Chapter Nine: Dodging Duck Kisses

The Ducks were sitting in the locker room of the away team that they were playing against. Tonight's adversaries were the Blake Bears, and the Ducks were leading by one point. The team was on edge because this was the third game of the pre-season, and so far, they had a winning streak.

"Stay focused. Just one more quarter, and we can add another victory to the list." Orion stared Julie down. "Gaffney, don't let them score another goal."

With that, everyone grabbed their gear and headed back out onto the ice. Within two minutes, Connie put in another goal, bringing the score to 5-3. The Bears were not going down without a fight, and they seemed to have rallied together during the intermission. After nearly scoring another point, which Julie managed to deflect in the nick of time, the Ducks decided it was time to do whatever it took to keep the opposing team from scoring a goal. After a fierce battle for the puck, Charlie managed to score another goal with just 30 seconds left.

"Yes!" Charlie pumped his fist as he skated with the rest of the team back to the box.

After speaking with the other team, the gang headed back to the locker room to change out of their hockey gear and into their street clothes.

"Good game. We have some things to work on, but you did a good job." Coach Orion congratulated them as they were leaving the locker room. "Let's go home. Remember, practice is running longer on Monday since Varsity has an away game."

The team headed back out to the bus, all of them pretty pumped over the victory. Even though it was still the pre-season, if they managed a perfect season, it would be a slap in the face to the Warrior's celebrated JV team. With both teams vying for a slot in the state championships, the Ducks needed to play harder than the younger hockey players to bring home the trophy.


Kelsey glanced at the clock on the living room wall, resisting the urge to call the hospital for the millionth time. After two weeks of being in the hospital, her father was finally going to be coming home. However, her aunt Rosa had left nearly five hours ago, and still wasn't back. Just when she decided to finally get up, the sound of a key in the lock brought her attention to the opening front door. Her father managed a quick smile before unceremoniously flopping onto the sofa.

"We would have been back sooner, but we had to get a foam mattress pad for the guest bedroom for your highness." Rosa said as she dropped the large shopping bags onto the living room floor. "He isn't allowed to climb the stairs for at least another week or so, and he claims the guest bed is much too hard for him."

Kelsey stifled a laugh. "Well, that's what happens when you insist on getting a mattress at a garage sale."

"In my defense," Caleb said as he raised a hand up in the air, pointing with his index finger, "I like a good bargain. And, there isn't any point on buying super expensive furniture when we will be moving again."

"He means he's cheap." Rosa translated as she sat in the armchair. "Have you eaten dinner? It is after seven."

"No," Kelsey said as her aunt began to get up from the comfortable chair, "but I am going into the city to have dinner with the team."

Instead of sitting back down, Rosa grabbed her purse from the floor.

"You don't need to take me; I had plans on taking the bus." Kelsey said as her father frowned.

"I'm not sure I like the idea of you taking the bus, kiddo."

"Dad," the teenager sighed, "I am seventeen. I think I can handle riding the bus on my own. And, I'm taking my cellphone, so don't worry."

"She's right, Caleb." Rosa said with a smile. "Your little girl is growing up."

Kelsey nearly rolled her eyes. "I need to get going, but I should be back before curfew."

She kissed her dad on the cheek, grabbed her small bag, and headed out of the door. As she walked down the street to the bus stop, she pulled the purse over her shoulder and adjusted it diagonally across her chest, allowing it to rest onto the opposite hip. Since they were going to be eating at the Goldberg's diner, Kelsey was dressed casually in her black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and Converses. Her flaxen hair was pulled up into a messy bun. She no longer had to wear the sling, but the cast was still going to be on for at least another two weeks. As soon as the bus door opened, she quickly got on, depositing the fare before finding a seat near the back. The bus wasn't very crowded, but since it was early on a Saturday, that was to be expected.

She sat idly in her seat, trying to keep her nerves from getting to her. Since the day at the tree, she hadn't really said much to Portman. Even when she did speak, he was very terse, keeping the conversation short before turning to talk to someone else. Matters were not made any better by the sudden iciness of her friend; Charlie had since taken up carrying her books for her to her classes, despite her adamant protests that she didn't even really need someone carrying them in the first place since she had a perfectly good bag.

As the bus came to the stop that she needed, she got up and exited the bus with a few strangers. The Goldbergs' diner was a block ahead, and was very busy looking, as always. She stepped into the heavenly smelling restaurant, and was immediately greeted by Julie and Connie, who had been waiting near the door for her.

"So?" she asked her grinning friends.

"We won!" Connie squealed. "We have one more scrimmage before the season starts, and then we'll have a perfect start to the season."

"Congratulations." Kelsey said warmly as the trio made their way to the back of the diner.

Two tables in the back, far removed from the rest of the customers sat the rest of the team. Their loud talking and messy eating were clearly the reasons for why they were so far apart from the general public.

"Look who finally made it." Averman said as Goldberg stole his plate of half-eaten French fries. "Hey!"

Kelsey sat at the least crowded table with Connie, Julie, Guy, Adam, and Charlie. She wasn't about to get French fries and ketchup from the warring Averman and Goldberg tossed onto her.

"So, I heard that you won." she smiled as Mrs. Goldberg came over with a turkey BLT, onion rings, and root beer float.

