once."
"Yeah…" Derek unwillingly agreed, "but one guy with some skill doesn't prove me anything."
"Damn, that was an awesome game!" Sam rejoiced as he and the rest of team began to get up from their seats.
"Eh, it was alright," Derek casually shrugged, following his teammates to the main aisle and up the stairs to the main hall.
"Alright? Just alright?!" Sam questioned outrageously. "They shut out their opponents 4-0!"
"Meh, they just got lucky," Derek spoke indifferently. The whole team was now heading out to the parking lot to board the bus they took to get there. "I'm just happy I never have to see those talentless asses again!" Derek rejoiced as he sat down in one of the seats on the bus. Sam rolled his eyes, but didn't comment, knowing Derek was a lost cause to convince at this point.
"Great news!" Coach Seater announced when he entered the bus. He was wearing a very self-satisfied grin that immediately didn't sit well with Derek. "I got us a practice with the Silverbacks tomorrow!"
Derek instantly banged his head on the window next to him. "You got to be fuckin' kidding me."
Derek still couldn't get over the fact that he and his team were going to practice with the London Silverbacks. It was bad enough that they had to sit in on the Silverbacks game, but now the hockey team of Sir John Sparrow Thompson high school had to practice with them too.
The 22 members of the Bulldogs hockey team lugged their hockey bags behind them, taking in the sights that the arena held. The Silverbacks' arena entrance held banners from past players and players of the now. It left a tinge of jealousy that pulled at Derek's stomach. Once you make it at the junior level, everything is up for grabs if the right people see. But with a team like the Silverbacks, these 'hot shots' seemed to have their hockey careers handed to them gift wrapped.
Derek was knocked out of his jealous thoughts by Sam nudging him forcefully with his hockey bag as he passed him.
Shouts of number counting could be heard further down the hallway, and soon forms of jumping teens could be seen, dressed up with the bottom half of their equipment on, doing jumping jacks as a pre practice warm up.
Coach Seater suddenly turned around. "You see that boys? That right there is what champions are made of. They give 110% on and off the ice to be the best. They don't take their skills for granted. Don't roll your eyes at me Venturi!" the coach suddenly hollered as he caught Derek in the act. "Maybe if you passed the puck every once in a while, we wouldn't have lost 5 in a row."
Little did anyone notice that one of the Silverback players tripped up at the mention of the name Venturi.
"With that said, this is our dressing room. 30 minutes until ice time. You better bring your 'A' game. Maybe you'll show the coaching staff something they like and you'll have a shot at a future in the big leagues. But until then, you haves prove to me that you belong on my team." Coach Seater said turning around and walking out the locker room door.
"This is bullshit, it's so fucking stupid that they have us out here skating with these jack offs." Derek whined, viciously unzipping his hockey bag.
"C'mon D, it's an amazing opportunity and you know it." Sam reasoned.
Further down the hallway in the locker room of the Silverbacks, the atmosphere was an exciting one because of the chance to pummel some high school team into the ice. However, one particular player on the team was feeling the complete opposite.
Casey was pacing in the middle of the locker room in her hockey equipment and sports bra.
"Easy there Mac, what's got you losing your mind over there?"
Casey huffed and plopped down on the bench in front of her equipment cubby. "God Coop, my ass of a stepbrother is on that high school hockey team."
The whole room turned quiet in a heartbeat at Casey's response.
"Wait, you mean the stepbrother that you have, you know, feelings for?" Another player, Fynn, from across the room asked.
Casey hid her face in her issued purple practice jersey and let out a grumbled 'yes'.
One of the team's goalies slowly stood up with a small grin on his face. "Well in that case, boys, I think that it's our duty to make sure that this Derek Venturi is man enough for Mac."
The guys cheered in agreement, while Casey ripped the jersey away from her face and a let out a strangled 'no'...not that it was heard over the excited cheers of her 'honorary brothers'.
The Bulldogs team marched out to the ice on the skate safe mats. Their collective energy to rock out on the ice began to diminish when they saw the sight of the opposing players decked out in black and purple jerseys waiting on the ice for them.
