Disclaimer-Remember the rubber ducky, that's the only duck I own, Disney owns the hockey players.
Wounded Duck
By SalyaSky
Chapter 2-Introductions
Calling it a cafeteria is just not right, a cafeteria is a small area filled with plastic or metal tables and similar chairs, the floors were usually linoleum or sometimes even carpeted (mmm ground in French fries). The Eden Hall eating area is grander and a whole lot more expensive looking, what with it's wooden paneling, wooden tables, and wooden floors. This is a dining hall, it even somewhat resembles a medieval hall, it had the tapestries now all it needed was a grand fireplace. Do they really have to scream their wealth at us?
I grab a soda, sandwich, bag of chips, and a brownie from the lunch line and look around for my moving men. Stephanie decided not to eat with me, she'd rather eat with the cheerleader types. What a surprise. I finally spot Dwayne and Goldberg. I walk over to them and they wave when they see me.
"Hey, Rae," they say in unison.
"Hey, Dwayne, Goldberg." I sat down next to Dwayne who was sitting across from Goldberg. A big, muscle bound guy took a seat next to Goldberg. He glanced me over then took a look at Dwayne and Goldberg.
"Hey guys. Who's the girl?"
"My name is Rae. And you would be?"
"Name's Portman."
"Rae's a hockey player, too." Goldberg says. I glance up at Portman, muscle bound, dim of wit, definitely the jock type.
"So you play hockey," I say.
He looks up and nods then gestures to the others. "We all do. We're the Ducks. The JV team here."
I look at the others, they definitely have an eclectic team. Wait, Ducks? Is the Scrooge thing true? Did they name their team after their cartoon hero? "I thought the school mascot was a warrior not a duck?"
"It is a warrior, but we were the ducks before we came here, the whole team got a scholarship," Portman informed me.
"So they made you all a JV team instead of having tryouts?"
"Kinda, except Banksie was on the Varsity team for a while but then we got him back." He looks all proud and smug.
"So your saying it was a good thing that this Banksie guy was taken off a Varsity team where he could get a lot of competition, and placed on a JV team?"
They all look disgruntled. "Look it's not—"
"Hey, guys," Goldberg is interrupted by a blonde girl.
They turn to her and smile. "Hey, Julie."
She turns to me after she sits down. "Hi, my names Julie Gaffney."
"I'm Rae."
"I here you were talking about hockey, you play?"
"Yep."
"What position?"
"Center. You?"
"Goalie."
"Any good?"
"Yep. You?"
"The best."
"A bit arrogant aren't you?" Portman interjects.
"Probably not more arrogant than you," I shoot back. The table goes silent as Portman stares at me. Then he smiles.
"Yeah, your probably right on that one." Everyone laughs.
"So, Rae, where you from?" Dwayne asks.
"Maine."
"Really? Me too!" Julie almost squeals. I wince and catch myself before my hands clasp my ears. "What part? What team did you play for?"
"I played for Old Town and PVHC girls travel."
"No way. I played for Bangor."
"Huh, we probably faced off a few times."
"That's so cool. Now we can share memories from home." I spread my lips in a smile, yay, just what I want to do, talk about memories.
"So where are the rest of you from?"
"Texas," Dwayne says, like I didn't know.
"Right here in Minnesota," Goldberg says.
"Chicago," Portman says, I note that he said a city not a state, probably because he thinks his city is all big and important so everybody knows which state it's in, which it is, but I like to be difficult, if only in my head.
"Miami." Another important person. I turn to the owner of the voice. Hmm, pretty boy, ladies man, ooh this should be fun.
"And you are?" I say.
"Louis Mendoza, at your service." He slightly bows. I stifle a chuckle, definitely a ladies man.
"Thanks Mendoza but I wont be needing your services today, or any day for that matter." The others chuckle.
"Louis, meet one the newest hockey players to come to Eden Hall, Rae," Julie made the introductions.
He sits down with us. "Pleased to meet you."
"I bet," I say sarcastically rolling my eyes.
"Have you guys seen any of the others?" he asks the group.
"Nah, the locals may not even move in 'till tomorrow when classes start," Goldberg says.
"Why are you already moved in?" I ask him.
"Actually, I haven't moved in, I was just scoping out the new players."
I raise an eyebrow. "So the only reason you helped me was because I was carrying some hockey sticks?"
He looks agitated. "No! I helped you because you looked like you needed it."
"Help?" Julie asks.
"Yeah, she was struggling with a huge load of luggage. So we offered to carry something for her."
Portman smirks. "You carried something for her?"
The others chuckled.
In the course of talking we had finished our food. These people are fairly interesting, not mind numbingly annoying, that's good, and they play hockey so we have things to talk about. Woohoo, I have new friends, until they get on my nerves of course.
I get up. "Hey, Rae. Ha. That rhymes." I role my eyes. "Where ya going?"
"I'm gonna take a look around campus, probably check out the hockey rink."
"You want a tour guide?" Louis asks.
"If it's you, no." He looks injured. Is it an act or supposed to look like an act? "Unless of course you quit your Romeo act and behave normally."
He looks sheepish. "Sorry. I have to try it on all pretty girls I meet." He grins.
I grin in return. "Figured as much. But you'll get much farther with me if you just be yourself."
Fulton speaks up. "Hey, I'll come with you too, make sure Mendoza behaves."
The others decline for various reasons, chief among them the need to continue unpacking. We head off to explore this strange new world.