"It's on the house, sweetie." Mrs. Goldberg said as she sat the food down. "You could use a little meat on those bones."

"Thank you, Mrs. Goldberg. It looks great!"

The older woman made a motion with her hand before going back to the kitchen.

"The pre-season has been great." Adam said as they all went back to eating. "Hopefully we can keep it up, so the scouts have something to keep coming to the games for."

"Scouts this, scouts that." Charlie teased.

"I'm thinking of my future." Adam said as nearly everyone at the table rolled their eyes. "It's much easier to make it to the junior league if the couches know that you have great skills."

Kelsey put her sandwich down and picked up an onion ring. "Well, I think you're an amazing player, Adam, so you have nothing to worry about. But, I know what you mean. If I wanted a career in hockey, I would be totally worried about the scouts, too."

"See?" he said as he glared at Charlie.

"Well, I would rather hockey be more about fun, than worrying about my future." Charlie shrugged.

"I still think its fun. I just want to make sure that the scouts see that I have a future as a NHL player."

Over the next twenty minutes, the group small talked as they ate their dinners. Kelsey was having a really good time with her friends, but really wanted to move to the other table to talk to Portman. She was really confused about the whole situation. If he was so nervous about talking to her that day, why did he get mad when she told him not to worry about things and to just be friends?

She was yanked from her thoughts as the Bash Brothers got up from the table.

"Where are you two off to?" Julie asked as they started by their table.

Kelsey really wanted to know the answer, too, but didn't want to make things worse by actually asking it.

"None of-"

"The mall." Fulton interrupted his friend. "We're meeting up with a couple chicks and seeing a movie."

"Well," Connie said happily, "have fun. Wish someone would take me to the movies."

The duo left as Connie stared Guy down.

"I didn't know you wanted to see anything this week!" he defended. "I thought you wanted to wait until next week when that Notebook movie or whatever came out."

Connie gave a happy squeal before getting up from the booth and hugging Guy. "You're so sweet!"

Everyone else rolled their eyes as Mrs. Goldberg came out with the winning team's dessert.


Kelsey walked slowly to the bus stop, waving to her friends as they headed off the bus stop a few blocks away that would lead directly to the school. Since the route would go off in the opposite direction of Kelsey's apartment, she would end up having to walk the mile in between Eden Hall Academy and her place. While this was permissible during the day, it was a no-go situation at night. She sat on the bus stop bench, grateful that it was empty. She would use the time to herself to think about why she felt so upset over the fact that Portman was going on a date with another girl. What was he playing at? If he was mad at her for saying to just be friends, then why was he out with someone else? Why couldn't he just talk to her? Why-

"Hey, Kels." Charlie said as he sat down on the bench next to her.

"Oh, hi." she said with a puzzled look on her face. "I thought you would be going back to the school with the others?"

Charlie smiled sheepishly. "Well, this route is closer to where my mom and me live. I was going back with the others so I could see Linda before the dorm curfew, but I remembered that she had some meeting to plan for, so I decided to just go straight home."

Kelsey wasn't so sure he was telling the truth, but she didn't want to call him out on it. "I guess you're right. I forgot that you live only a couple blocks away from where I live."

"Yeah. So, when are you getting the cast off? We could really use you in the games."

"Hopefully before the second game, but even then, I might be benched for another month. The doctor doesn't want to stress my arm until it is completely healed."

"Oh, good." he said as the bus pulled in.

They quickly got onto the bus. Charlie sat beside of her as the bus started moving. "Maybe coach will let you play in Averman's place. He's a good player, but he isn't very fast."

"I've noticed that. He's too busy smart talking to actually get the puck moving. But, when he's actually focusing, he's good." she agreed.

They continued talking about the team and school as Kelsey's stop came up. She was about to wave to him when she noticed him getting off the bus, too.

'Oh, great.' she thought to herself as the bus continued on its route. 'Seriously, there is a bus stop close to his place.'

"I thought I should walk you to your door since it is so late." he said charmingly, causing Kelsey to stop being so mad.

"That's really nice of you, Charlie." she said as they walked to her apartment.

As they walked, her anger abated, but she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she was getting. Sure, Charlie wasn't a creepy person, but she wasn't exactly getting a good vibe from all of the attention he had been giving her for the last week or so. She stopped in front of the steps leading to her apartment and dug her keys out of her bag. After pulling her front door key up, she looked at Charlie and narrowly dodged a kiss aimed at her lips. She instead quickly pecked him on the cheek and went up the steps. "Thanks for walking me home. I'll see you Monday. Hope you have a good weekend."

She quickly unlocked the door, waved, and nearly ran inside. She shut the door behind her and put her back against it.

"Oh, God." she mumbled aloud.


A.N.- Sorry for taking so long to update. I did not realize how much work it would take to come up with the fresh plot, but here is the new Chapter 9. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave me comments/reviews/flames concerning how you feel about the direction of the story. If any inconsistencies still exist, let me know. I went back and checked the other chapters in the hope of getting them all to be consistent, but I am sure I missed something.

Since the next chapters will be completely new, and not a revision of the original story, it will take me a little longer to get the chapters updated. I truly expect to have this finished by the time summer is over. Anyway, again, thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, added this story to their alerts, or even flamed. I appreciate it all!