Snow Chapter 2: Thin Ice
By Star
Portman's POVOne word. One single word and Luis Mendoza is going out of the window. I just wish we were higher up and he would splatter horribly.
Fulton touches my shoulder. He's just as mad as I am, but he knows it's futile to fight, well physically that is.
On seeing his touch Averman wolf-whistles.
I'm going to kill him. Fulton doesn't remove his hand, and I force myself to calm down.
I look around. Charlie is slumped on the bench. I've never seen him so defeated. He was in this team from the very start and now some of his 'friends' hate him. Banks has a resigned expression. He's calmed down since the hooking incident, and has that 'this is my life, I'm used to it' look on his face.
Fulton looks just as mad as me but he's had more practice at holding his temper.
Charlie mutters something in Irish to Averman. That's possibly the only positive thing that has come out of this whole mess. Charlie has somehow found a way to be friends with Taz. She's teaching him Irish cusses, perfect for times like this.
Coach Orion stalks in looking almost as mad as I feel. "What the hell happened out there?"
Oh, this is going to be fun to answer.
Coach glares at Luis and Adam then continues. "This is hockey, not a social group. I don't care about your petty differences. When you step onto the ice you are a team. It doesn't matter what problems you have with your team-mates."
Yeah, it doesn't matter that four of us aren't 'normal'. Sure.
"Banks and Mendoza, come into my office when you're finished up here." He barks out, then leaves us alone.
"Hey, Luis." Averman says in a cheerful tone. "You want us to wait for you? We can protect you if the Queertet tries to 'convert' you."
The Queertet is our new nickname. It's so tragic that so Goldberg and Averman are failing English, and still have time to play with derogatory words.
Luis grins at her. "Thanks, but I'm used to it. I have to live with the pansy."
"Not for long." Banks mutters.
"Has he ever tried it on with you?" Connie asks, taking a seat next to him.
"Shut up, Connie." Guy says tiredly from across the room. She gives him a venom filled look and turns her attention back to Luis.
"So has he?" She prods. "C'mon, Luis. Fess up. We all know you're normal."
"Connie, shut up. You're not funny." I tell her. I don't know why I bother, she's not going to let up.
"Well, he does stare at me a lot." Luis says. I feel like punching his smarmy face in.
"Like I'd want you." Adam snaps. "Believe it or not, Luis, I could imagine anything worse than dating a closed minded, bigoted and lets face it, not very attractive, guy like you. I'd rather kill myself."
"Don't let us stop you." Connie says with a smile.
That's it. I don't care if she's a girl. I grab her by her shoulder and pin her to a wall. "Apologise." I order.
"Get your hands off her!" Guy tells me. Poor Guy, not very proud of his girlfriend, but obligated to defend her. "Portman, you're twice her size."
I feel Fulton's hand on my shoulder. I know it's him, he's the only person in the room who's willing to touch me. "Let her go, man. She's not worth it."
Connie smiles smugly at me. I realise my hands are shaking as I let go of her.
I have to ask myself, do I really want to play hockey enough to put up with this?
Then again, leave here, leave Fulton, leave Charlie and Adam when they obviously need our support. I couldn't do that.
We all get changed in silence. Naturally, Charlie, Adam, Fulton and I are at one end of the locker room, the rest at the other.
Everyone changes quickly, scared of being left alone with the Queertet. Scared we might want them. I don't even want to know these people.
Charlie and Fulton finish up and leave hoping to catch Taz and Maya outside and indulge in a conversation that doesn't involve their sexuality or deal with rotten jibes like we have to put up with from the rest of our 'friends'.
I wait for Banks, I want to keep an eye on Mendoza. If he can hook Adam in a game, he's certainly not going to worry about beating him up while nobody's looking. Thank god he's switching dorms with Guy tomorrow, one less thing for us to worry about.
I find myself hovering outside Orion's office. I can't hear everything that's said, but I do hear Orion asking what happened on the ice.
"Nothing. It was an accident." Mendoza tells him.
Adam's not saying a word.
"Is that true?" Orion asks him.
"If Mendoza says it, it must be." He responds dully.
"Look, I don't know what's going on with you kids, and ordinarily, I wouldn't care, but this is affecting the game. You're on scholarships. It's time to put aside your petty differences."
"I don't have a problem with anyone." Adam says clearly. "Maybe you should ask Luis what his problem is."
"That's what I'm trying to do." Coach thunders.
I wander along the hall, the conversation seems to be going around in circles.
Coach must think so too, because I hear his door click only a few seconds later.
"That was your fault, you fag." I hear Mendoza say venomously.
"And it had nothing to do with you hooking me for no reason." Adam responds tiredly. I sometimes forget that he lives with that bigot and is probably used to this hatred.
I round the corner on them. I grin at Luis. "Why don't you start on me for a change? Share some of that hatred that you seem to have in abundance."
He pales visibly. "Later, Banks." He promises, trying to duck past me.
I grab his arm. "No. Not later. You want to offload some of your closed-minded ideas. Please, share them with me, but leave Banks alone for awhile!" I slam him against the wall to punctuate my words.
"You even look at him the wrong way and I'll mess up your face, ok? Now, how about an apology?"
He looks suitably scared but says nothing.
I shake him and he mutters a pathetic 'sorry'.
"Dean." Adam taps me on the shoulder. "Leave him alone. Some people are just born dumb, you can't change them."
I grin at Banksie, then let go of Luis. "Have a nice evening." I tell him as we walk out.