Derek pushed his way to the front of the team and turned around to face them. "Don't let those guys scare you. We can go out there and out-skate them and show them that we mean business," Derek said trying to rally his team.
Just as he finished his speech, a puck slammed into the glass by Derek's head, causing both Derek and his teammates to jump back in shock.
Laughter rose from across the ice's surface, and a voice rang out. "Sorry about that, puck got away from me!"
More laughter ensued and Derek's grip on his hockey stick tightened.
"Let's go boys! Skates on the ice! We don't have all day!" Coach Seater then hollered, clapping his hands for them to hustle.
The high school boys stepped on to the ice and that's when the atmosphere changed. They always said boys will be boys, and that's what is about to go down.
Derek was yet again slammed into the boards. He fell onto the ice and let out a grunt of pain. The Silverback players had been laying into him all practice, but, now that the coaches decided that it would be a good idea to scrimmage, it was being turned up a notch.
He pushed himself off the ice just as the short defenseman with a the mad flow streaked by, intercepting a pass and dishing off the puck to one of his teammates. Derek skated off to his team's bench and sat down, taking a big gulp of water.
Cheering suddenly started up as the 3 time champions scored another goal. Derek groaned and looked skyward in frustration, things couldn't get any worse.
So far the practice had been a gong show for the Bulldogs. During every drill they had been outmatched. This scrimmage was just salt in the wound. Derek might be able to handle being thrashed around, but losing to the Silverbacks was the one thing Derek's pride wouldn't allow.
"Hey, why don't you boys just give up already? There ain't no way you'll score, let alone win," one of the Silverback players taunted as they glided by.
With a growl, Derek leapt up to retaliate, only to be pulled back down by Sam. "Derek, don't do anything stupid that could get you hurt, or even end your hockey career. If you want to hurt them, hurt them on the scoreboard," Sam advised, hoping that he could get passed Derek's stubbornness.
Derek pulled himself free of Sam and hopped the bench, skating to center ice.
Coach Leggat dropped the puck and the game was on once again. The puck sped back and forth across the ice as both teams refused to give up ground. Bodies collided, sticks clashed, and pucks were smacked.
The puck sprung loose and Derek reached out to scoop it up, only to find himself flying off his feet. The body of the short defenseman with long locks propelled both of them onto the ice.
A gasp escaped Derek from the enormous hit, and the weight of another person being landing on top of him. The weight was quickly removed as the ever persistent defender quickly scrambled off Derek, and climbed to his feet. He bent over to pick up his stick that got lost amongst the tangle of limbs.
On the way of standing up straight, the short hockey player stopped and held out a gloved hand, offering an olive branch of sorts, trying to say 'no hard feelings'. Derek snorted and lightly smacked the hand away, before rolling over onto his stomach and pushing himself off the ice.
Just as fast as they both fell, they were off after the puck once again. Both Derek and the opposing teams' defenseman streaked down the ice - neck and neck. Derek reached the puck first, but didn't get too far as he was pressed up against the boards.
The two struggling hockey players battled hard down in the Silverbacks' defensive zone as the other players closed in, ready to jump on the puck the moment it was jarred loose. Derek grunted, trying to muscle the tenacious defender off him, only to get pressed more into the glass as the player leaned all their weight into him.
"Come on Derek, you going to let a keener beat you?" a very feminine voice teased.
He knew that voice.
Derek lost his footing and fell over from shock, letting Casey snatch up the puck.
She broke free from the pack and sped down the ice, wound up and let a slap-shot go. The Bulldog's goalie dropped into a butterfly stance, but the puck managed to squeeze between the blocker and leg pad to reunite with the back of the net.
Screams of 'Mackie' filled the arena as members of the Silverbacks team surrounded Casey.
Coach Leggat then glanced at his watch and blew his whistle, signaling the end of practice. Derek dropped his head in defeat, his anger rising not only because they lost to the Silverbacks, but because they lost to the Silverbacks and apparently Casey.